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Police Said They Surveilled Woman Who Had an Abortion for Her 'Safety.' Court Records Show They Considered Charging Her With a Crime

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OpenAI launches Agent Builder tool

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OpenAI now lets you chat with apps in ChatGPT

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How AI is changing the way we travel

AI is reshaping how people plan and experience travel. From curated videos on Instagram Reels to booking engines that build entire itineraries in seconds, AI is becoming a powerful force in how journeys are imagined, booked, and lived. But this shift raises an important question: is AI giving travellers more freedom, or quietly steering their […]

The post How AI is changing the way we travel appeared first on AI News.

Google's AI can now surf the web for you, click on buttons, and fill out forms with Gemini 2.5 Computer Use

Some of the largest providers of large language models (LLMs) have sought to move beyond multimodal chatbots — extending their models out into "agents" that can actually take more actions on behalf of the user across websites. Recall OpenAI's ChatGPT Agent (formerly known as "Operator") and Anthropic's Computer Use, both released over the last two years.

Now, Google is getting into that same game as well. Today, the search giant's DeepMind AI lab subsidiary unveiled a new, fine-tuned and custom-trained version of its powerful Gemini 2.5 Pro LLM known as "Gemini 2.5 Pro Computer Use," which can use a virtual browser to surf the web on your behalf, retrieve information, fill out forms, and even take actions on websites — all from a user's single text prompt.

"These are early days, but the model’s ability to interact with the web – like scrolling, filling forms + navigating dropdowns – is an important next step in building general-purpose agents," said Google CEO Sundar Pichai, as part of a longer statement on the social network, X.

The model is not available for consumers directly from Google, though.

Instead, Google partnered with another company, Browserbase, founded by former Twilio engineer Paul Klein in early 2024, which offers virtual "headless" web browser specifically for use by AI agents and applications. (A "headless" browser is one that doesn't require a graphical user interface, or GUI, to navigate the web, though in this case and others, Browserbase does show a graphical representation for the user).

Users can demo the new Gemini 2.5 Computer Use model directly on Browserbase here and even compare it side-by-side with the older, rival offerings from OpenAI and Anthropic in a new "Browser Arena" launched by the startup (though only one additional model can be selected alongside Gemini at a time).

For AI builders and developers, it's being made as a raw, albeit propreitary LLM through the Gemini API in Google AI Studio for rapid prototyping, and Google Cloud's Vertex AI model selector and applications building platform.

The new offering builds on the capabilities of Gemini 2.5 Pro, released back in March 2025 but which has been updated significantly several times since then, with a specific focus on enabling AI agents to perform direct interactions with user interfaces, including browsers and mobile applications.

Overall, it appears Gemini 2.5 Computer Use is designed to let developers create agents that can complete interface-driven tasks autonomously — such as clicking, typing, scrolling, filling out forms, and navigating behind login screens.

Rather than relying solely on APIs or structured inputs, this model allows AI systems to interact with software visually and functionally, much like a human would.

Brief User Hands-On Tests

In my brief, unscientific initial hands-on tests on the Browserbase website, Gemini 2.5 Computer Use successfully navigate to Taylor Swift's official website as instructed and provided me a summary of what was being sold or promoted at the top — a special edition of her newest album, "The Life of A Showgirl."

In another test, I asked Gemini 2.5 Computer Use to search Amazon for highly rated and well-reviewed solar lights I could stake into my back yard, and I was delighted to watch as it successfully completed a Google Search Captcha designed to weed out non-human users ("Select all the boxes with a motorcycle.") It did so in a matter of seconds.

However, once it got through there, it stalled and was unable to complete the task, despite serving up a "task competed" message.

I should also note here that while the ChatGPT agent from OpenAI and Anthropic's Claude can create and edit local files — such as PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, or text documents — on the user’s behalf, Gemini 2.5 Computer Use does not currently offer direct file system access or native file creation capabilities.

Instead, it is designed to control and navigate web and mobile user interfaces through actions like clicking, typing, and scrolling. Its output is limited to suggested UI actions or chatbot-style text responses; any structured output like a document or file must be handled separately by the developer, often through custom code or third-party integrations.

Performance Benchmarks

Google says Gemini 2.5 Computer Use has demonstrated leading results in multiple interface control benchmarks, particularly when compared to other major AI systems including Claude Sonnet and OpenAI’s agent-based models.

Evaluations were conducted via Browserbase and Google’s own testing.

Some highlights include:

• Online-Mind2Web (Browserbase): 65.7% for Gemini 2.5 vs. 61.0% (Claude Sonnet 4) and 44.3% (OpenAI Agent)

• WebVoyager (Browserbase): 79.9% for Gemini 2.5 vs. 69.4% (Claude Sonnet 4) and 61.0% (OpenAI Agent)

• AndroidWorld (DeepMind): 69.7% for Gemini 2.5 vs. 62.1% (Claude Sonnet 4); OpenAI's model could not be measured due to lack of access

• OSWorld: Currently not supported by Gemini 2.5; top competitor result was 61.4%

In addition to strong accuracy, Google reports that the model operates at lower latency than other browser control solutions — a key factor in production use cases like UI automation and testing.

How It Works

Agents powered by the Computer Use model operate within an interaction loop. They receive:

• A user task prompt

• A screenshot of the interface

• A history of past actions

The model analyzes this input and produces a recommended UI action, such as clicking a button or typing into a field.

If needed, it can request confirmation from the end user for riskier tasks, such as making a purchase.

Once the action is executed, the interface state is updated and a new screenshot is sent back to the model. The loop continues until the task is completed or halted due to an error or a safety decision.

The model uses a specialized tool called computer_use, and it can be integrated into custom environments using tools like Playwright or via the Browserbase demo sandbox.

Use Cases and Adoption

According to Google, teams internally and externally have already started using the model across several domains:

• Google’s payments platform team reports that Gemini 2.5 Computer Use successfully recovers over 60% of failed test executions, reducing a major source of engineering inefficiencies.

• Autotab, a third-party AI agent platform, said the model outperformed others on complex data parsing tasks, boosting performance by up to 18% in their hardest evaluations.

• Poke.com, a proactive AI assistant provider, noted that the Gemini model often operates 50% faster than competing solutions during interface interactions.

The model is also being used in Google’s own product development efforts, including in Project Mariner, the Firebase Testing Agent, and AI Mode in Search.

Safety Measures

Because this model directly controls software interfaces, Google emphasizes a multi-layered approach to safety:

• A per-step safety service inspects every proposed action before execution.

• Developers can define system-level instructions to block or require confirmation for specific actions.

• The model includes built-in safeguards to avoid actions that might compromise security or violate Google’s prohibited use policies.

For example, if the model encounters a CAPTCHA, it will generate an action to click the checkbox but flag it as requiring user confirmation, ensuring the system does not proceed without human oversight.

Technical Capabilities

The model supports a wide array of built-in UI actions such as:

• click_at, type_text_at, scroll_document, drag_and_drop, and more

• User-defined functions can be added to extend its reach to mobile or custom environments

• Screen coordinates are normalized (0–1000 scale) and translated back to pixel dimensions during execution

It accepts image and text input and outputs text responses or function calls to perform tasks. The recommended screen resolution for optimal results is 1440x900, though it can work with other sizes.

API Pricing Remains Almost Identical to Gemini 2.5 Pro

The pricing for Gemini 2.5 Computer Use aligns closely with the standard Gemini 2.5 Pro model. Both follow the same per-token billing structure: input tokens are priced at $1.25 per one million tokens for prompts under 200,000 tokens, and $2.50 per million tokens for prompts longer than that.

Output tokens follow a similar split, priced at $10.00 per million for smaller responses and $15.00 for larger ones.

Where the models diverge is in availability and additional features.

Gemini 2.5 Pro includes a free tier that allows developers to use the model at no cost, with no explicit token cap published, though usage may be subject to rate limits or quota constraints depending on the platform (e.g. Google AI Studio).

This free access includes both input and output tokens. Once developers exceed their allotted quota or switch to the paid tier, standard per-token pricing applies.

In contrast, Gemini 2.5 Computer Use is available exclusively through the paid tier. There is no free access currently offered for this model, and all usage incurs token-based charges from the outset.

Feature-wise, Gemini 2.5 Pro supports optional capabilities like context caching (starting at $0.31 per million tokens) and grounding with Google Search (free for up to 1,500 requests per day, then $35 per 1,000 additional requests). These are not available for Computer Use at this time.

Another distinction is in data handling: output from the Computer Use model is not used to improve Google products in the paid tier, while free-tier usage of Gemini 2.5 Pro contributes to model improvement unless explicitly opted out.

Overall, developers can expect similar token-based costs across both models, but they should consider tier access, included capabilities, and data use policies when deciding which model fits their needs.

Has this stealth startup finally cracked the code on enterprise AI agent reliability? Meet AUI's Apollo-1

For more than a decade, conversational AI has promised human-like assistants that can do more than chat. Yet even as large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude learn to reason, explain, and code, one critical category of interaction remains largely unsolved — reliably completing tasks for people outside of chat.

Even the best AI models score only in the 30th percentile on Terminal-Bench Hard, a third-party benchmark designed to evaluate the performance of AI agents on completing a variety of browser-based tasks, far below the reliability demanded by most enterprises and users. And task-specific benchmarks like TAU-Bench airline, which measures the reliability of AI agents on finding and booking flights on behalf of a user, also don't have much higher pass rates, with only 56% for the top performing agents and models (Claude 3.7 Sonnet) — meaning the agent fails nearly half the time.

New York City-based Augmented Intelligence (AUI) Inc., co-founded by Ohad Elhelo and Ori Cohen, believes it has finally come with a solution to boost AI agent reliability to a level where most enterprises can trust they will do as instructed, reliably.

The company’s new foundation model, called Apollo-1 — which remains in preview with early testers now but is close to an impending general release — is built on a principle it calls stateful neuro-symbolic reasoning.

It's a hybrid architecture championed by even LLM skeptics like Gary Marcus, designed to guarantee consistent, policy-compliant outcomes in every customer interaction.

“Conversational AI is essentially two halves,” said Elhelo in a recent interview with VentureBeat. “The first half — open-ended dialogue — is handled beautifully by LLMs. They’re designed for creative or exploratory use cases. The other half is task-oriented dialogue, where there’s always a specific goal behind the conversation. That half has remained unsolved because it requires certainty.”

AUI defines certainty as the difference between an agent that “probably” performs a task and one that almost “always” does.

For example, on TAU-Bench Airline, it performs at a staggering 92.5% pass rate, leaving all the other current competitors far behind in the dust — according to benchmarks shared with VentureBeat and posted on AUI's website.

Elhelo offered simple examples: a bank that must enforce ID verification for refunds over $200, or an airline that must always offer a business-class upgrade before economy.

“Those aren’t preferences,” he said. “They’re requirements. And no purely generative approach can deliver that kind of behavioral certainty.”

AUI and its work on improving reliability was previously covered by subscription news outlet The Information, but has not received widespread coverage in publicly accessible media — until now.

From Pattern Matching to Predictable Action

The team argues that transformer models, by design, can’t meet that bar. Large language models generate plausible text, not guaranteed behavior. “When you tell an LLM to always offer insurance before payment, it might — usually,” Elhelo said. “Configure Apollo-1 with that rule, and it will — every time.”

That distinction, he said, stems from the architecture itself. Transformers predict the next token in a sequence. Apollo-1, by contrast, predicts the next action in a conversation, operating on what AUI calls a typed symbolic state.

Cohen explained the idea in more technical terms. “Neuro-symbolic means we’re merging the two dominant paradigms,” he said. “The symbolic layer gives you structure — it knows what an intent, an entity, and a parameter are — while the neural layer gives you language fluency. The neuro-symbolic reasoner sits between them. It’s a different kind of brain for dialogue.”

Where transformers treat every output as text generation, Apollo-1 runs a closed reasoning loop: an encoder translates natural language into a symbolic state, a state machine maintains that state, a decision engine determines the next action, a planner executes it, and a decoder turns the result back into language. “The process is iterative,” Cohen said. “It loops until the task is done. That’s how you get determinism instead of probability.”

A Foundation Model for Task Execution

Unlike traditional chatbots or bespoke automation systems, Apollo-1 is meant to serve as a foundation model for task-oriented dialogue — a single, domain-agnostic system that can be configured for banking, travel, retail, or insurance through what AUI calls a System Prompt.

“The System Prompt isn’t a configuration file,” Elhelo said. “It’s a behavioral contract. You define exactly how your agent must behave in situations of interest, and Apollo-1 guarantees those behaviors will execute.”

Organizations can use the prompt to encode symbolic slots — intents, parameters, and policies — as well as tool boundaries and state-dependent rules.

A food delivery app, for example, might enforce “if allergy mentioned, always inform the restaurant,” while a telecom provider might define “after three failed payment attempts, suspend service.” In both cases, the behavior executes deterministically, not statistically.

Eight Years in the Making

AUI’s path to Apollo-1 began in 2017, when the team started encoding millions of real task-oriented conversations handled by a 60,000-person human agent workforce.

That work led to a symbolic language capable of separating procedural knowledge — steps, constraints, and flows — from descriptive knowledge like entities and attributes.

“The insight was that task-oriented dialogue has universal procedural patterns,” said Elhelo. “Food delivery, claims processing, and order management all share similar structures. Once you model that explicitly, you can compute over it deterministically.”

From there, the company built the neuro-symbolic reasoner — a system that uses the symbolic state to decide what happens next rather than guessing through token prediction.

Benchmarks suggest the architecture makes a measurable difference.

In AUI’s own evaluations, Apollo-1 achieved over 90 percent task completion on the τ-Bench-Airline benchmark, compared with 60 percent for Claude-4.

It completed 83 percent of live booking chats on Google Flights versus 22 percent for Gemini 2.5-Flash, and 91 percent of retail scenarios on Amazon versus 17 percent for Rufus.

“These aren’t incremental improvements,” said Cohen. “They’re order-of-magnitude reliability differences.”

A Complement, Not a Competitor

AUI isn’t pitching Apollo-1 as a replacement for large language models, but as their necessary counterpart. In Elhelo’s words: “Transformers optimize for creative probability. Apollo-1 optimizes for behavioral certainty. Together, they form the complete spectrum of conversational AI.”

The model is already running in limited pilots with undisclosed Fortune 500 companies across sectors including finance, travel, and retail.

AUI has also confirmed a strategic partnership with Google and plans for general availability in November 2025, when it will open APIs, release full documentation, and add voice and image capabilities. Interested potential customers and partners can sign up to receive more information when it becomes available on AUI's website form.

Until then, the company is keeping details under wraps. When asked about what comes next, Elhelo smiled. “Let’s just say we’re preparing an announcement,” he said. “Soon.”

Toward Conversations That Act

For all its technical sophistication, Apollo-1’s pitch is simple: make AI that businesses can trust to act — not just talk. “We’re on a mission to democratize access to AI that works,” Cohen said near the end of the interview.

Whether Apollo-1 becomes the new standard for task-oriented dialogue remains to be seen. But if AUI’s architecture performs as promised, the long-standing divide between chatbots that sound human and agents that reliably do human work may finally start to close.

IBM claims 45% productivity gains with Project Bob, its multi-model IDE that orchestrates LLMs with full repository context

For many enterprises, there continue to be barriers to fully adopting and benefiting from agentic AI.

IBM is betting the blocker isn't building AI agents but governing them in production.

At its TechXchange 2025 conference today, IBM unveiled a series of capabilities designed to bridge the gap: Project Bob, an AI-first IDE that orchestrates multiple LLMs to automate application modernization; AgentOps for real-time agent governance; and the first integration of open-source Langflow into watsonx Orchestrate, IBM's platform for deploying and managing AI agents. IBM's announcements represent a three-pronged strategy to address interconnected enterprise AI challenges: modernizing legacy code, governing AI agents in production and bridging the prototype-to-production gap..

The company claims 6,000 internal developers within IBM have used Project Bob, achieving an average productivity gain of 45% and a 22-43% increase in code commits .

There is no shortage of AI-powered coding tools in the market today, including tools like GitHub Copilot and vibe coding tools such as Replit, Cursor, Bolt and Lovable.

"Project Bob takes a fundamentally different approach from tools like GitHub Copilot or Cursor," Bruno Aziza, IBM's Vice President of Data, AI and Analytics Strategy told VentureBeat.

Aziza said that Project Bob is enterprise-focused and maintains full-repository context across editing sessions. It automates complex tasks like Java 8 to more modern version of Java and framework upgrades from Struts or JSF to React, Angular or Liberty.

The architecture orchestrates between Anthropic's Claude, Mistral, Meta's Llama and IBM's recently released Granite 4 models through a data-driven model selection approach. The system routes tasks to whichever LLM is best suited, balancing accuracy, latency and cost in real time.

"It understands the entire repository, development intent and security standards, enabling developers to design, debug, refactor and modernize code without breaking flow,” he said.

Among 6,000 early adopters within IBM, 95% used Bob for task completion rather than code generation. The tool integrates DevSecOps practices like vulnerability detection and compliance checks directly into the IDE.

"Bob goes beyond code assistance — it orchestrates intelligence across the entire software development lifecycle, helping teams ship secure, modern software faster," he said.

Part of Project Bob is a new partnership between IBM and Anthropic

The two vendors announced a partnership to integrate Claude models directly into the watsonx portfolio, starting with Project Bob. The collaboration extends beyond model integration to include what IBM describes as a first-of-its-kind guide for enterprise AI agent deployment.

IBM and Anthropic co-created "A Guide to Architecting Secure Enterprise AI Agents with MCP Servers," focused on the Agent Development Lifecycle (ADLC). The ADLC framework provides a structured approach to designing, deploying and managing enterprise AI systems. MCP refers to Model Context Protocol, Anthropic's widely embraced open standard for connecting AI assistants to the systems and data they need to work with.

In addition to Project Bob, IBM announced that it is extending its watsonx Orchestrate technology to integrate the open source Langflow visual agent builder. Langflow is an open-source technology that is led by DataStax, which itself was acquired by IBM in May of this year. The integration of Langflow is intended to address what Aziza calls the "prototype to production chasm."

"Today, there's no seamless path from open-source prototyping to enterprise-grade systems that are reliable, compliant and scalable," Aziza said. "Watsonx Orchestrate transforms Langflow-like agentic composition into an enterprise-grade orchestration platform by adding governance, security, scalability, compliance, and operational robustness — making it production-ready for mission-critical use.” 

Aziza explained that the integration of Langflow with watsonx Orchestration brings critical capabilities on top of the open-source tool including:

Agent lifecycle framework: Provisioning, versioning, deployment and monitoring with multi-agent coordination and role-based access.

Integrated AI governance: Embedded watsonx.governance provides audit trails, explainability for agent decisions, bias and drift monitoring and policy enforcement. Langflow has no native governance controls.

Enterprise infrastructure: SaaS or on-premises hosting with data isolation, SSO/LDAP integration and fine-grained permissions. Langflow users must manage their own infrastructure and security.

No-code and pro-code options: Langflow is "low-code." IBM added a visual, no-code Agent Builder and a pro-code Agent Development Kit for seamless promotion from prototype to production.

Pre-built domain agents: Catalog of HR, IT and finance agents integrated with Workday, SAP and ServiceNow.

Production observability: Built-in dashboards, analytics and enterprise support SLAs with continuous performance monitoring.

IBM is also introducing two new capabilities to watsonx Orchestrate that work in tandem with the Langflow integration: Agentic Workflows for standardized agent coordination and AgentOps for production governance. 

Agentic Workflows addresses what Aziza calls the "brittle scripts" problem. Today developers build agents using custom scripts that break when scaled across enterprise environments. Agentic Workflows provides standardized, reusable flows that sequence multiple agents and tools consistently. This connects directly to the Langflow integration. While Langflow provides the visual interface for building individual agents, Agentic Workflows handles the orchestration layer, coordinating multiple agents and tools into repeatable enterprise processes. 

AgentOps then provides the governance and observability for those running workflows. The new built-in observability layer provides real-time monitoring and policy-based controls across the full agent lifecycle.

The governance gap becomes concrete in enterprise scenarios. Without AgentOps, an HR onboarding agent might set up benefits and payroll but teams lack visibility into whether it's applying policies correctly until problems surface. With AgentOps, every action is monitored in real time, allowing anomalies to be flagged and corrected immediately.

Technical debt is something that many organizations struggle with and it can represent a non-trivial barrier for organizations looking to get into agentic AI deployments. Project Bob's value proposition is clearest for organizations with significant legacy Java codebases. The 45% productivity gains IBM measured internally suggest meaningful acceleration for Java 8 to more modern versions of Java and framework upgrades from Struts or JSF to modern architectures. However, these metrics come from IBM developers working on IBM systems. The critical unknown is whether the multi-model orchestration delivers the same results on customer codebases with different architectural patterns, technical debt profiles and team skill levels.

The Langflow integration addresses a genuine gap for teams already using open source agent frameworks. The challenge isn't building agents with tools like LangChain, LangGraph or n8n. It's adding the governance layer, lifecycle management, enterprise security controls and observability required for production deployment.

For enterprises looking to lead in AI adoption, IBM's announcements serve to reinforce the fact that governance infrastructure is now table stakes. You can build agents quickly with existing tools. Scaling them safely requires the lifecycle management, observability and policy controls.

Project Bob is now available in private tech preview with broader availability expected in the future. IBM is accepting access requests through its developer portal. Its AgentOps and agentic workflows integrations are now available in watsonx Orchestrate, while its Langflow integration is expected to be generally available at the end of this month.

Nobel Physics Prize 2025 Goes to 3 Scientists for Discoveries in Quantum Mechanics

John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis were recognised for their work in macroscopic quantum physics.

The post Nobel Physics Prize 2025 Goes to 3 Scientists for Discoveries in Quantum Mechanics appeared first on Analytics India Magazine.

Indian IT Sector Eyes Modest Q2 Growth Amid Soft Demand

A depreciating rupee is expected to support steady margins as companies navigate muted deal activity and pricing pressures.

The post Indian IT Sector Eyes Modest Q2 Growth Amid Soft Demand appeared first on Analytics India Magazine.

The 9 Indian Startups Eating All of India’s AI Money

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Saviynt’s Bengaluru GCC Powers Global Identity Innovation

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QWR and Kaynes Partner to Build India’s First XR Device Manufacturing Hub

This aims to reduce reliance on imports by up to 50% and create over 1,000 skilled jobs by 2027.

The post QWR and Kaynes Partner to Build India’s First XR Device Manufacturing Hub appeared first on Analytics India Magazine.

Cadence Partners with TSMC for Advanced AI, Chip Design

Cadence’s AI design flows now support TSMC’s N2 and A16 technologies, while new silicon-proven IP is available for TSMC N3P.

The post Cadence Partners with TSMC for Advanced AI, Chip Design appeared first on Analytics India Magazine.

Eli Lilly to Invest ₹9,000 Crore in Hyderabad, Boost Telangana’s Pharma Leadership

The investment is expected to create thousands of high-value jobs and attract further global partnerships in the sector.

The post Eli Lilly to Invest ₹9,000 Crore in Hyderabad, Boost Telangana’s Pharma Leadership appeared first on Analytics India Magazine.

CoreWeave to Acquire Monolith, Offer Full Stack Research & Design

With this acquisition, CoreWeave will expand into automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and other industries.  

The post CoreWeave to Acquire Monolith, Offer Full Stack Research & Design appeared first on Analytics India Magazine.

‘Almost All New Code Written at OpenAI Today is From Codex Users’

Sam Altman stated that nearly every pull request at OpenAI undergoes a Codex review. 

The post ‘Almost All New Code Written at OpenAI Today is From Codex Users’ appeared first on Analytics India Magazine.

Tesla’s standard-range Model 3, Model Y join the lineup

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After RFK Jr.’s shenanigans, COVID shot access will be a lot like last year

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2025 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded for macroscale quantum tunneling

John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John Martinis built an electrical circuit-based oscillator on a microchip.

Ted Cruz doesn’t seem to understand Wikipedia, lawyer for Wikimedia says

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Microsoft removes even more Microsoft account workarounds from Windows 11 build

Microsoft has locked down well-documented workarounds in recent test builds.

Ars Live: Is the AI bubble about to pop? Ed Zitron is on with Ars at 3:30pm EDT today

Our discussion happens today, October 7, at 3:30pm US Eastern time.

Natural disasters are a rising burden for the National Guard

New Pentagon data show climate impacts shaping reservists’ mission.

Dead celebrities are apparently fair game for Sora 2 video manipulation

OpenAI's likeness protections for living "public figures" don't apply to "historical figures."

Qualcomm is buying Arduino, releases new Raspberry Pi-esque Arduino board

Qualcomm claims Arduino will keep its own branding and "open source ethos."

Play Store changes coming this month as SCOTUS declines to freeze antitrust remedies

The first app store changes are due in a few weeks, with the major changes coming next summer.

Newest developer beta backtracks on one iPadOS 26 multitasking decision

Apple had removed many of the iPad's old multitasking modes in the new update.

It’s Prime Day 2025 part two, and here are the best deals we could find

We've got deals on keyboards, laptops, accessories, and all kinds of stuff!

Today’s AI hype has echoes of a devastating technology boom and bust 100 years ago

AI is showing some of the hallmarks of another technology’s rapid rise and fall back in the 1920s. These are the lessons we could learn.

Would you watch a film with an AI actor? What Tilly Norwood tells us about art – and labour rights

Hollywood’s first AI ‘actor’ has officially launched her career. Is this the future of film, or is it a gimmick?

AI tools promise efficiency at work, but they can erode trust, creativity and agency

Without deliberate strategies, over-reliance on AI could erode self-trust, creativity and ethical judgment and leave organizations more fragile, not more resilient.

In the age of false information, we all need a good BS detector. Here’s how to sort facts from harmful fiction | Tony Haymet

Our brains are wired to believe new information, especially if it aligns with our views. But mistruths can have serious consequences

Ernest Hemingway famously said that every good writer needs a built-in BS detector. But in 2025 we all need one. High levels of scientific misinformation are threatening the wellbeing of families and our society, and the problem is worsening at an alarming rate.

Artificial intelligence and social media are turbo-charging the spread of misinformation dressed as science. Lies that once travelled slowly, and stayed relatively local, now surge across the globe.

Continue reading...

Almost a fifth of young UK adults use AI to design holiday, study finds

Traditional package holiday is still the most common eventual purchase, travel industry body Abta reports

Almost one in five young adults are turning to artificial intelligence to design their holiday, according to the UK travel industry body Abta.

While the traditional package holiday still remains the most common eventual purchase, Abta found that 18% of 25- to 34-year-olds were using AI tools such as ChatGPT to inspire their trips abroad.

Continue reading...

The Entire Economy Now Depends on the AI Industry Not Fumbling

"AI better deliver."

The post The Entire Economy Now Depends on the AI Industry Not Fumbling appeared first on Futurism.

Cocky AI CEO Does Photoshoot in Front of His Subway Ads That Got Relentlessly Vandalized

"The picture of the billboard is the billboard."

The post Cocky AI CEO Does Photoshoot in Front of His Subway Ads That Got Relentlessly Vandalized appeared first on Futurism.

Amazon Caught Peddling AI Slop Version of Cory Doctorow That’s So Ironic That We Have to Go Outside and Stare at the Sky for a Bit

What level of meta is this?

The post Amazon Caught Peddling AI Slop Version of Cory Doctorow That’s So Ironic That We Have to Go Outside and Stare at the Sky for a Bit appeared first on Futurism.

Sora 2 Has a Huge Financial Problem

"People are generating much more than we expected per user, and a lot of videos are being generated for very small audiences."

The post Sora 2 Has a Huge Financial Problem appeared first on Futurism.

Robin Williams’ Daughter Disgusted by AI Slop of Her Father

"You are taking in the 'Human Centipede' of content."

The post Robin Williams’ Daughter Disgusted by AI Slop of Her Father appeared first on Futurism.

People Are Making Sora 2 Videos of Stephen Hawking Being Horribly Brutalized

Beyond poor taste.

The post People Are Making Sora 2 Videos of Stephen Hawking Being Horribly Brutalized appeared first on Futurism.

Top AI Industry Figures Secretly Hoping AI Will Wipe Out Humankind

"It's not something one can ignore."

The post Top AI Industry Figures Secretly Hoping AI Will Wipe Out Humankind appeared first on Futurism.

OpenAI Sneezes, and Software Firms Catch a Cold

OpenAI revealed last week the custom AI tools it uses internally. The news sent some software companies into turmoil.

The Future of AI Isn't Just Slop

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WinForms in 2025? Here's the Slick MSSQL Monitoring App I Built

Monitor MSSQL performance with this custom app

Ever had to dig through multiple tools just to debug a failed MSSQL backup or trace an error switching from multiple MS SQL Instances ? 😥

That’s why I built a small tool in Visual Studio, using C#, WinForms, Powershell, T-SQL, WMI to monitor SQL Server health, logs, and performance stats in one place.

The primary focus of my project was to make an app that will have all the necessary tools for database administrator in their everyday monitoring work.

App provides key insights on disk, memory, database health, table sizes, fragmentation, backup/restore history, schema object definition, error logs, extracts raw sql objects and tracking events for locks, deadlocks, and overall monitor sessions on your MSSQL.

Feel free to contact me if you like what you see or have ideas what to improve or add....
I'd love to hear your feedback! 🤞

Video link: https://vimeo.com/1124492178

I've published the app also on,
https://www.producthunt.com/products/abemon?launch=abemon

🧑‍🚀 Check the app on my GitHub:

Cheers,
Amar.

Coding Challenge Practice - Question 23

The task is to implement the Array.prototype.flat(), which reduces nesting of an array.

The boilerplate code:

function flat(arr, depth = 1) {
  // your implementation here
}

The flat method receives an array and a number to determine how many levels deep to flatten the array. If no number is provided, depth defaults to 1, because the flat method flattens by 1 by default.

An array called result, where flattened elements will be collected, is created

const result = [];

A helper function that takes 2 arguments is created to flatten the array recursively. The function loops through every index of the array. If there are indexes that don't exist, it skips them.

const flatten = (array, currentDepth) => {
    for (let i = 0; i < array.length; i++) {
      if (!(i in array)) {
        result.push();
        continue;
      }
}

The function runs recursively, checking each element of the array. If the element is another array, and the specified depth isn't reached, the function flattens it. If it's not an array or the depth is reached, it pushes the element into the results array.

const element = array[i];

      if (Array.isArray(element) && currentDepth < depth) {
        flatten(element, currentDepth + 1);
      } else {
        result.push(element);
      }

The results array is then returned. The final code looks like this:

function flat(arr, depth = 1) {
  // your implementation here
  const result = [];

  const flatten = (array, currentDepth) => {
    for (let i = 0; i < array.length; i++) {
      if (!(i in array)) {
        result.push();
        continue;
      }

      const element = array[i];

      if (Array.isArray(element) && currentDepth < depth) {
        flatten(element, currentDepth + 1);
      } else {
        result.push(element);
      }
    }
  };

  flatten(arr, 0);
  return result;
}

That's all folks!

Padrão Mediator

Introdução

o mediator é um padrão de design comportamental (do catálogo GoF). Seu objetivo é reduzir o acoplamento direto entre objetos, centralizando a comunicação em um objeto intermediário chamado mediador.

Em sistemas grandes vários objetos interagem entre si. Se cada objeto se comunicar diretamente com os outros, o sistema fica aclopado como uma “teia” de dependências difícil de manter. O Mediador entra nesse cenário, e atua como um “hub”, onde em vez de os objetos conversarem entre si diretamente, eles falam com o mediador, que decide para onde a mensagem vai

Analogia

Imagine um aeroporto:

• Os pilotos não ficam falando uns com os outros diretamente pelo rádio
• Eles falam com a torre de controle (o mediador)
• A torre organiza e coordena a comunicação, evitando conflitos

Estrutura do Mediator

• Mediator (interface/abstração): define como os colegas (colleagues) se comunicam atráves dele
• ConcreteMediator: Implementa a lógica de coordenação
• Colleagues: objetos que dependem do mediador para interagir

Exemplo prático

Num chat:

• Usuário A quer mandar uma mensagem para Usuário B.
• Em vez de A conhecer diretamente B, A envia a mensagem para o ChatMediator, que então encaminha para B.

// Interface do Mediator
public interface IChatMediator
{
    void EnviarMensagem(string mensagem, Usuario usuario);
    void AdicionarUsuario(Usuario usuario);
}

// Implementação concreta
public class ChatMediator : IChatMediator
{
    private List<Usuario> _usuarios = new();

    public void AdicionarUsuario(Usuario usuario) => _usuarios.Add(usuario);

    public void EnviarMensagem(string mensagem, Usuario usuario)
    {
        foreach (var u in _usuarios)
        {
            if (u != usuario)
                u.ReceberMensagem(mensagem);
        }
    }
}

// Colleague
public class Usuario
{
    private IChatMediator _mediator;
    public string Nome { get; }

    public Usuario(string nome, IChatMediator mediator)
    {
        Nome = nome;
        _mediator = mediator;
        _mediator.AdicionarUsuario(this);
    }

    public void EnviarMensagem(string msg) =>
        _mediator.EnviarMensagem($"{Nome}: {msg}", this);

    public void ReceberMensagem(string msg) =>
        Console.WriteLine(msg);
}

No .NET moderno, esse padrão é muito utilizado através da biblioteca MediatR, que implementa o conceito para lidar com commands e queries em arquitetura como CQRS e Clean Architecture.

IP addresses

What is an IP Address?

An IP Address (Internet Protocol Address) is a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. It serves two main purposes:

Identifying a device on the network.
Locating the device to enable communication with other devices over a network like the Internet.

Components of an IP Address
Network Portion: Identifies the network to which the device belongs.
Host Portion: Identifies the individual device on the network.
Subnet Mask (for IPv4): Defines which part of the IP is network and which part is host.
Example: IP 192.168.1.10 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Network ID: 192.168.1.0
Host ID: 10

Types of IP Address
IP addresses can be classified in several ways based on their structure, purpose, and the type of network they are used in. Here's a breakdown of the different classifications of IP addresses:

Types of IP Address

1. Based on Addressing Scope (IPv4 vs. IPv6) 1.1 Public IP Addresses A Public IP address is assigned to every device that directly accesses the internet. This address is unique across the entire internet. Uniqueness & Accessibility are its key characteristics & are assigned by Internet Service Providers. When you connect to the internet through an Xfinity, your device or router receives a public IP address. These addresses can be static or dynamic.

Private-_-Public-Address
Public v/s Private IP Address
Example Use: If you host a website on your own server at home, your ISP must assign a public IP address to your server so users around the world can access your site.

1.2 Private IP Addresses
Private IP addresses are used within private networks and are not routable on the internet. This means that devices with private IP addresses cannot directly communicate with devices on the internet without a translating mechanism like a router performing Network Address Translation (NAT). These are only required to be unique within their own network & are used for communication between devices within the same network

Defined ranges for IPv4: 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255, 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255, 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255
Defined ranges for IPv6: Addresses starting with FD or FC
Example Use: In a typical home network, the router assigns private IP addresses to each device (like smartphones, laptops, smart TVs) from the reserved ranges. These devices use their private IPs to communicate with each other and with the router. The router uses NAT to allow these devices to access the internet using its public IP address.

1. Based on IP Version 2.1 IPv4 This is the most common form of IP Address. It consists of four sets of numbers(octets) separated by dots. This format can support over 4 billion unique addresses. Each octet represents eight bits, or a byte, and can take a value from 0 to 255. This range is derived from the possible combinations of eight bits (28 = 256 combinations).

IPv4 Address Format
Example of IPv4 Address:
192.168.1.1
192.168.1.1

192 is the first octet
168 is the second octet
1 is the third octet
1 is the fourth octet
Note: Each part of the IP address can indicate various aspects of the network configuration, from the network itself to the specific device within that network.

2.2 IPv6:
IPv6 addresses were created to deal with the shortage of IPv4 addresses. They use 128 bits instead of 32, offering a vastly greater number of possible addresses. These addresses are expressed as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits, each group representing 16 bits. The groups are separated by colons.

IPv6 Address Format

Example:

2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334

Explanation:

Simplification Rules

IPv6 allows you to shorten addresses:

1. Remove leading zeros in any group:

   2001:db8:85a3:0:0:8a2e:370:7334

1. Replace consecutive groups of zeros with :: (but only once in an address):

   2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334

Types of IPv6 Addresses

1. Based on Assignment 3.1 Static IP Addresses Static IP Addresses are permanently assigned to a device, typically important for servers or devices that need a constant address. Reliable for network services that require regular access such as websites, remote management. 3.2 Dynamic IP Addresses: Temporarily assigned from a pool of available addresses by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). Cost-effective and efficient for providers, perfect for consumer devices that do not require permanent addresses.
2. Based on Function 4.1. Unicast Address In unicast, data is sent from one sender to one specific receiver identified by a unique IP address. It is the most common type of communication used in networks. Its Purpose is One-to-one communication.

Example: Sending an email or loading a webpage - your computer directly communicates with a specific server.
Use Case: Regular web browsing, file transfers (FTP), email (SMTP), etc.

1. 2. Broadcast Address In broadcast, a message is sent from one device to all devices in the same network segment. Every device in the network receives and processes the broadcast message. Its Purpose is One-to-all communication within a network.

Example: An ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) request uses broadcasting to find a device’s MAC address on the local network.
Use Case: Network discovery, DHCP requests, ARP queries
Difference-Between-Unicast-Multicast-and-Broadcast
Unicast v/s Multicast v/s Broadcast
Note: Broadcast communication is supported in IPv4, but not in IPv6 (IPv6 replaces it with multicast).

1. 3. Multicast Address In multicast, data is sent from one source to multiple selected receivers that are part of a multicast group. Only devices that have joined the group will receive the data, making it more efficient than broadcasting. Its Purpose is One-to-many (selected group) communication.

Multicast Address Overview

IPv4 Multicast

Example Use Case:
A company sends a live video stream to hundreds of employees on the same network using 224.1.1.1.
All users subscribed to that multicast group receive the same stream efficiently.

IPv6 Multicast

Example Use Case:
A live university lecture is streamed to students connected across IPv6 networks using a multicast group such as FF15::1.

Summary Table

4.4. Anycast Address
In anycast, data is sent from one sender to the nearest receiver (in terms of network distance) among a group of devices sharing the same IP address. Routers determine the closest destination dynamically. Its Purpose is One-to-nearest communication (based on routing distance).

Anycast
Anycast
Example: Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) use anycast to route user requests to the nearest data center.
Use Case: DNS servers, CDN routing, load balancing
Note: Anycast is primarily used in IPv6, but it can also be implemented in IPv4.

Classes of IPv4 Address
There are around 4.3 billion IPv4 addresses and managing all those addresses without any classification is next to impossible. For easier management and assignment IP addresses are organized in numeric order and divided into the following 5 classes:

IP Class Address Range Maximum number of networks
Class A 1-126 126 (27-2)
Class B 128-191 16384
Class C 192-223 2097152
Class D 224-239 Reserve for multitasking
Class E 240-254 Reserved for Research and development
Class A (1.0.0.0 to 127.255.255.255): Used for very large networks (like multinational companies). Supports up to 16 million hosts per network.
Class B (128.0.0.0 to 191.255.255.255): Used for medium-sized networks, such as large organizations. Supports up to 65,000 hosts per network.
Class C (192.0.0.0 to 223.255.255.255): Used for smaller networks, like small businesses or home networks. Supports up to 254 hosts per network.
Class D (224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255): Reserved for multicast groups (used to send data to multiple devices at once). Not used for traditional devices or networks.
Class E (240.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255): Reserved for experimental purposes and future use.
Special IP Addresses
There are also some special-purpose IP addresses that don't follow the usual structure:

Loopback Address: The loopback address
127.0.0.1
127.0.0.1 is used to test network connectivity within the same device (i.e., sending data to yourself). Often called "localhost."
Broadcast Address: The broadcast address allows data to be sent to all devices in a network. For a typical network with the IP range
192.168.1.0
/
24
192.168.1.0/24, the broadcast address would be
192.168.1.255
192.168.1.255.
Multicast Address: Used to send data to a group of devices (multicast). For example,
233.0.0.1
233.0.0.1 is a multicast address.
How Do IP Addresses Work?
An IP address (Internet Protocol address) serves as a unique identifier for every device connected to a network, enabling communication and data exchange across local and global networks. The Internet Protocol governs how data is packaged, addressed, transmitted, routed, and received.

1. Unique Identification Every device-such as a computer, smartphone, or server-connected to a network is assigned an IP address. This address acts like a digital home address, allowing the device to be uniquely identified within the network. Without an IP address, a device cannot send or receive data on the network.
2. Communication Protocol The Internet Protocol (IP) defines how data is transmitted between devices. When data is sent over a network, it is divided into smaller units called packets. Each packet contains:

The source IP address (the sender’s device)
The destination IP address (the receiver’s device)
Note: Routers and switches use these addresses to ensure that each packet reaches its correct destination.

1. Data Routing When a device sends data to another device on the internet, the following steps occur:

The data is divided into packets.
Each packet includes the IP address of its destination.
Routers examine the destination IP on each packet and determine the best route to forward it.
Routers communicate with each other to update routing tables and maintain the most efficient paths for data transmission.
Note: This process ensures that packets may take different routes but ultimately arrive at the correct destination, where they are reassembled.

1. LAN and WAN Communication Local Area Network (LAN): Within a local network, IP addresses can be assigned statically (manually) or dynamically using DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Devices within the same LAN can communicate directly using private IP addresses. Wide Area Network (WAN): When communicating across different networks, data travels through multiple routers over the internet. Each router independently decides the next hop based on the destination IP address to ensure optimal routing.
2. Network Address Translation (NAT) NAT (Network Address Translation) allows multiple devices in a private network to share a single public IP address when accessing the internet. Inside the local network, devices use private IPs (e.g., 192.168.x.x). The router translates these private IPs into a public IP for outbound communication. Note: NAT helps conserve the limited number of public IPs and provides an additional security layer by hiding internal network structures from the outside world.

Real World Scenario: Sending an Email from New York to Tokyo
Let's explore how IP addresses work through a real-world example that involves sending an email from one person to another across the globe:

Step 1: Assigning IP Addresses
Alice in New York has a laptop with a private IP, e.g., 192.168.1.5, assigned by her home router.
Bob in Tokyo has a computer with a private IP, e.g., 192.168.2.4, assigned by his office router
Step 2: Connecting to the Internet
Both routers have public IP addresses provided by their ISPs (Internet Service Providers).
These public IPs are used for all communications over the internet.
Step 3: Sending the Email
Alice composes an email and clicks "Send."
Her email client (e.g., Gmail or Outlook) converts the email into data packets that contain: Source IP -> Alice’s public IP (her router’s address) & Destination IP -> Bob’s mail server’s public IP
Step 4: Routing the Packets
The packets move from Alice’s laptop to her router.
The router detects that the destination IP is external and forwards the packets to Alice’s ISP.
The ISP’s routers analyze the destination IP and determine the optimal route.
Packets travel across several intermediate routers -perhaps through data centers in North America, Europe, and Asia -before reaching Japan.
Step 5: Reaching Bob
The packets arrive at Bob’s email server’s ISP in Tokyo.
The server’s router forwards them to Bob’s email server.
The server reassembles the packets into the original email message.
Step 6: Email Retrieval
Bob’s computer requests the email from the server using his local IP.
The server sends the email to Bob’s device, completing the communication.
Note: This illustrates the fundamental role of IP addresses and the complex network of routers involved in even the simplest internet activities like sending an email. Each part of the process depends on the IP address to ensure that data finds its way correctly from sender to receiver, no matter where they are in the world.

How to Look Up IP Addresses?

1. In Windows Open the Command Prompt. Type ipconfig and press Enter. Look for your IP under your network connection.
2. On Mac Open System Preferences > Network. Select your active connection. You’ll see your IP address in the connection details.
3. On iPhone Go to Settings > Wi-Fi. Tap the (i) icon next to your network. Find your IP under "IP Address." IP Address Security Threats IP addresses are essential for connecting devices on the internet, but they also come with various security risks. Understanding these threats can help you protect your network and personal information more effectively. Some common IP address security threats are:

IP Spoofing: Attackers fake a trusted IP address to bypass security and gain unauthorized access.
DDoS Attacks: Multiple infected systems flood a target with traffic, causing slowdowns or crashes.
Man-in-the-Middle (MitM): Hackers intercept or alter data between two parties to steal sensitive information.
Port Scanning: Attackers scan for open ports to find vulnerabilities and exploit system weaknesses.
Note: Protecting against these threats requires strong network security, monitoring, and regular system updates.

How to Protect and Hide Your IP Address
Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network): A VPN hides your real IP address by routing your internet traffic through a secure VPN server. This masks your identity, encrypts your data, and prevents websites or attackers from tracking your location or online activities.
Use a Proxy Server: A proxy server acts as an intermediary between your device and the internet. When you send a request, it goes through the proxy, which substitutes its own IP address for yours, helping to conceal your real identity.
Use the Tor Browser: The Tor network routes your data through multiple volunteer-run servers (nodes), encrypting it at every layer. This makes it extremely difficult for anyone to trace your IP address or monitor your browsing activity.
Enable a Firewall: A firewall monitors and filters incoming and outgoing network traffic. It blocks suspicious or unauthorized connections, reducing the risk of hackers targeting your device via your IP address.

IPv4

• Format: x.x.x.x (four numbers separated by dots)
• Range per block: 0–255 Example: 192.168.10.5
• Total available addresses: about 4.3 billion (but some are reserved).

IPv6

• Format: eight groups of hexadecimal numbers separated by colons (:) Example: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
• Provides an almost unlimited number of addresses, mainly used for IoT and modern large-scale networking.

In AWS, we primarily use IPv4.

Definition:

Private IPs are used inside a company or AWS VPC — they are not reachable from the Internet.

Private IP ranges (RFC 1918):

Key Facts:

• Used within VPCs or office networks.
• Cannot be accessed directly from the Internet.
• Two companies can have the same private IPs with no conflict.
• AWS assigns a private IP by default to every EC2 instance.

Definition:

Public IPs are unique across the entire Internet and allow your instance to be reachable globally.

Key Facts:

• Used for web servers, APIs, or any Internet-facing resource.
• Assigned automatically by AWS if your subnet is public.
• Changes when you stop/start your EC2 instance (unless you use an Elastic IP).
• Mapped to your private IP via the Internet Gateway (IGW).

Definition:

A permanent public IPv4 address that you own and control in your AWS account.

When to Use:

• You need a fixed IP for whitelisting (e.g., firewall, corporate VPNs).
• You want to move an IP quickly between instances for fault tolerance.

Key Facts:

• AWS limits you to 5 Elastic IPs per region.
• Each EIP can be attached to only one instance at a time.
• You are charged if the EIP is allocated but not attached to a running instance.
• Best practice: use DNS (Route 53) instead of static EIPs whenever possible.

Step 1: Launch an EC2 Instance

• Use Amazon Linux or Ubuntu.
• Note its private and public IPv4 addresses in the console.

Step 2: Connect via SSH

ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@<public-ip>

Step 3: View Network Info

ip addr show eth0

You’ll see:

• inet 10.x.x.x → private IP
• inet 172.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x → private IP (depending on VPC range)

Step 4: Stop/Start Instance

• Observe that the public IP changes after restart.

Step 5: Allocate an Elastic IP

1. Go to EC2 → Elastic IPs → Allocate.
2. Associate it with your instance.
3. Test SSH again using the Elastic IP.

✅ Use DNS names via Route 53 instead of relying on IPs.
✅ Avoid Elastic IPs unless you need fixed whitelisting.
✅ Keep private IPs for internal communication between instances.
✅ For Internet-bound private instances, use NAT Gateway instead of assigning public IPs.

🧠 Lecture: Public vs Private IPs and Elastic IPs (AWS Hands-On)

Understand:

• Why we need Public IPs to connect to AWS EC2 from the Internet
• Why Private IPs cannot be used from outside the AWS VPC
• How Elastic IPs preserve the same public address even after restarting an instance
• The pricing and cleanup considerations for IPs

Step 1 — Launch an EC2 Instance

1. Go to AWS Console → EC2 → Launch Instance
2. Choose Amazon Linux 2 (or Ubuntu)
3. Leave the default VPC + subnet (with Auto-assign Public IP = enabled)
4. Create a key pair if not done yet.
5. Launch the instance and wait for “running” state.

Step 2 — View Private and Public IPs

• In the EC2 dashboard:

  • Private IPv4: used inside AWS
  • Public IPv4: used to connect via Internet

Step 3 — SSH into Your Instance

ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@<public-ip>

✅ You’re connected — because the public IP is Internet-accessible.

Step 4 — Try Connecting Using the Private IP

ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@<private-ip>

❌ It will not work, because:

• Private IPs belong to AWS internal network.
• You are outside that network unless you have a VPN or Direct Connect.

Step 5 — Observe Public IP Change After Stop/Start

1. Copy and save your instance’s current public IP.
2. Stop the instance (Actions → Instance State → Stop).
3. Start it again.
4. Check the new public IP — it’s different.

👉 Your private IP stays the same, but the public IP changes every time you stop/start.

Step 1 — Allocate Elastic IP

1. Go to EC2 → Elastic IPs → Allocate Elastic IP
2. Choose “Amazon’s pool of IPv4 addresses” → Allocate
3. You now “own” a static IP address

Step 2 — Associate Elastic IP

1. In Elastic IPs panel → select your new IP → Actions → Associate Elastic IP
2. Choose:

• Instance: select your running EC2
• Private IP: your instance’s private IP
  1. Click Associate

✅ Now your instance has a fixed public IP (Elastic IP).

Step 3 — Test Elastic IP

SSH into the instance using the new Elastic IP:

ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@<elastic-ip>

✅ Works.

Now stop and start the instance again.

Check again — the Elastic IP remains the same!

Step 4 — Clean Up

When finished:

1. Go to Elastic IPs → Actions → Disassociate Elastic IP
2. Then Release Elastic IP
3. Terminate the EC2 instance

💡 This prevents extra charges (since idle EIPs cost ~$0.005/hour).

🧾 Free Tier gives 750 hours/month of free IPv4 usage, so if you run 1 instance for the month, you’re safe.

• Use Elastic IP only when necessary (static whitelisting, legacy systems).
• Prefer DNS (Route 53) instead of relying on static IPs.
• For scalable designs, use a Load Balancer — no public IP needed on EC2s.
• Always release unused EIPs to save money.

⚙️ Lecture: AWS EC2 Placement Groups

Understand how AWS places EC2 instances physically in its data centers — and how placement groups can help you optimize for:

• Low latency
• High throughput
• High availability
• Fault isolation

Placement Groups let you control how EC2 instances are physically distributed across AWS hardware (racks and Availability Zones).

AWS doesn’t let you directly choose hardware,
but placement groups let you express intent — for example:

“Keep my servers close together for faster communication,”
or
“Spread them out so they don’t fail together.”

Concept

• All EC2 instances are placed close together (same rack or same AZ).
• Designed for high-speed communication and low latency.

Benefits

✅ 10 Gbps+ inter-instance network bandwidth
✅ Lowest latency possible
✅ Ideal for HPC, deep learning, real-time gaming, or tightly coupled workloads

Drawbacks

⚠️ If the AZ fails → all instances fail
⚠️ Only works within a single AZ

Use Case Examples

• High-performance computing (HPC)
• Distributed simulation workloads
• Real-time financial modeling
• GPU compute clusters

Visual

Cluster Placement Group (1 AZ)
-------------------------------
| AZ us-east-1a               |
| [EC2-1][EC2-2][EC2-3]       | <-- Same rack (10 Gbps)
-------------------------------

Concept

• EC2 instances are spread across multiple racks and AZs.
• Each instance sits on separate hardware — no two share the same rack.

Benefits

✅ Best for fault tolerance
✅ Reduces simultaneous failure risk
✅ Can span multiple AZs in the same region

Drawbacks

⚠️ Limited to 7 instances per AZ
⚠️ Slightly higher latency (since hardware is spread out)

Use Case Examples

• Critical web servers
• Multi-AZ application controllers
• Small, resilient systems that must stay up

Visual

Spread Placement Group (multi-AZ)
----------------------------------------
| us-east-1a | us-east-1b | us-east-1c |
| [EC2-1]    | [EC2-2]    | [EC2-3]    | <-- Each on different rack
----------------------------------------

Concept

• Designed for large distributed systems.
• EC2 instances are grouped into partitions, each isolated from the others by hardware racks.

Key Features

• Up to 7 partitions per AZ
• Each partition = independent set of racks
• Instances in the same partition share hardware; across partitions, they don’t.

Benefits

✅ Fault isolation between partitions
✅ Scale to hundreds of EC2 instances
✅ Perfect for partition-aware workloads

Drawbacks

⚠️ Slightly more complex setup
⚠️ Applications must understand data partitioning

Use Case Examples

• Hadoop / HDFS
• Apache Cassandra
• Apache Kafka
• Spark clusters
• Big data storage layers

Visual

Partition Placement Group (multi-AZ)
-------------------------------------------------
| us-east-1a         | us-east-1b               |
| [Partition-1]      | [Partition-3]            |
| [EC2-1][EC2-2][EC2-3] | [EC2-7][EC2-8][EC2-9]  |
| [Partition-2]                              |
| [EC2-4][EC2-5][EC2-6]                      |
-------------------------------------------------

Step 1 — Create the Group

In AWS Console → EC2 → Placement Groups → Create Placement Group

Choose:

• Name: my-cluster-group
• Strategy: Cluster / Spread / Partition
• For Partition, specify number of partitions (e.g., 3)

Step 2 — Launch EC2 into the Group

1. Launch EC2 instance → Advanced details → Placement group
2. Select existing group or create new one
3. Choose AZ consistent with group type:

• Cluster: one AZ
• Spread: can span AZs
• Partition: same region

Step 3 — View Placement Info

In EC2 → Select Instance → Description tab
Check:

• Placement group name
• Partition number (if applicable)

You can also query it from inside the instance:

curl http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/placement/group-name

and for partition info:

curl http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/placement/partition-number

• Choose Cluster for performance-sensitive tasks.
• Choose Spread for critical, small-scale HA systems.
• Choose Partition for large distributed data workloads.
• Always align your placement strategy with your application’s architecture.

⚙️ Hands-On Lab: Creating and Using EC2 Placement Groups

Learn how to:

• Create Cluster, Spread, and Partition placement groups
• Launch EC2 instances into them
• Understand how placement strategy affects performance and fault tolerance

1. Go to AWS Management Console → EC2
2. In the left sidebar, scroll down to Network & Security
3. Click Placement Groups

A. Cluster Placement Group

• Click Create placement group
• Name: my-high-performance-group
• Strategy: Cluster
• Description: (optional) “High-speed low-latency placement group for compute-intensive workloads.”
• Click Create group

🟢 Result → You now have a group designed for high-performance computing within a single Availability Zone.

B. Spread Placement Group

• Click Create placement group
• Name: my-critical-group
• Strategy: Spread
• Spread level: Rack (default)

💡 “Host” option is only for AWS Outposts — ignore for now.

• Click Create group

🟢 Result → You now have a fault-tolerant group, spreading instances across multiple racks (and AZs).

C. Partition Placement Group

• Click Create placement group
• Name: my-distributed-group
• Strategy: Partition
• Number of partitions per AZ: 4 (you can choose between 1–7)
• Click Create group

🟢 Result → You now have a partitioned group, perfect for large distributed data systems (Hadoop, Kafka, Cassandra, etc.).

1. Click Launch instance
2. Choose Amazon Linux 2 or Ubuntu
3. Choose instance type: e.g. t2.micro or m5.large
4. Select a key pair
5. Under Network settings → leave defaults (VPC and subnet)
6. Scroll to the bottom → expand Advanced details
7. Find Placement group name
8. Select one:

• my-high-performance-group
• my-critical-group
• my-distributed-group
  1. Click Launch instance

🧠 Note:
Each EC2 instance can belong to only one placement group.

After your instance is running:

1. Go to EC2 → Instances
2. Select your instance → Description tab
3. Find:

• Placement group name
• Placement strategy
• (For partition groups) → Partition number

You can also check this inside the instance:

# Find the placement group name
curl http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/placement/group-name

# If using a partition group
curl http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/placement/partition-number

After testing, to avoid charges:

1. Terminate EC2 instances
2. Go to Placement Groups
3. Select each → Actions → Delete

-

⚙️ Lecture: Elastic Network Interfaces (ENI)

Understand what Elastic Network Interfaces (ENIs) are, how they work, and why they’re used in networking, failover, and multi-IP architectures within AWS.

An Elastic Network Interface (ENI) is a virtual network card inside your VPC.

It provides:

• Network connectivity (private/public IPs)
• Security group association
• MAC address and DNS hostname
• Elastic or static IP assignment

Every EC2 instance must have at least one ENI — called the primary network interface (eth0).
You can optionally attach secondary ENIs (eth1, eth2, …).

Think of ENIs like physical network cards in a server — but virtual and managed by AWS.

Example Architecture

Availability Zone: us-east-1a
----------------------------------
EC2 Instance A
   └── eth0 → ENI-Primary (10.0.1.10)
   └── eth1 → ENI-Secondary (10.0.1.20)

EC2 Instance B
   └── eth0 → ENI-Primary (10.0.2.10)

Each ENI:

• Belongs to a Subnet
• Is tied to a single AZ
• Can be moved between instances (within same AZ)

• ENIs are tied to a single AZ. You can’t move them across AZs.
• Each ENI can be attached to only one instance at a time.
• You can attach or detach ENIs while instances are running.

• When detached, the ENI retains:

  • Its private IPs
  • Security groups
  • Elastic IP associations

Step 1 — Create an ENI

1. Go to EC2 → Network & Security → Network Interfaces
2. Click Create network interface
3. Configure:

• Name: my-secondary-eni
• Subnet: choose same AZ as your EC2 instance
• Private IPv4: leave default (auto-assign)
• Security groups: choose existing one (e.g., default)
  1. Click Create network interface

Step 2 — Attach ENI to EC2 Instance

1. Go to Network Interfaces → select my-secondary-eni
2. Click Actions → Attach
3. Choose the target EC2 instance
4. Click Attach

✅ Now your instance has a second network interface (eth1).

Step 3 — Verify from Inside the Instance

SSH into the instance:

ip addr show

You should see:

• eth0 (primary interface)
• eth1 (secondary ENI)

Step 4 — Move ENI Between Instances

1. Detach ENI from Instance A (Actions → Detach)
2. Attach it to Instance B (must be in the same AZ)
3. Check on Instance B:

   ip addr show

You’ll see the same private IP move with the ENI.

✅ This demonstrates failover — IP moves to another instance instantly.

Step 5 — Clean Up

1. Detach ENI from any instances
2. Delete it from Network Interfaces

Create ENI:

aws ec2 create-network-interface \
  --subnet-id subnet-123abc \
  --groups sg-123abc \
  --description "My secondary ENI"

Attach ENI:

aws ec2 attach-network-interface \
  --network-interface-id eni-0abc1234 \
  --instance-id i-0abc1234 \
  --device-index 1

Detach ENI:

aws ec2 detach-network-interface --attachment-id eni-attach-0abc1234

Delete ENI:

aws ec2 delete-network-interface --network-interface-id eni-0abc1234

⚙️ Hands-On Lab: Practicing Elastic Network Interfaces (ENI)

Learn how to:

• View ENIs automatically created with EC2 instances
• Create and attach your own ENI manually
• Move an ENI between instances for network failover
• Understand ENI persistence and deletion behavior

1. Go to EC2 → Launch Instances
2. Choose Amazon Linux 2 AMI
3. Instance type → t2.micro
4. Key pair → choose any (for this demo)
5. Network Settings:

• Use default VPC
• Subnet: any (e.g., us-east-2a)
• Security group: select existing one (e.g., launch-wizard-1)
  1. Launch two instances

🟢 Expected result:
Two EC2 instances running in the same Availability Zone.

1. Select an instance → Networking tab
2. Scroll down to Network interfaces

You’ll see:

• Interface ID (e.g., eni-0abc12345)
• Private IPv4
• Public IPv4
• Private DNS name

🟢 Each EC2 instance has one ENI (eth0) automatically created.
This is the primary ENI responsible for instance connectivity.

1. On the left panel → Network & Security → Network Interfaces
2. You’ll see two ENIs, one for each EC2 instance.

• Status: In-use
• Each linked to a different Instance ID

🧠 Observation:
When you launch an EC2, AWS automatically creates and attaches an ENI to it.

1. Click Create network interface
2. Set:

• Description: demo-eni
• Subnet: same AZ as your instances (e.g., us-east-2a)
• Private IPv4: select “Auto-assign”
• Security Group: choose your default or launch-wizard-1
  1. Click Create network interface

🟢 Result:
You now have a new ENI named demo-eni in Available state (not attached to any instance).

1. Select demo-eni → Actions → Attach
2. Choose your first EC2 instance
3. Click Attach

🟢 Result:
The ENI status changes to In-use.
Your instance now has two interfaces:

• eth0 (primary, with public and private IP)
• eth1 (secondary, private IP from demo ENI)

SSH into the instance:

ip addr show

You’ll see:

eth0: 10.0.1.100
eth1: 10.0.1.150  <-- demo-eni

✅ This confirms your secondary ENI is attached.

1. Go back to Network Interfaces
2. Select demo-eni → Actions → Detach
3. Confirm → use Force Detach if needed
4. Wait until status becomes Available
5. Attach it to your second EC2 instance
6. Refresh both instances’ Networking tabs

🧠 Observation:

• The first instance now has only one ENI
• The second instance now has two ENIs
• The private IPv4 moved with the ENI!

🎯 Why this matters:
This demonstrates instant failover — the same private IP can move between instances, useful for HA systems or active/passive setups.

1. Terminate both EC2 instances
2. Go back to Network Interfaces

🧠 Observation:

• The two automatically created ENIs (eth0 of each instance) are deleted automatically.
• Your manually created demo-eni remains.

💡 Reason:
Manually created ENIs are independent resources — they persist even after the instance they were attached to is deleted.

If you want to remove it:

• Select demo-eni → Actions → Delete

🟢 Cost note:
ENIs do not incur charges unless attached to a running EC2.

⚙️ Lecture: EC2 Hibernate

Understand what EC2 Hibernate does, how it differs from Stop and Terminate, and when to use it for faster instance startup and state preservation.

1. Instance is in running state with data in RAM.
2. When Hibernate is triggered:

• AWS dumps the RAM contents to the root EBS volume.

• The instance goes into stopping → stopped state.

  1. On restart:

• The RAM contents are reloaded from the EBS volume.

• The instance resumes exactly where it left off.

✅ Result: Processes, cache, sessions, and in-memory data are all preserved.

✅ Fast boot time — instance resumes from memory snapshot
✅ Preserves in-memory data (caches, sessions, temporary computation state)
✅ No re-initialization — OS and applications start immediately
✅ Great for long-running workloads that need quick restarts

• Cannot hibernate bare-metal instances.
• Root volume must be encrypted.
• RAM dump consumes EBS space.
• Not ideal for stateless applications (better to just stop/start).
• Hibernate duration: up to 60 days only.

Step 1 — Create Key Pair & Security Group

If you don’t already have one:

• Create a key pair (for SSH access)
• Create a security group allowing SSH (port 22)

Step 2 — Launch a New EC2 Instance

1. Go to EC2 → Launch Instance
2. Name: hibernate-demo
3. Choose Amazon Linux 2 AMI
4. Choose an instance type (e.g., t3.micro)
5. Key pair: your existing one
6. Under Advanced Details → Stop - Hibernate behavior:

• Select Enable hibernation as an instance behavior
  1. Click Launch instance

🟢 Important:
Hibernate option is only visible when:

• AMI supports it
• Instance type + root volume are compatible
• Root volume encryption is enabled

Step 3 — Connect and Simulate Data in Memory

SSH into your instance:

ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@<public-ip>

Create a sample in-memory process:

python3 -c "data = 'x'*100000000; input('Data loaded in memory. Press Enter to exit...')"

Now, without exiting, go back to AWS Console.

Step 4 — Hibernate the Instance

1. Go to EC2 → Instances
2. Select hibernate-demo
3. Click Instance state → Hibernate instance
4. Confirm → the instance will enter Stopping → Stopped state.

🧠 Behind the scenes:
RAM contents are written to the root EBS volume.

Step 5 — Start the Instance Again

1. Select the same instance → Instance state → Start
2. Watch as it transitions to Running.

✅ Expected Result:

• Boot time is much faster than a full start.
• In-memory processes resume exactly where you left off.
• If you used the Python script, your prompt reappears instantly.

Step 6 — Clean Up

Terminate the instance when done:

• Go to EC2 → Instances → Select → Terminate

⚙️ Hands-On Lab: Practicing EC2 Hibernate

Learn how to:

• Enable EC2 Hibernate when launching an instance
• Configure encryption and storage correctly
• Verify hibernation behavior using the uptime command

Step 1 — Launch Instance

1. Go to EC2 → Launch Instances
2. Choose Amazon Linux 2 AMI
3. Instance type: t2.micro
4. Select your key pair
5. In Network settings, select an existing security group (e.g., launch-wizard-1)

Step 2 — Configure Storage and Encryption

1. Scroll to Storage (EBS Volume)

• Default size: 8 GB

• That’s enough for t2.micro (which has 1 GB RAM)

  1. Click Advanced → Encryption

• ✅ Check Encrypt this volume

• Choose AWS managed key (aws/ebs)

🧠 Why:

• Hibernate writes the contents of RAM to your root EBS volume.
• The volume must be encrypted and large enough to store all memory data.

Step 3 — Enable Hibernate

1. Scroll down to Stop - Hibernate behavior
2. ✅ Select Enable hibernation as an instance behavior
3. Review your configuration
4. Click Launch instance

🟢 Result:
Instance is now configured to hibernate instead of performing a full stop when requested.

Step 1 — Connect to Instance

Use EC2 Instance Connect:

• Select your instance → Connect → EC2 Instance Connect → Connect

Step 2 — Check Initial Uptime

Run:

uptime

You’ll see something like:

 00:34:12 up 0 min,  1 user,  load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

Wait about a minute:

uptime

Now it should show:

 00:35:14 up 1 min,  1 user,  load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

🧠 Meaning:
uptime shows how long the system has been running since its last restart.

Step 1 — Hibernate

1. In the EC2 console → select your instance
2. Click Instance state → Hibernate instance
3. Confirm

AWS will:

• Save all data in RAM to your root EBS volume
• Transition the instance to Stopping → Stopped

Step 2 — Start the Instance Again

1. Select your instance → Instance state → Start instance
2. Wait for the running state

🧠 Behind the scenes:
When starting, AWS restores the RAM contents from the EBS snapshot — the OS never reboots from scratch.

Step 1 — Reconnect

Open EC2 Instance Connect again.

Step 2 — Check Uptime

uptime

Expected output:

 00:39:45 up 3 min,  1 user,  load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

✅ The uptime did not reset to 0, proving that:

• The system was not restarted, only resumed from hibernation.
• RAM state and OS session were preserved.

1. When done testing, select your instance
2. Click Instance state → Terminate instance

How to Interact with a Pizza Charity ink! Smart Contract with PAPI and Reactive DOT

Smart contracts on the blockchain networks are like the the powerhouse that need needed to be controlled and interacted with by workers.

To do this, PAPI(Polkadot-API) is the messenger that allows a seamless interaction with Polkadot smart contracts, it provides modular functions for building decentralized Applications.

In this article, I will show you how to effectively interact with an ink! smart contract using PAPI. We will also use ReactiveDOT to interact with the generated contract typescript bindings in our frontend.

1. To get started with the project create a new inkathon project using npx create-inkathon-app@latest and follow the prompts.
2. Change directory to the project you just created using cd pizza_charity and run bun run dev, this will install all dependencies to get ahead in the project.

For the smart contract part, generate and build your pizza charity smart contract in the following steps.

1. cd contracts/src
2. cargo contract new pizza_charity
3. Add your new contract to the contracts/Cargo.toml file.

[workspace]
members = [
    "src/flipper",
    "src/pizza_charity",
]

1. After building your contract completely, build and generate typescript bindings using:

bun run build && bun run codegen

1. Add the code snippet below to the contracts/scripts/deploy.ts before deployment to initialize the constructor function in your smart contract and supply the default variables.

const main = async () => {
  const initResult = await initApi()

  const deployResult = await deployContract(initResult, "pizza_limited", contracts.pizza_limited, "new", {
    max_order_per_user: 5,
  })

  await writeAddresses({ pizza_limited: deployResult })
}

1. Deploy your contract to any blockchain of your choice with: CHAIN=<chain-name> bun deploy Replace with the actual name of the chain you want to deploy to. After a successful deployment, you should get the deployment addresses in /contracts/deployments/pizza_charity/<chain>.ts. That is all for the smart contract, let's go ahead with interacting with the smart contract on the frontend.

The reamaining part of this tutorial will be focused on the frontend interaction with the smart contract you just deployed.

1. The first step is to configure the frontend of the application to the chain where you deployed your contract, go to frontend/src/lib/reactive-dot/config.ts and export your chain configuration as seen below. This configuration sets passethub as the chain on which are interacting with the smart contract, and it sets the frontend ready for wallets interaction with the deployed smart contract.

  export const config = defineConfig({
  chains: {
    passethub: {
      descriptor: passethub,
      provider: getWsProvider("wss://testnet-passet-hub.polkadot.io"),
    },
    // Add more chains here
  },
  ssr: true,
  wallets: [new InjectedWalletProvider()],
})

1. Import the contract deployment into the frontend/src/lib/inkathon/deployments.ts file.

import { contracts } from "@polkadot-api/descriptors"
import * as pizzaPassethub from "contracts/deployments/pizza_limited/passethub"



export const pizza = {
  contract: contracts.pizza_limited,
  evmAddresses: {
    passethub: pizzaPassethub.evmAddress,
    // Add more deployments here
  },
  ss58Addresses: {
    passethub: pizzaPassethub.ss58Address,
    // Add more deployments here
  },
}

export const deployments = {
  pizza
  // Add more contracts here
}

This will import the generated contract descriptors from polkadot-api and also import the chain we want to interact with.

The contract deployment will be linked with the passethub chain addresses here.

1. The next step is the actual interaction with the contract. We want to do two types of interaction with the contract.
   1. Query the contract and get some information from the contract, for example, you can get the total daily supply of pizza and the remaining pizza for the day.
   2. write and sign a transaction to the contract, here, you can request for a certain amount of pizza and get it delivered to you.

To do that, go to the frontend/src/components/web3/contract-card.tsx file in the project's folder, and add the code below to query the contract and get the daily pizza supply and display it in your frontend.

 const queryContract = useCallback(async () => {
    setQueryIsLoading(true)
    try {
      if (!api || !chain) return

      // Create SDK & contract instance
      const sdk = createReviveSdk(api as ReviveSdkTypedApi, pizza.contract)
      const contract = sdk.getContract(pizza.evmAddresses[chain])

      // Option 1: Query storage directly
      const storageResult = await contract.getStorage().getRoot()

       const result = await contract.query("get_daily_supply", {
          origin: ALICE
        }); 
      const newDailySupplyState = result.success ? result.value.response : undefined
      setDailySupply(newDailySupplyState)
      console.log(dailySupply);

       const result1 = await contract.query("get_remaining_supply", {
          origin: ALICE
        }); 
      const newRemainingSupplyState = result1.success ? result1.value.response : undefined
      setRemainingSupply(newRemainingSupplyState)

      const newMaxOrderPerUserState = storageResult.success ? storageResult.value.max_order_per_user : undefined
      setMaxOrderPerUser(newMaxOrderPerUserState )

    } catch (error) {
      console.error(error)
    } finally {
      setQueryIsLoading(false)
    }
  }, [api, chain])

  useEffect(() => {
    queryContract()
  }, [queryContract])

What exactly is happening in this code block?

• We created connection with the Polkadot-SDK node using ReviveSdk and also a connected the pizza contract with the typedApi().
• We also created an instance of the pizza contract on the passethub chain.
• We are reading the root storage of the contract, this allows us to query every stored items in the contract.
• We now used contract.query() to read the contract's functions and return the responses such as getting the total daily supply of pizza.

Let us write a signed transaction to the contract to request for some pizza.

   const orderPizza = useCallback(async () => {
    if (!api || !chain || !signer) return

    // Map account if not mapped
    const isMapped = await sdk.addressIsMapped(signerAddress)
    if (!isMapped) {
      toast.error("Account not mapped. Please map your account first.")
      return
    }

    // Send transaction
    const tx = contract
      .send("order_pizza",
        {
          data: {
            quantity_ordered: quantityOrdered
          },
          origin: signerAddress
        },

      )
      .signAndSubmit(signer)
      .then((tx) => {
        queryContract()
        if (!tx.ok) throw new Error("Failed to send transaction here, please check it", { cause: tx.dispatchError })
      })

    toast.promise(tx, {
      loading: "Sending transaction...",
      success: "Successfully Ordered, your Pizza is on its way",
      error: "Failed to send transaction here too",
    })
  }, [signer, api, chain])

Here, the first thing we did was to check if the accounts interacting with the contract is supported by the substrate runtime, if not, the function can prompts to map the account's address to the Polkadot type.

We also wrote a contract.send() function that takes three arguments;

• The actual function you want to call which is order_pizza function.
• The data argument that supplies the contract with the quantity of pizza you want to request, and,
• The origin of the transaction which is the user's signer address.

And lastly, we have a cron job that runs every 24 hours function that reset the daily pizza supply every 24 hours.

Conclusion.
In this project, we demonstrated the ease of deploying ink! smart contracts and interacted with it from the frontend using Polkadot-API.

With your knowledge of ink! smart contract development and frontend web development, polkadot-API offers you a level playground to make your apps available to users without any hassle.

That-Real-Time-Headache-Its-Not-The-WebSockets-Its-Your-Framework

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I remember a few years ago, I was leading a team to develop a real-time stock ticker dashboard. 📈 Initially, everyone's enthusiasm was incredibly high. We were all excited to build a "live" application with our own hands. But soon, we found ourselves stuck in the mud. The tech stack we chose performed reasonably well for ordinary REST APIs, but as soon as WebSockets came into the picture, everything became unrecognizable.

Our codebase split into two worlds: the "main application" that handled HTTP requests, and a "separate module" that handled WebSocket connections. Sharing state between these two worlds, like a user's login information, became a nightmare. We had to resort to some very clever (or rather, ugly) methods, like using Redis or a message queue to synchronize data. 🐛 The code became increasingly complex, and bugs multiplied. In the end, although we delivered the product, the entire development process felt like a long and painful tooth extraction. 🦷

This experience taught me a profound lesson: for modern web applications that require real-time interaction, how a framework handles WebSockets directly determines the development experience and the ultimate success or failure of the project. Many frameworks claim to "support" WebSockets, but most of them simply "weld" a WebSocket module onto the main framework. This "grafted" solution is often the root of all our headaches. Today, I want to talk about how a well-designed framework elevates WebSockets from a "second-class citizen" to a "first-class citizen" on equal footing with HTTP. 😎

Common Symptoms of "Grafted" WebSockets

Let's first look at the problems that these "grafted" solutions typically cause. Whether in the Java world or the Node.js world, you've likely seen similar design patterns.

Symptom 1: A Divided World

In Java, you might use JAX-RS or Spring MVC to build your REST APIs, but to handle WebSockets, you need to use a completely different API, like javax.websocket and the @ServerEndpoint annotation.

// JAX-RS REST Endpoint
@Path("/api/user")
public class UserResource {
    @GET
    public String getUser() { return "Hello User"; }
}

// WebSocket Endpoint
@ServerEndpoint("/ws/chat")
public class ChatEndpoint {
    @OnOpen
    public void onOpen(Session session) { /* ... */ }

    @OnMessage
    public void onMessage(String message, Session session) { /* ... */ }
}

See that? UserResource and ChatEndpoint seem to live in two parallel universes. They have their own lifecycles, their own annotations, and their own ways of injecting parameters. Want to get the current user's authentication information in ChatEndpoint? In UserResource, this might just require a @Context SecurityContext annotation, but here, you might have to go to great lengths to access the underlying HTTP Session, and often, the framework won't even let you get it easily. 😫

In Node.js, the situation is similar. You set up your web server with Express, and then you need a library like ws to handle WebSockets.

const express = require('express');
const http = require('http');
const WebSocket = require('ws');

const app = express();

app.get('/api/data', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Some data');
});

const server = http.createServer(app);
const wss = new WebSocket.Server({ server });

wss.on('connection', (ws) => {
  ws.on('message', (message) => {
    console.log('received: %s', message);
  });
});

server.listen(8080);

Same problem: app.get and wss.on('connection') are two completely different sets of logic. How do they share middleware? For example, if you want to use an Express authentication middleware to protect your WebSocket connection, can you do it directly? The answer is no. You need to find workarounds, manually invoking the Express middleware when the WebSocket's upgrade request is being processed, which is a very cumbersome process.

Symptom 2: The Challenge of State Sharing

The core of a real-time application is state. You need to know which user corresponds to which WebSocket connection, which channels the user is subscribed to, and so on. In a divided world, sharing this state becomes extremely difficult. Your REST API handles user login and saves session information in the HTTP session storage. Can your WebSocket module access it directly? Usually not. So, you are forced to introduce external dependencies, like Redis, to act as a "state intermediary" between the two worlds. This not only increases the complexity and operational cost of the system but also introduces new potential points of failure. 💔

The Hyperlane Way: A Natural Unity 🤝

Now, let's see how a natively integrated WebSocket framework solves these problems from the ground up. In Hyperlane, a WebSocket handler, just like any other HTTP route handler, is simply a regular async function that receives a Context object. They are natural "siblings," not distant relatives.

// main.rs

// HTTP GET route
async fn http_route(ctx: Context) { /* ... */ }

// WebSocket route
async fn websocket_route(ctx: Context) { /* ... */ }

// SSE route
async fn sse_route(ctx: Context) { /* ... */ }

// ... register them in the main function ...
server.route("/api/data", http_route).await;
server.route("/ws/realtime", websocket_route).await;
server.route("/sse/stream", sse_route).await;

The beauty of this design lies in its consistency. Once you learn how to write middleware, handle requests, and manipulate the Context for an HTTP route, you automatically know how to do the same for a WebSocket route. The learning curve is almost zero!

Shared Middleware? A Piece of Cake!

Remember the auth_middleware we wrote in the previous article? It passes user information through the Context's attributes. Now, we can apply it directly to our WebSocket route without any modifications!

// In the main function
// ...
server.request_middleware(auth_middleware).await; // Global authentication middleware

server.route("/api/secure-data", secure_http_route).await;
server.route("/ws/secure-chat", secure_websocket_route).await; // ✨ Protected by the same middleware

When a WebSocket connection request comes in, it is first an HTTP Upgrade request. Our auth_middleware will run normally, check its token, and if validated, put the User information into the Context. Then, inside secure_websocket_route, we can safely retrieve the user information from the Context and bind this WebSocket connection to that user. The whole process is seamless, without any "glue code." This is just so cool! 😎

A Unified API: The Magic of send_body

Hyperlane also pursues this unity in its API design. Whether you are sending a regular HTTP response body, an SSE event, or a WebSocket message, you use the same method: ctx.send_body().await.

Let's look at a simple WebSocket echo server example:

pub async fn websocket_echo_handler(ctx: Context) {
    // This is a simplified example; in a real application, you would need a loop to continuously handle messages
    // The framework handles the protocol upgrade handshake
    println!("WebSocket connection established!");

    // Read the first message sent by the client
    let request_body: Vec<u8> = ctx.get_request_body().await;
    println!("Received a message: {:?}", request_body);

    // Send the same message back
    let _ = ctx.set_response_body(request_body).await.send_body().await;
    println!("Echoed the message back.");

    // In a real application, you would enter a loop, continuously reading and sending messages
    // loop {
    //     let msg = ctx.get_request_body().await;
    //     let _ = ctx.set_response_body(msg).await.send_body().await;
    // }
}

The framework handles all the complexities of the WebSocket protocol for you under the hood (like message framing, masking, etc.). You only need to care about the business data (Vec<u8>) you want to send. This abstraction allows developers to focus on business logic rather than protocol details.

Broadcasting? Of Course!

The documentation even shows us the way to implement a chat room broadcast feature. By using a helper crate like , we can easily distribute messages to all connected clients. The documentation also kindly provides an important technical tip:

This kind of "veteran" advice helps developers avoid common pitfalls. This is exactly what a mature framework should be: it not only gives you powerful tools but also tells you the best practices for using them. 👍

Stop Letting Your Framework Hold You Back

Real-time functionality should no longer be a "special problem" in web development. It is a core component of modern applications. If your framework is still making you handle WebSockets in a completely different, fragmented way, then it may no longer be suitable for this era.

A truly modern framework should seamlessly integrate real-time communication into its core model. It should provide a consistent API, a shareable middleware ecosystem, and a unified state management mechanism. Hyperlane shows us this possibility.

So, the next time you have a headache developing real-time features, please consider that the problem may not be with WebSockets themselves, but with the outdated framework you've chosen that still operates with a "grafted" mindset. It's time for a change! 🚀

GitHub Home

HWID Spoofer: A Developer's Guide

If you've spent any time in the worlds of online gaming, cybersecurity, or system-level development, you've probably heard the term "HWID Spoofer." It often comes up in conversations about anti-cheat systems and ban evasion, and it can sound like a tool from the darker corners of the internet.

But what is an HWID spoofer, really? Let's peel back the layers and look at the technology behind it—what it does, how it works, and why it's a fascinating subject for any developer interested in how software and hardware interact.

First, What Exactly is a Hardware ID (HWID)?

Before you can understand spoofing, you need to understand the "fingerprint" it's trying to change. A Hardware ID (HWID) isn't a single, neat serial number. It's a unique identifier that software generates by collecting serial numbers and IDs from various hardware components in your PC.

Think of it as a system's unique signature, composed of things like:

• Motherboard UUID
• Hard Drive / SSD Serial Number
• MAC Address of your Network Adapter
• CPU ID
• GPU Information
• RAM Serial Numbers

Software, especially online games and applications with strict licensing, uses your HWID to reliably identify your specific machine. It's more persistent than an IP address and harder to change than a simple username. This makes it the perfect tool for enforcing hardware-level bans.

What is an HWID Spoofer?

An HWID spoofer is a tool designed to intercept requests for these hardware identifiers and feed the requesting software fake or randomized information.

In essence, it puts a mask on your PC. When an application asks, "What's your hard drive's serial number?", the spoofer steps in before the operating system can answer and says, "It's XYZ-789," even if the real number is ABC-123. The goal is to make the computer appear as a completely different, unique machine.

How Do They Work? A Look at the Methods

Spoofing isn't a single technique; it's a collection of methods that operate at different levels of the operating system. The deeper the spoofer goes, the more effective—and more complex—it becomes.

Level 1: Registry & File Manipulation (The Surface Level)
The simplest spoofers work by changing values stored in accessible locations like the Windows Registry or temporary files. Some applications don't query the hardware directly and instead rely on information the OS has already stored. This method is the easiest to implement but also the easiest for modern anti-cheat systems to detect.

Level 2: API Hooking & WMI Interception (User-Mode)
A more robust method involves working in "user-mode" to intercept API calls. When an application uses a standard Windows API like WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) to ask for hardware details, the spoofer "hooks" this function. It grabs the request, substitutes its fake data, and passes the fraudulent response back to the application, which remains none the wiser.

Level 3: Kernel-Level Spoofing (Ring 0)
This is where things get serious. Top-tier anti-cheat systems run with the highest system privileges at the kernel level (also known as Ring 0). They can bypass standard APIs and communicate more directly with the hardware. To combat this, a spoofer must also operate at the kernel level.

This typically involves loading a custom driver that can intercept and modify data at a much lower level. This is an incredibly complex and dangerous area of development. A single mistake in a kernel driver doesn't just crash an application—it can cause a system-wide failure (the infamous Blue Screen of Death).

The "Why": Use Cases and The Cat-and-Mouse Game

While there are niche, legitimate uses for HWID spoofing—such as privacy enhancement or security research—the overwhelming driver for its development and use is bypassing bans in online games.

When a player is banned, the anti-cheat system flags their HWID. Simply creating a new game account won't work, because the moment they log in, the anti-cheat recognizes the banned machine. A spoofer provides a "clean" hardware signature, allowing the user to get back into the game.

This has created a constant technological arms race:

• Anti-cheat devs create new methods to detect spoofers. They might cross-reference multiple IDs to find inconsistencies, analyze the timing of data requests, or scan for the digital signatures of known spoofing drivers.
• Spoofer devs respond by making their tools more sophisticated, moving deeper into the kernel, and finding new ways to mimic hardware data more convincingly.

Final Thoughts

While HWID spoofers are undeniably linked to cheating, the technology itself is a fascinating case study in system-level programming. It explores the boundaries between hardware, the operating system, and user applications. Understanding how they work gives you a deeper appreciation for the complexity of modern anti-cheat systems and the ongoing battle to secure software.

For developers, it's a reminder that no digital identifier is ever truly permanent and that there's always a deeper layer of the system to explore.

What are your thoughts on software-based hardware identity? I'd love to hear them in the comments!

Hyper-Accurate Time Series: Bridging the Prediction Gap with Glocal Learning by Arvind Sundararajan

Hyper-Accurate Time Series: Bridging the Prediction Gap with Glocal Learning

Imagine predicting energy demand during a brutal winter storm. Inaccurate forecasts lead to blackouts. Current time series models often falter, especially when data is missing due to faulty sensors or network outages. This is where a new approach, focused on hyper-accuracy and geographical awareness, offers hope.

The core concept revolves around training models to not just fill in missing data points numerically, but to understand the context of the data. Instead of solely focusing on reconstructing the missing values, it ensures that the representation of the imputed data aligns with the patterns seen in complete data. Think of it like teaching someone to not only fill in the blanks in a sentence, but also to grasp the overall meaning.

This approach addresses a crucial limitation: many models overfit to local noise introduced by the missing data, causing their latent representations to become distorted. By aligning the latent spaces of masked and unmasked data, the model learns to filter out noise and capture the underlying global structure.

Here's why developers should care:

• Improved Accuracy: More reliable predictions, especially under high missing data rates.
• Enhanced Generalization: Models perform better on unseen data and in varying conditions.
• Robustness to Missingness: Less susceptible to errors caused by incomplete datasets.
• Geospatial Awareness: Can seamlessly integrate geographical context for location-specific predictions. Imagine predicting traffic flow across cities or analyzing regional economic trends.
• Anomaly Detection: Easier identification of unusual patterns and outliers in time series data.

Implementation Tip: The most challenging aspect is defining the right distance metric for aligning latent representations. Experiment with different loss functions like cosine similarity or KL divergence to find the one that best suits your dataset.

The future of time series analysis lies in models that not only fill in the blanks but truly understand the data's underlying narrative. By embracing techniques that promote glocal awareness, we can unlock new levels of accuracy and unlock insights previously hidden in the noise, making it a key ingredient to build resilient systems that can handle real-world unpredictability. Imagine applying this not just to weather and energy, but also to predicting equipment failures in remote locations, optimizing resource allocation in disaster zones, or modeling the spread of diseases across regions.

Related Keywords: Time Series Analysis, Data Imputation, Missing Data, Information Bottleneck, Deep Learning, Recurrent Neural Networks, LSTMs, Transformers, Geospatial Data, Geographic Information Systems, Glocal Learning, Anomaly Detection, Forecasting, Predictive Analytics, Data Science, Machine Learning, Data Engineering, Data Quality, Time Series Forecasting, Time Series Prediction, Data Preprocessing, Data Cleaning, AI, GNNs (Graph Neural Networks), Climate Modeling

We Fixed React's Context API: Introducing react-signal-context

If you're a React developer, you probably love its simplicity and power. But there's a good chance you've also fought against a silent enemy hiding in plain sight: the unnecessary re-render. And the most common culprit? Ironically, it's a tool we use every day to make our lives easier: the Context API.

For years, the community has accepted an uncomfortable trade-off: use Context to avoid "prop drilling," but then spend hours manually optimizing with React.memo, useMemo, and useCallback to hold back the tide of re-renders that follows.

What if we told you that this trade-off is no longer necessary?

The internal workings of React's Context API are like a radio broadcast: when the value in the Provider changes, it transmits the new state to all listening components, indiscriminately.

Imagine a global state with user information, the app's theme, and a list of notifications. If only the theme changes from "light" to "dark," the component displaying the user's name and the one showing notifications are also forced to recalculate everything, even though the data they care about hasn't changed one bit. On a large scale, this leads to a slow but relentless performance degradation.

Inspired by the surgical precision of signals and the simplicity of libraries like Zustand, we created react-signal-context.

It's a drop-in library with an API that's almost identical to the one you already know and love, but with a completely different engine under the hood. Instead of broadcasting every update to everyone, it allows each component to "whisper" to the store exactly which piece of state it's actually interested in.

The result? A component re-renders if and only if the specific data it selected has changed. Nothing more, nothing less.

Let's take a look at how familiar it is.

1. Create your store:

// store.ts
import { createSignalContext } from 'react-signal-context';

export const { Provider, useContext } = createSignalContext((set) => ({
  count: 0,
  theme: 'light',
  increment: () => set((state) => ({ count: state.count + 1 })),
  toggleTheme: () =>
    set((state) => ({
      theme: state.theme === 'light' ? 'dark' : 'light',
    })),
}));

2. Consume state... selectively:

// Counter.tsx
import { useContext } from './store';
import React from 'react';

// This component will ONLY re-render if 'count' or 'increment' changes.
// It will completely ignore theme updates.
const Counter = React.memo(() => {
  const count = useContext((state) => state.count);
  const increment = useContext((state) => state.increment);

  console.log('Counter component is rendering!');

  return <button onClick={increment}>Count: {count}</button>;
});

// ThemeDisplay.tsx
import { useContext } from './store';
import React from 'react';

// This component will ONLY re-render if 'theme' changes.
const ThemeDisplay = React.memo(() => {
  const theme = useContext((state) => state.theme);

  console.log('Theme component is rendering!');

  return <p>Current theme: {theme}</p>;
});

With this approach, performance becomes the default, not a manual optimization.

react-signal-context is designed to be a "pit of success." We want to make it easy to do the right thing.

✅ Zero Refactoring: Switching from the standard React.useContext just requires adding a selector.

✅ Lightweight: No external dependencies, just pure React.

✅ Modern & Future-Proof: It leverages the useSyncExternalStore hook, the official React-recommended approach for integrating with external stores, ensuring full compatibility with concurrent features.

We are incredibly excited to share this tool with the community. We believe it can genuinely improve the lives of many React developers.

📦 Install via npm:

npm install react-signal-context

🔗 Explore the code on GitHub: [Link to your GitHub repository]

📖 Read the docs: [Link to your README.md on GitHub or a documentation site]

Try it in your next project, or introduce it into an existing one to solve a performance bottleneck. Let us know what you think by opening an issue or a discussion on GitHub.

It's time to stop fighting re-renders and start building faster React applications, the easy way.

What are your experiences with React Context performance issues? Have you found other solutions? Let's discuss in the comments! 👇

Dapper vs Entity Framework: When to Use Each in .NET

Choosing between Dapper and Entity Framework is one of the most important architectural decisions when building data-driven applications in .NET.

Both are excellent ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) tools—but they serve different purposes depending on your project’s performance, complexity, and development speed requirements.

This complete guide explains when to use each, their pros and cons, and includes real CRUD examples in C# for both Dapper and Entity Framework.

Dapper is a micro ORM that offers direct SQL control with minimal overhead. It’s perfect when you want speed, simplicity, and full control over your database queries.

It’s ideal for:

• High-performance APIs and microservices.
• Projects that rely heavily on custom SQL.
• Rapid migrations from legacy SQL codebases.

✅ Pros of Dapper

• Simple and transparent: You always see the SQL being executed.
• Extremely fast: Often outperforms Entity Framework due to minimal abstraction.
• Lightweight: No complex setup or heavy dependencies.
• Perfect for SQL experts: Gives you maximum query flexibility.

❌ Cons of Dapper

• Manual query management: Large or complex SQL statements can become hard to maintain.
• Lacks advanced ORM features: No change tracking, migrations, or LINQ integration.

Below is a simple DapperUserRepository using SQLite.
It demonstrates how to implement Add, Get, Update, and Delete methods using SQL and Dapper’s lightweight API.

using System.Data;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Dapper;
using Microsoft.Data.Sqlite;

public class DapperUserRepository
{
    private readonly string _connectionString = "Data Source=app.db";

    private IDbConnection CreateConnection() => new SqliteConnection(_connectionString);

    public async Task AddUserAsync(User user)
    {
        const string sql = "INSERT INTO Users (Name, Email) VALUES (@Name, @Email)";
        using var connection = CreateConnection();
        await connection.ExecuteAsync(sql, user);
    }

    public async Task<User?> GetUserByIdAsync(int id)
    {
        const string sql = "SELECT * FROM Users WHERE Id = @Id";
        using var connection = CreateConnection();
        return await connection.QuerySingleOrDefaultAsync<User>(sql, new { Id = id });
    }

    public async Task UpdateUserAsync(User user)
    {
        const string sql = "UPDATE Users SET Name = @Name, Email = @Email WHERE Id = @Id";
        using var connection = CreateConnection();
        await connection.ExecuteAsync(sql, user);
    }

    public async Task DeleteUserAsync(int id)
    {
        const string sql = "DELETE FROM Users WHERE Id = @Id";
        using var connection = CreateConnection();
        await connection.ExecuteAsync(sql, new { Id = id });
    }

    public async Task<IEnumerable<User>> GetAllUsersAsync()
    {
        const string sql = "SELECT * FROM Users";
        using var connection = CreateConnection();
        return await connection.QueryAsync<User>(sql);
    }
}

This approach provides full SQL visibility, making Dapper an excellent choice for performance-critical services.

Entity Framework (EF) is a complete ORM that abstracts database operations, allowing you to interact with data using C# objects and LINQ. It simplifies development, increases readability, and reduces repetitive boilerplate code.

It’s perfect for:

• Enterprise applications with complex data models.
• Teams that value maintainability and readability.
• Projects requiring features like migrations, tracking, or relationships.

✅ Pros of Entity Framework

• Abstracts SQL: Lets you focus on domain models, not queries.
• Boosts productivity: Simplifies CRUD and relationships.
• Readable and maintainable: Improves code and schema clarity.
• Integrated tooling: Built-in migrations, seeding, and tracking.

❌ Cons of Entity Framework

• Slower in some cases: Slight performance trade-off compared to Dapper.
• Less SQL control: Automatically generates queries that may not always be optimal.
• Heavier abstraction: Adds complexity in debugging and fine-tuning performance.

Here’s a EfUserRepository class using Entity Framework Core.
It performs the same CRUD operations but with less manual SQL handling, relying on EF’s abstraction and LINQ.

using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Linq;

public class EfUserRepository
{
    private readonly AppDbContext _context;

    public EfUserRepository(AppDbContext context)
    {
        _context = context;
    }

    public async Task AddUserAsync(User user)
    {
        _context.Users.Add(user);
        await _context.SaveChangesAsync();
    }

    public async Task<User?> GetUserByIdAsync(int id)
    {
        return await _context.Users.FindAsync(id);
    }

    public async Task UpdateUserAsync(User user)
    {
        _context.Users.Update(user);
        await _context.SaveChangesAsync();
    }

    public async Task DeleteUserAsync(int id)
    {
        var user = await _context.Users.FindAsync(id);
        if (user is not null)
        {
            _context.Users.Remove(user);
            await _context.SaveChangesAsync();
        }
    }

    public IQueryable<User> GetAllUsers() => _context.Users.AsQueryable();
}

This example shows how Entity Framework reduces manual SQL handling, improving code readability and developer productivity.

When performance and SQL control are your top priorities, Dapper is unbeatable. When productivity, maintainability, and abstraction are more important, Entity Framework is the right choice.

Before deciding, it’s wise to build a Proof of Concept (POC) for your specific scenario to measure performance and development effort.
And remember — you can use both: many developers combine Dapper for performance-critical queries and Entity Framework for general data management.

Who wants to build an admin UI?

PocketBase is my favorite tool for rapidly prototyping app ideas. One of the main things that I love about it is the extremely capable admin UI it comes with. Aside from asking non-technical users to edit JSON columns you can get really far with it.

Having an admin UI for free saves enormous amounts of development time and lets me focus on other more MVP critical areas.

I discovered Kottster a few weeks ago and decided to try it on one of my non-PocketBase projects. However, I abandoned it pretty quickly because at the time you had to login with their hosted authentication service and there was no way to completely self host it. They must have heard my loud sigh of exasperation because they recently announced full-self hosting support : (https://kottster.app/blog/kottster-is-now-fully-self-hosted)[https://kottster.app/blog/kottster-is-now-fully-self-hosted]

Huge props to the Kottster team for recognizing that as a roadblock to adoption and addressing it!

Like the PocketBase admin UI, Kottster gets you really far out of the box. You can view and edit the tables in your database and you can also create dashboards for displaying query results.

Kottster operates in a neat way where as you create dashboards or table views in your instance it creates the code for them within your project's directory. This allows you to easily customize them as well as keep them in a code repo.

Kottster also allows you to create custom admin pages where you are set loose with a react component for the frontend page content, and a server side controller for the backend.

Here is what some of the server side code looks like:

import { app } from '@/_server/app';

/*
 * Custom server procedures for your page
 * 
 * These functions run on the server and can be called from your React components
 * using callProcedure('procedureName', input)
 * 
 * Learn more: https://kottster.app/docs/custom-pages/api
 */

const controller = app.defineCustomController({
  // Define your procedures here
  // For example:
  getMessage: async (input: { name: string; }) => {
    return { message: `Hello, ${input.name}!` };
  },
  getSetting: async () => {
    // .env files work just fine
    return { value: process.env.WIDGET_SETTING }
  },
  getWidgets: async (input: { page: number, perPage: number }) => {
    // I had to reverse engineer things to create this code,
    // but direct access to the db via knex is available!

    // Another cool note is that the input and output types of
    // procedures are available in the frontend react component!

    const pg = app.dataSources[0]
    const client = pg.adapter.client
    const results = await client.from('widgets').select('*').limit(input.perPage)
    const totalResult = await client.from('widgets').count('*')
    return { widgets: results as {
      id: string
      name: string
      description: string
      // A json col...
      options: {
        label: string
        value: string | number | boolean
      }[]
      created: Date
      updated: Date
    }[], totalWidgets: totalResult[0].count }
  }
});

export default controller;
export type Procedures = typeof controller.procedures;

Calling a backend procedure from the frontend React component is really easy:

const widgets = await callProcedure('getWidgets', { page: 1, perPage: 20 })

My only blocker for using both Kottster and PocketBase more widely is a lack of ability to customize the editor for specific columns in the database. In my case I have a json column that needs to match a specific schema. For both Kottster and PocketBase these columns are edited as text and don't provide a way for me to drop in my own editor. I did create a feature request for this for the Kottster team though!

I'd highly recommend you give Kottster a try. It seems like a fairly young project but is on a good trajectory and solves a problem that I think a lot of devs have.

Set in Python (3)

Buy Me a Coffee☕

*Memo:

• My post explains a frozenset (1).

A set can be unpacked with an assignment and for statement, function and * but not with ** as shown below:

v1, v2, v3 = {0, 1, 2}

print(v1, v2, v3)
# 0 1 2

v1, *v2, v3 = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

print(v1, v2, v3)  # 0 [1, 2, 3, 4] 5
print(v1, *v2, v3) # 0 1 2 3 4 5

for v1, v2, v3 in {frozenset({0, 1, 2}), frozenset({3, 4, 5})}:
    print(v1, v2, v3)
# 3 4 5
# 0 1 2

for v1, *v2, v3 in {frozenset({0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}),
                    frozenset({6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11})}:
    print(v1, v2, v3)
    print(v1, *v2, v3)
# 6 [7, 8, 9, 10] 11
# 6 7 8 9 10 11
# 0 [1, 2, 3, 4] 5
# 0 1 2 3 4 5

print(*{0, 1}, 2, *{3, 4, *{5}})
# 0 1 2 3 4 5

print({*{0, 1}, 2, *{3, 4, *{5}}})
# {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

def func(p1='a', p2='b', p3='c', p4='d', p5='e', p6='f'):
    print(p1, p2, p3, p4, p5, p6)

func()
# a b c d e f

func(*{0, 1, 2, 3}, *{4, 5})
# 0 1 2 3 4 5

def func(p1='a', p2='b', *args):
    print(p1, p2, args)
    print(p1, p2, *args)
    print(p1, p2, ['A', 'B', *args, 'C', 'D'])

func()
# a b ()
# a b Nothing
# a b ['A', 'B', 'C', 'D']

func(*{0, 1, 2, 3}, *{4, 5})
# 0 1 (2, 3, 4, 5)
# 0 1 2 3 4 5
# 0 1 ['A', 'B', 2, 3, 4, 5, 'C', 'D']

A set can be continuously used through multiple variables as shown below:

A = B = C = {10, 20, 30} # Equivalent
                         # A = {10, 20, 30}
A.update({40, 50})       # B = A
B.remove(30)             # C = B
C.pop()

print(A) # {20, 40, 10}
print(B) # {20, 40, 10}
print(C) # {20, 40, 10}

The set with a frozenset can be shallow-copied and deep-copied as shown below:

<Shallow copy>:

*Memo:

• A and B refer to different outer sets and the same inner frozenset.
• is keyword can check if A and B refer to the same outer set and/or inner frozenset.
• set.copy(), copy.copy() and set() can shallow-copy the set with a frozenset:
  • set.copy() has no arguments.

import copy

A = {frozenset([0, 1, 2])}
B = A.copy()
B = copy.copy(A)
B = set(A)

print(A) # {frozenset({0, 1, 2})}
print(B) # {frozenset({0, 1, 2})}

print(A is B)
# False

A = A.pop()
B = B.pop()

print(A) # frozenset({0, 1, 2})
print(B) # frozenset({0, 1, 2})

print(A is B)
# True

<Deep copy>:

*Memo:

• A and B refer to different outer sets and inner frozensets.
• copy.deepcopy() deep-copies the set with a frozenset.
• copy.deepcopy() should be used because it's safe, deeply copying the set with a frozenset while set.copy(), copy.copy() and set() aren't safe, shallowly copying the set with a frozenset.

import copy

A = {frozenset([0, 1, 2])}
B = copy.deepcopy(A)

print(A) # {frozenset({0, 1, 2})}
print(B) # {frozenset({0, 1, 2})}

print(A is B)
# False

A = A.pop()
B = B.pop()

print(A) # frozenset({0, 1, 2})
print(B) # frozenset({0, 1, 2})

print(A is B)
# False

Emerson Leverages AI to Address Complexity in Test and Measurement

Nigel AI Advisor, reflects an industry shift for sophisticated computing power to manage increasingly complex systems under test.

The post Emerson Leverages AI to Address Complexity in Test and Measurement appeared first on EE Times.

Qualcomm To Acquire Arduino

In addition to acquisition, new Qualcomm-powered single board computer and new IDE are launched to unify Arduino development journey.

The post Qualcomm To Acquire Arduino appeared first on EE Times.

AMD Raises GPU Bar with Landmark OpenAI Deal

AMD will supply hundreds of thousands of AI chips to the maker of ChatGPT over a period of five years.

The post AMD Raises GPU Bar with Landmark OpenAI Deal appeared first on EE Times.

My beloved Dyson AM09 heater and fan is 40 percent off for Prime Day

Believe it or not, October Prime Day is actually a good time to save on Dyson devices. Plenty of cordless vacuums are on sale this year, as well as a few viral hair stylers. But, none of those top my trusty AM09. Dyson’s Hot+Cool AM09 heater and fan is on sale for $300 right now — that’s 40 percent off and one of the best prices I’ve seen.

My love for the AM09 is well documented. At this point, I’ve had it for more than five years and I bought it when it was $280 on super-sale at QVC. Previously, I had a Dyson tower fan that worked well until it kicked the bucket after a few years of use. I took the plunge with the AM09 because I generally had a great experience with the tower fan, and at the time, I had been living in apartments that were consistently chilly during wintertime and downright stifling during the summer months.

Now, my house is not all that much different than my apartments of yesteryear — and my original AM09 is still kicking. It does a great job circulating air in the summer (it’s not an air conditioner, to be clear) and it cuts the chill in my particularly icy office during the winter. I love its handy fan, which attaches magnetically to the top of the fan so you don’t lose it and lets you control the fan speed and heater temperature with just a few presses of a button.

But the real kicker with the AM09 is how lightweight it is: at just under six pounds, it’s incredibly easy to pick up and tote upstairs, downstairs or in the other room, wherever you need it the most. It has literally gone from my home office upstairs down to the main floor of my house and down again into our basement all in the same day for different purposes. Am I a little miffed that, in my impatience, I bought a discounted Dyson heater/fan/air purifier over the summer because I desperately wanted another AM09 and it wasn’t on sale at the time? Yes — but at least you, dear reader, can learn from my shopping woes and get the AM09 instead.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/my-beloved-dyson-am09-heater-and-fan-is-40-percent-off-for-prime-day-223428328.html?src=rss

The best Prime Day camera and drone deals: Get up to 41 percent off gear from DJI, Canon, Sony and others

If you’re in the market for a new camera, drone or accessories, Amazon’s October Prime Day is proving to be a particularly good time to shop. You can find deals from major brands including DJI, Canon, Sony, Panasonic, Nikon and others. You’ll also see discounts on important accessories like memory cards, backpacks and tripods from the likes of LowePro and SanDisk.

Many of these deals are on products that rarely go on sale, like DJI drones and Insta360 cameras, along with Canon, Nikon and Panasonic lenses. And you’ll see many products that appear in our most recent camera guide that are highly recommended by Engadget — so check that out as you add items to your cart. Now, dive in to see the best Prime Day camera deals you can find this week.

DJI Neo drone for $159 (20 percent off): The DJI Neo may be an inexpensive, beginner-friendly drone, but it has powerful features like subject tracking and quick shots. It can shoot video at up to 4K 30 fps and is quick and maneuverable, though it's also fairly loud. You can also grab one with three batteries and a charger for $229 (21 percent off).

Polaroid Now 3rd-generation plus film for $136 (15 percent off): Polaroid is a name synonymous with instant cameras, and its Now model is the best choice for larger film. With this deal, you can grab one now with film for just $7 over the price of the camera without film. 

DJI Osmo Action 4 for $229 (23 percent off): DJI's Osmo Action 4 is a solid deal at this price, as you're not giving up much in comparison to the most recent model, the Action 5. It has the same big 1/1.3-inch sensor that delivers excellent video quality, especially in low light. It also features a D-LogM profile to boost dynamic range, DJI's excellent clip-on mount and high-quality 4K 120p video.

DJI Mini 4K drone for $239 (20 percent off): The Mini 4K is a beginner-friendly drone, but it's still got plenty of nifty features. As the name suggests, it can capture 4K video at up to 30 FPS. It can also record 2.7K footage at 60 FPS. There's 2x digital zoom, a 3-axis gimbal and electrical image stabilization. The drone can transmit 1080p video from up to 10km away.

HoverAir X1 drone for $265 (34 percent off): The HoverAir X1 offers features like a folding, people-safe design, and up to 2.7K 30p HDR video. Unlike DJI’s Flip, it can dodge obstacles while tracking people, making it slightly better for that purpose. 

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro for $269 (21 percent off): DJI's Osmo Action 5 Pro is a good alternative to GoPro's Hero 13 Black. It has a 1/1.3-inch sensor that makes it better than its rival in low light and rivals it in battery life as well with over two hours while shooting in 4K 60p. Another nice feature is 47GB of internal storage, something its main rivals lack. And the Osmo Action 5 Pro works directly with DJI’s noise-cancelling Mic 2 and Mic Mini wireless microphones, providing an easy way to record high-quality sound.

GoPro Hero 13 Black for $359 (17 percent off): GoPro’s Hero 13 Black is now available with a new family of modular lenses called the HB series (ultra-wide, anamorphic and macro), making it far more versatile for action creators. It also has a slightly bigger battery that allows longer capture times, up to 90 minutes for 4K 30fps video. Other specs remain the same, including up to 5.3K at 60fps in 10-bit color, along with the excellent Hypersmooth stabilization. And if you want an even wider field of view, grab the Hero 13 Black Wide Edition for $329. 

DJI Osmo 360 action cam for $413 (25 percent off): It took DJI awhile to get a panoramic action cam into the market, but the Osmo 360 was worth the wait. It stacks up well against its main rival, Insta360’s X5, by offering better video quality in low light or high-contrast situations. It’s also easy to use, offers good battery life and trumps its competition with a large amount of built-in storage.

Insta360 X5 action camera for $500 (9 percent off): The X5 has a larger 1/1.28-inch sensor compared to the X4's 1/2-inch sensor, ensuring more detail and a notable boost to low-light performance. Another key update is for PureVideo, allowing it work single lens mode rather than just in 360 mode as before.

Sony ZV-1F for $498 (17 percent off): Sony's ZV-1F is designed purely for vlogging thanks to the fixed 20mm lens that works perfectly for self-filming. It uses a 1-inch sensor like other compacts in this series and supports 4K shooting at up to 30 fps, the same as the ZV-1, and 1080p at up to an impressive 120fps. It offers vlog-ready features like background defocus and product showcase. 

Canon EOS R100 with RT-S18-45mm lens for $529 (15 percent off): Canon's EOS R100 is the only modern mirrorless camera you can get with a kit lens for under $600. It comes with a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor that delivers great picture quality with Canon's pleasing skin tones.

Canon EOS R50 with RF-S18-45mm lens $799 (9 percent off): Canon's 24-megapixel APS-C EOS R50 is great for travel, parties, street photography and more thanks to the portable size and built-in flash. It offers nice image quality with warm, human friendly photos and is capable for creators as well with 4K 30fps supersampled video, with 10-bit and HDR capability. It comes with a kit lens that's solid for vlogging or photography with a 24-70mm full-frame equivalent zoom range. 

Sony A6100 with 16-50mm and 55-210mm lenses $800 (33 percent off): If you want to hit the ground running with a camera and lenses on the cheap, Sony's A6100 is an outstanding value right now. While five years old, its autofocus system is still among the best thanks to its intelligent face- and eye-tracking, along with 4K 30 fps video. The color science and low-light capabilities are excellent, so photos are sharp and color accurate, even in dimly-lit environments. The drawbacks are bad rolling shutter and a low-resolution EVF. Still, you won't find much comparable in this price range with two lenses to boot.

Panasonic Lumix S9 for $1,198 (20 percent off): The S9 may be Panasonic's smallest full-frame camera but it comes with the same 24MP sensor and similar video features to the popular S5 II. To that end, it offers up to 6.2K video, in-body stabilization and reliable autofocus. The key feature though is a special LUT button that lets you easily choose a custom cinematic look designed by professional creators.

Panasonic S5 II for $1,498 (25 percent off): It’s the company’s first camera with hybrid phase-detect AF designed to make focus "wobble" and other issues a thing of the past. You can shoot sharp 4K 30p video downsampled from the full sensor width, or 4K 60p from an APS-C cropped size, all in 10-bit color. It even offers 5.9K 30p video. You also get a flip-out screen for vlogging and updated five-axis in-body stabilization that’s the best in the industry. Photo quality is also good thanks to the dual-gain 24-megapixel sensor. The main drawback is the slowish burst speeds.

Sony A7 IV for $2,198 (19 percent off): Resolution is up considerably from the 24-megapixel A7 III to 33 megapixels, with image quality much improved overall. Video is now up to par with rivals with 4K at up to 60p with 10 bit 4:2:2 quality. Autofocus is incredible for both video and stills, and the in-body stabilization does a good job. The biggest drawback is rolling shutter that limits the use of the electronic shutter.

Panasonic S5 IIx with two lenses for $2,298 (22 percent off): The S5 IIx is identical to the S5 II except that it offers high bitrate Apple ProRes capture directly to an external SSD. This deal is ideal for creators who want to hit the ground running as it includes both a 50mm f/1.8 portrait lens and a 22-60mm zoom. 

Nikon Z6 III for $2,397 (11 percent off): Nikon's Z6 III is the best hybrid mirrorless camera for the money, thanks to the incredible performance of the 24-megapixel partially stacked sensor. You can shoot RAW bursts at up to 20 fps in electronic shutter mode while nailing sharp shots thanks to the much-improved autofocus. On the video side, it supports 6K RAW at up to 60 fps, or 4K 120p. All of that makes it ideal for creators and photographers alike, with the only drawback being the reduced resolution.

Sony A7R V for $3,798 (10 percent off): With a 61-megapixel sensor, the A7R V shoots sharp and beautiful images at a very respectable speed for such a high-resolution model (10 fps). It has equally fast and reliable autofocus, the sharpest viewfinder on the market and in-body stabilization that’s much improved over the A7R IV. Video has even improved, with 8K and 10-bit options now on tap, albeit with significant rolling shutter

Osmo Mobile 7 for $68 (24 percent off): One of the best things to elevate your smartphone footage is a gimbal like the Osmo Mobile 7 from DJI. The company makes some of the best drones you can buy, so it knows a thing or two about camera stabilization, so it will make your smarphone videos smooth as silk. It only weighs 300 grams, so it’ll be a lightweight addition to almost any travel kit.

K&F Concept 20L camera backpack for $66 (20 percent off): This multifunction backpack can store not only cameras, lenses and even drones in the bottom section, but a couple of changes of clothes up top. It has a laptop compartment, ventilated elastic back, auxiliary straps and more.  

DJI Mic Mini $99 (41 percent off): DJI's Mic Mini bundle includes two mic transmitters and a receiver that can be connected to a camera or phone, along with a charging case. The mics weigh just a third of an ounce and attach easily to subjects via magnets or clips. Everything pairs automatically and they offer high quality 24-bit 20Hz to 20K Hz recording. They also connect easily to smartphones over Bluetooth and other DJI devices like the Action 5 and Osmo Pocket 3 cams using DJI's OsmoAudio direct connection. 

SmallRig Camera Tripod for $49 (30 percent off): This 2-in-1 tripod easily transforms into a monopod depending on your needs. It comes with a 360-degree detachable ball head, supports up to 33 pounds and lets you adjust the working height from 16- to 71-inches in seconds. 

Rode Wireless Micro for $99 (24 percent off): Another great wireless mic option is Rode's Wireless Micro designed for smartphone users. The receiver connects to the bottom of your smartphone via USB-C and the microphones attach to the subject via integrated clips or magnets. They capture pristine sound well above what your smartphone can do, with a 20-20 kHz frequency range and 73 dB signal-to-noise ratio.

SanDisk 512GB Extreme Pro CFexpress Card Type B for $120 (24 percent off): If you need tons of storage for a newer camera with a CFexpress Type B slot, SanDisk's 512GB is a great deal. It can handle reading and writing at 1,700MB/s and 1,400MB/s respectively, enough speed for RAW video capture. 

Lowepro Flipside BP 300 AW III for $182 (24 percent off): The Flipside BP300 AW III is a rugged, lightweight bag that securely holds and protects your camera gear in the worst weather. It has rear access for protection and a special compartment to hold lenses. 

SmallRig AD-80 FreeBlazer video tripod for $175 (30 percent off): Weighing just 11.6 pounds, it supports up to a 17.6-pound load and expands from 34 to 75 inches with a one-step height adjustment. For smooth operation, it offers fluid head damping though 360-degree horizontal and +90°/-65° tilt. 

DJI Mic 2 for $269 (23 percent off): DJI's Mic 2 can not only be connected to a mirrorless camera like other mics, but also supports Bluetooth audio so can easily be connected to a smartphone as well. It picks up audio from your subject at a range of up to 820 feet (less with a Bluetooth connection) and automatically reduces background noise like wind, city sounds and even drone noise. This deal includes two mic transmitters, a receiver for your camera, a charging case and wind muffs. 

DJI RS 4 Mini $309 (16 percent off): The RS 4 Mini is one of the best handheld camera stabilizers on the market thanks to features like its 4.4 pound payload and automatic axis lock. On top of that, the company introduced automatic tracking via its RS Intelligent Tracking Module to keep human subjects in frame no matter where they go. It also offers smoother gimbal tracking, longer battery life and faster charging. 

Lexar 128GB Professional 2000x SD Card $90 (31 percent off): If you need very fast SD UHS II memory, Lexar currently has an excellent deal on its 128GB 2000x memory card. It offers 300MB/s read and 260Mb/s write speeds, quick enough to capture high data rate video or bursts of high-resolution photos. Amazon is also offering a solid discount on 256GB memory in the same lineup at $170 or 23 percent off. 

Manfrotto Befree GT PRO 4-section travel tripod $299 (36 percent off): Belying its miniscule 4.23 pound weight, this model offers ultra-stable performance for timelapse and other shots, even in bad weather. It's also great for video thanks to the integrated 3-way pan/tilt head, featuring fluid cartridges for precise control and seamless movements.

Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 lens $248 (17 percent off): Panasonic and Micro Four Thirds users on a budget in need of a fast 50mm equivalent prime should check this one out. It offers beautiful bokeh and fast speeds in low light, but costs nearly half the price of f/1.4 models. 

Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.4 Lens $497 (17 percent off): If you want a fast 50mm portrait lens but don't have a ton to spend, Nikon's Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.4 lens is on sale for just $497, making it one of the cheapest full-frame options available. At the same time, it offers exceptional sharpness and excellent color rendition, with beautiful bokeh that will flatter your subjects. 

Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f/1.8 lens $448 (31 percent off): I own this lens and it's fast, sharp and versatile for portraits while offering considerable savings compared to an f/1.4 portrait. It's also great for working pros due to the dust-, splash- and freeze-resistant design and very light weight next to other brands. 

Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 Lens $577 (15 percent off): If you're looking for a fast full-frame Nikon Z prime in the 35-50mm category for portraits, architecture or street photos, Nikon has a stellar deal. The Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 lens is fast and sharp with painterly bokeh thanks to the 9-blade iris design. It's great for video as well, with the silent STM mechanism offering silent autofocus and suppressed focus breathing.

Canon RF24-70mm F2.8 L lens $2,399 (8 percent off): If you've been eyeballing a fast Canon RF mount zoom, now's the time to act. The RF24-70mm f/2.8 L lens rarely goes on sale, but is now available with a $200 (8 percent) discount. It offers an f/2.8 aperture across the entire zoom range so you get awesome bokeh for portraits and high versatility in low light situations. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/the-best-prime-day-camera-and-drone-deals-get-up-to-41-percent-off-gear-from-dji-canon-sony-and-others-073852143.html?src=rss

The best October Prime Day gaming deals: Save on PS5 games, headsets, controllers and more

Among the many tech discounts included in Amazon’s latest October Prime Day sale are several price drops on video games and other gaming gear. To make things a little less overwhelming, we've cut through the noise and rounded up the best Prime Day gaming deals we could find below. Just remember that some of the offers in Amazon's "Prime Big Deal Days" event, as it's officially called, are exclusive to Prime subscribers. The sale itself runs through October 8.

Split Fiction (Xbox) for $25 ($25 off MSRP): A pick from our guide to the best couch co-op games, Split Fiction is a imaginative crowd-pleaser that’s designed from the ground up to be played with another person. As in, you literally need a second person to play it. Like It Takes Two before it, it overcomes some hacky writing with brisk action, a lighthearted tone and a Nintendo-like commitment to presenting new methods of play. This deal for the Xbox copy represents the lowest price we’ve tracked, though the PS5 version is also on sale for $40 if you’d rather play there.

Elden Ring (PS5) for $30 ($20 off): You’ve probably heard about it by now, but the action-RPG Elden Ring is both challenging and darkly funny, with a world that runs incredibly deep and feels lived-in a way few games have. It’s unafraid to test your resolve, yet it always grants you the freedom to simply turn around and find another path forward.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PS5) for $35 ($15 off): Engadget’s Mat Smith gave this grandiose action-RPG a favorable review last year. You need to have played its predecessor — and ideally, the original PS1 game — to get the most out of it, but it’s positively stuffed with things to do, and its combat system is still a tactical rush at its best.

Gran Turismo 7 for $30 ($40 off): Gran Turismo 7 is the PS5’s premier sim racer, and a love letter to automobiles as a whole. Like the rest of the GT series, it revels in the patience and precision required to figure out how a given car meshes with a given course. Learning the intricacies of each combination is both intense and rewarding, and there’s a singular style to it all that just doesn’t exist with most sports games.

Returnal for $30 ($70 off): Returnal is a third-person shooter roguelike that’s at once a technical showcase, a stiff challenge and an achingly beautiful reflection on the nature of grief. It is not for the faint of heart, but its bullet-hell battles are wonderfully fierce, and just about everything in it contributes to its overarching story. It’s also worth checking out if you’re eager to developer Housemarque’s next game, Saros, which seems to borrow many of the elements introduced here.

The Last of Us Part I for $30 ($40 off): The PS5 remake of Sony’s zombie drama is one of the most unnecessary remakes ever made, but if you’ve never played one of the earlier versions, this is the best way to rectify that. If you’re looking to play the (even moodier) sequel, the PS5 version of that one is similarly discounted.

God of War Ragnarok for $30 ($40 off): Ragnarok is another Sony sequel that’s more about increasing scope than radically reinventing itself, but its Norse world is beautifully varied and detailed, smashing baddies with a magic axe feels great, and the whole thing is excessive in the way you’d expect a God of War game to be without going overboard.

Horizon Forbidden West for $30 ($40 off): Engadget’s Jess Conditt called Horizon Forbidden West the “total package” in her review a few years back, praising its frenzied combat, gorgeous art direction and complex narrative. It still has one of the more distinctive post-apocalypses in gaming, blending robot beasts with stunning vistas. That helps paper over some less-than-inspired side content and bits of sluggish pacing.

Final Fantasy XVI (PS5) for $23 ($7 off): Final Fantasy XVI is a more straightforward action-RPG than something like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: You don’t need to come in with prior knowledge of any other story, and its hack-and-slash combat is simple to pick up. It can get bogged down in pointless side quests, but its main concern is having you watch giant demigods melodramatically smack each other, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon for $20 ($10 off): Armored Core VI is a big loud action game about building a mech and using it to blow up everything in sight. It rules. But it’s not mindless: Its many boss fights are genuine duels, and it’s deeply flexible in how it lets you tweak your death machine to tackle stages in different ways. This ties the best price we've seen for the PS5 version.

Metaphor: ReFantazio (Xbox) for $16 ($54 off): It’s about as subtle as you’d expect a game named “Metaphor” to be, but the latest from the minds behind Persona 5 is a fantasy JRPG through and through: bombastic, stylish and deeply earnest. (And long.) This deal represents a new low, though it only applies to the Xbox copy.

Madden NFL 26 for $37 ($33 off): It always feels like Madden could use a creative reset, but at the end of the day, it’s Madden, and it works fine enough if you just want to scratch the pro football game itch. This is the largest discount we’ve seen for the latest entry, and it applies to the PS5, Xbox and Switch 2 copies.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-month) for $57 ($33 off): It hasn’t exactly been a great stretch for Xbox lately, what with Microsoft jacking up console prices, laying off huge swaths of employees and massively hiking the cost of its Game Pass service to $30 per month. But if you aren’t looking to cancel your Game Pass subscription as a result, you can still grab three months of the top-end Ultimate tier for a little less than its old going rate. While the service itself may end up being too pricey in the long term, it’s still home to a wide range of games worth checking out, so this offer might be useful if you have some free time coming up and want to blast through a few titles you’ve been meaning to get around to.

Astro A50 X gaming headset for $315 ($75 off): The A50 X is an upgrade pick in our guide to the best gaming headsets. It should specifically appeal to those who own multiple gaming systems, as its base station lets you connect and swap between PC, PS5 and Xbox audio with the press of a button. It’s among the better-sounding wireless headsets we’ve tried as well, and its mic is fantastic. This deal isn’t an all-time low, but it’s the largest drop we’ve seen since February. The standard Astro A50 is also on sale for $237; that one works just as well if you only play on one device, but it lacks HDMI switching functionality.

8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller for $48 ($12 off): The Ultimate 2 is a versatile wireless gamepad for Windows PCs and mobile devices. It can connect over Bluetooth, a wireless dongle or a USB cable, and its magnetic TMR joysticks should be far less susceptible to “joystick drift” than typical controllers. Those with large hands may find it a touch too small, but it’s built well, it comes with a handy charging dock and it gets a solid 20 or so hours of battery life. 8BitDo’s companion software includes a variety of useful customizations beyond that. This isn’t an all-time low, but it’s still a few bucks below the pad’s typical street price.

Backbone One (2nd gen) mobile game controller for $70 ($30 off): The Backbone One is a nifty mobile gamepad that wraps around your phone and makes playing console-style games feel a little more natural. This isn’t an all-time low for the second-gen model, but it’s a nice $30 dip from its usual street price. Both the USB-C and Lightning versions are discounted, with the latter down to $60. Just note that the PlayStation-branded version officially supports Sony’s Remote Play app on both Android and iOS, while the standard model only supports it with the latter.

Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite MMO gaming mouse for $55 ($25 off): We recommend the Scimitar RGB Elite to MMO and MOBA players in our guide to the best gaming mice. It’s not the lightest or most technically advanced model, but it comes with 12 comfortable and easy-to-reach side buttons, which make it easier to pull off more complex actions in games like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV. We’ve seen it fall below $50 a few times before, but this deal matches the lowest price we’ve tracked since May. A newer wireless model called the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE is also on sale for a low of $80.

Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse for $30 ($40 off): We recommend the Basilisk V3 in our gaming mouse guide for those who don’t mind using a cable and prefer a more ergonomic right-handed shape. This is its lowest price to date. Note that Razer now sells a newer version with an improved sensor, but that one costs $49 more and isn’t a massive upgrade in real-world use.

Razer DeathAdder V3 HyperSpeed gaming mouse for $71 ($29 off): The wireless DeathAdder V3 HyperSpeed is another recommendation from our gaming mouse buying guide. For less than $100, it gets you a sturdy yet superlight design that weighs just 55 grams — making it easy to flick around in fast-paced games — and doesn’t have any annoying cutouts in its outer shell. Its contoured shape should fit most small- to medium-sized hands comfortably, and it performs reliably for competitive play. This deal is an all-time low.

ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless mechanical keyboard for $151 ($59 off): We speak positively about this model in our guide to the best gaming keyboards. Its sturdy case, crisp keycaps and battery life all impress, while the thocky NX Snow switches in this model feel and sound delightful. Its companion software is a bit of a mess, and its 96 percent layout may feel a little cramped to some, but it’s a nice buy if you want a higher-class pre-built keyboard. This is the lowest price we've seen since March.

ASUS ROG Azoth mechanical keyboard for $155 ($120 off): It’s a couple years old at this point, but the ROG Azoth remains an exceptionally well-built mechanical keyboard for enthusiasts. Its gasket-mounted design and layers of foam give each key press a soft landing, while its pre-lubed switches feel nice and smooth. It even comes with a toolkit for manually lubing the switches down the road, and the PCB is hot-swappable if you ever want to switch things up. There’s a useful control knob and programmable OLED display for quickly adjusting settings and checking the battery level beyond that. ASUS' Armoury Crate software is still fairly sloppy, however. This deal comes within a couple bucks of the lowest price we've seen for a model with the linear NX Snow switches.

Crucial X9 Pro (1TB) portable SSD for $75 ($26 off): If you’re looking to offload some games to external storage, we consider the Crucial X9 Pro the best portable SSD for most people, as it offers fast enough transfer speeds in a rugged and compact design. This isn’t the best price ever for the 1TB model but it matches the largest discount we’ve seen since April. Other size options are also on sale.

Crucial P310 (1TB) M.2 2230 SSD for $80 ($55 off): The P310 is a small-size SSD you can use to add storage to a handheld PC like the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally. It uses cheaper QLC memory, not the faster and more durable TLC, but reviews say that it performs well anyway. This deal ties the best price we’ve seen for the 1TB version since April.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-october-prime-day-gaming-deals-save-on-ps5-games-headsets-controllers-and-more-082623558.html?src=rss

The best Prime Day speaker deals: JBL, Bose, Ultimate Ears and more

We're always ready to argue that high-quality speakers are a worthwhile investment, adding new dimensions to music and dialogue that make any kind of entertainment more enjoyable. That said, they're not exactly cheap. That's why our staff audiophiles get so excited whenever Prime Day rolls around — it's an ideal time to sift through Amazon for Prime Day speaker deals on the best smart speakers, soundbars and portable bluetooth speakers. This October Prime Day, our list of the best deals includes brands like Anker, Bose, JBL, Amazon Echo and more. So if you're ready to hear when your favorite TV actors are scratching themselves, let's get started.

Best Prime Day bluetooth speaker deals

• JBL Xtreme 2 for $297 ($53 off): This deal isn't just the best way to get ahold of the JBL Xtreme 2, an old favorite from 2018 we still love — it actually ships two Xtreme 2 units. If you place both strategically, you'll get a deep surround sound experience. Each Xtreme 2 can get louder than you'd expect from a portable speaker, putting out 40 watts at maximum, and stays charged for around 15 hours.

• JBL Flip 6 for $100 ($30 off): The JBL Flip 6 is a solid choice for an all-around bluetooth speaker, performing well in any room or on the go. It sounds good at almost any frequency and volume, runs for 12 hours on a single charge and is nearly impossible to damage with falls, dust or water.

• JBL Go 3 for $35 (30 percent off): The JBL Go 3 is a decent and highly affordable carabiner speaker for all your outdoor adventures — as is its sister product, the Go 3 Eco, which is made from recycled materials. It's obviously not the most powerful speaker at 4.2 watts, but it has a surprisingly good functional range. Plus, the design looks good on any belt or backpack.

• Ultimate Ears Miniroll for $47 (41 percent off): Miniroll is the smallest speaker from Ultimate Ears, but it punches far above its weight, starting with UE's trademark massive volume buttons. While small enough to fit in a jeans pocket, its combination of a driver and radiator manages about 85 decibels. A Miniroll can run for about 12 hours on a single charge.

• Ultimate Ears Boom 4 for $95 (37 percent off): The UE Boom 4 is a balanced speaker that does well anywhere. Take it camping (it's waterproof and a charge lasts for 15 hours), to a party (it puts out loud 360 degree sound) or make it part of a permanent home system by chaining it with other UE speakers — one of these plus two Minirolls or Wonderbooms would come pretty close to full surround sound.

• Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 for $66 (34 percent off): The Wonderboom 4 may be our favorite UE product. At just 1.2 pounds, it can pump out mighty sound on its own, or chain with other UE speakers for a deeper full-range experience. USB charging is simple and lasts for 14 hours between top-ups.

• Ultimate Ears Everboom for $231 ($40 off): The Everboom is the middle ground of the UE line, with more powerful output than the Wonderboom and more portability than the Hyperboom. Its 360 degree sound pairs with an Outdoor Boost feature to work better outside, though it isn't quite as impressive in the middle ranges.

• Bose SoundLink Flex for $99 (34 percent off): We've rarely seen the Bose SoundLink Flex this cheap, so now is the time to snap up this high-fidelity outdoor speaker. It's small enough to carry in one hand and can be operated from up to 30 feet away via the Bose Connect app. We've also found it simple and fun to use for hands-free phone calls during breaks in the music.

• Bose SoundLink Revolve+ for $179 (40 percent off): The SoundLink Revolve+ line, Bose's original upright 360-degree speakers, continue to pack a punch. This current model features a 17-hour battery life, IP55 water resistance and the ability to connect to a smart speaker to extend your virtual assistant's range.

• Bose SoundLink Max for $299 ($100 off): The Bose SoundLink Max may put you in mind of a classic boombox, with its detachable handle and thudding base. But inside it's all modern, with a 50-watt output, an effective range of 52.6Hz and a 20-hour rechargeable battery. It even comes with a 3.5mm AUX input to connect to a turntable, if you really want to embrace your inner 90s DJ.

• Soundcore Select 4 Go for $18 (20 percent off): The Soundcore Select 4 Go weighs only 9.3 ounces, which makes the rest of its specs even more impressive: 20 hours of battery life, IP67 waterproofing and sound that fills rooms. It even sounds pretty good in compact outdoor spaces, more than capable of serenading an outdoor desk or livening up a pool party.

• Soundcore Motion 300 for $56 (30 percent off): The Soundcore Motion 300 is a full-frequency champ, with clean sound in the higher ranges and reasonably heavy bass. Its adaptive audio feature changes output depending on whether the speaker is currently lying down, standing on end or hanging from your belt loop. It's also small and light enough to carry in your pocket or clip to your backpack.

• Beats Pill for $50 (67 percent off): We gave the revived Beats Pill a full review last year, and we stand by our opinion that it was worth waiting for. Its newly enlarged subwoofer delivers much more powerful bass that sounds clean and lossless even over USB-C. The latest Pill also travels well, with 24 hours of battery life and IP67 waterproofing. This is technically the special edition Kim Kardashian crossover, though it's exactly the same.

• Marshall Emberton II for $100 (44 percent off): Marshall, the old warhorse of the audio world, continues to crush it with the portable and bluetooth-ready Emberton II. Although it looks like an antique, it's anything but, with 360-degree sound and over 30 hours of battery life from a single charge — all weighing a little more than a quarter of a pound.

• Amazon Echo Pop for $25 (38 percent off): The Echo Pop is Amazon's smallest and cheapest smart speaker, resembling an Echo Dot sliced in half. It's a little quiet, and probably best for extending Alexa's range rather than serving as the primary host for your virtual assistant. In a smaller room, though, this is as convenient and clear-sounding as any other Echo you'll use.

• Sonos Era 100 for $180 ($20 off): The Sonos Era 100 is a fantastic smart speaker for an even better price. It's not only loud — it also sounds good at any volume, no matter what platform you're streaming audio from. It can connect via bluetooth or physical lines, and uses TruePlay to tune the sound to your current location using included mics.

• Sonos Era 300 for $379 ($100 off): In our full review of the Sonos Era 300, we found that it's easy to set up and sounds incredible. It includes the exciting spatial audio feature that makes music sound like it's coming from everywhere — while it doesn't always work, it's exhilarating when it hits. The Era 300 can even automatically tune sound to your location, and you no longer need an iPhone for this feature to work.

• JBL Bar 300 for $250 (38 percent off): The Bar 300, part of JBL's 2023 soundbar explosion, is a mighty yet cheap soundbar with an integrated subwoofer. Despite being small, it manages to create a theatrical experience by working both Dolby Atmos and MultiBeam. Its voice sharpening algorithm is especially good at making dialogue clearer (for those of us who always have to put on the subtitles).

• JBL Bar 700 for $700 ($200 off): Another 2023 drop, the JBL Bar 700 upgrades the Bar 300 by adding detachable wireless speakers for true 360-degree sound. While it costs twice as much as the 300, that money gets you more than four times the output, as the 700 tops out at 620 watts — and thanks to a 10-inch subwoofer, you'll feel all of it.

• Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus for $150 (40 percent off): One of the cheapest soundbars you'll ever see, the Fire TV Soundbar Plus provides a noticeable boost to your TV's audio quality, even if it doesn't reach Dolby Atmos heights. It's simple, but that makes it a breeze to set up — all you have to do is plug in one HDMI cable.

• Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 for $498 ($202 off): The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is part of Sony's Dolby Atmos soundbar lineup. It stands out from that line as a great entry point, balancing theatrical sound with defined dialogue by adjusting outputs through machine learning. It's capable of transforming normal stereo into surround sound through automatic up-mixing.

• Roku Streambar for $69 (31 percent off): The Roku Streambar is already affordable, but this deal puts it within anyone's reach. It's also economical in terms of space — as we noted in our full review, it's about the size of an egg carton, but still manages to give off near-surround sound.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/the-best-prime-day-speaker-deals-jbl-bose-ultimate-ears-and-more-070038290.html?src=rss

Sennheiser's HDB 630 headphones combine wireless convenience with wired lossless audio

Sennheiser hasn’t debuted a premium set of wireless headphones since the Momentum 4 arrived in 2022. Sure, there were two sets of Accentum cans, but those offer more mid-range performance in the $180-$250 range. Instead of a Momentum 5 for its latest release, the company has revealed the HDB 630: a $500 set of wireless noise-canceling headphones that offer lossless listening via wired connection.

If you’re thinking the HDB 630 looks an awful lot like the Momentum 4, you’re correct. Sennheiser says this new model “inherited” the chassis from those 2022 headphones, but there’s a new acoustic system inside for “focused listening.” That setup includes 42mm dynamic drivers what were “designed for purity, not hype.” As such, the company promises you’ll hear “the vibe that left the mastering studio” thanks to careful attention to the midrange, vocals and overall dynamics.

Those drivers are supported by a high-resolution digital audio engine that works for both wired and wireless listening. Via either the USB-C or 3.5mm ports, you can expect to hear tunes in up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution. The HDB 630 also comes with a USB-C transmitter dongle for phones, tablets and other devices so that you can harness higher-quality listening with aptX Adaptive — even if your gadgets don’t support it natively. “With only an estimated 16 percent of smartphone hardware supporting native wireless high-res sound, the included dongle brings this capability to 80 percent of smartphone models in an instant through their USB Type-C port,” Sennheiser explained in a press release.

There are several audio features available on the HDB 630 for an “audiophile” experience. First, Sennheiser employs the Crossfade feature from its HE 1 headphones that blends the left and right channels to make it seem like you’re listening to speakers. There’s also a new Parametric Equalizer for more granular EQ control, complete with bandwidth, filter and A/B settings. The company says any settings tweaks are then applied to the HDB 630’s “advanced processing system” so listeners determine the tuning rather than the content or app providing it. Lastly, users will soon have the ability to share presets via QR code.

Another item Sennheiser retained from the Momentum 4 is long battery life. Like that model, the HDB 630 will last up to 60 hours with ANC enabled, so you won’t be reaching for a charging cable often. What’s more, a 10-minuted top up will give you seven hours of use. And when it’s time to travel, there’s an airline adapter included in the box.

The HDB 630 is available for pre-order starting today for $499.95. Shipping is scheduled to begin October 21 from Sennhesier and other retailers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sennheisers-hdb-630-headphones-combine-wireless-convenience-with-wired-lossless-audio-220000711.html?src=rss

The best Prime Day vacuum deals: Save on machines from iRobot, Shark, Dyson and others

This October Prime Day, we've collected a list of the best Amazon discounts on both traditional and robotic vacuums. We're hoping this article can do more than just save you money — it's also designed to help you with the fiddliest vacuum-related decisions. Should you go corded, cordless or robotic? Dyson, Tineco or Shark? Are there any decent robot vacuums that aren't Roombas? (Yes.) As the event goes on, we'll search for discounts as tirelessly as an automated vacuum scours your floors for dirt, and post all the best deals here.

Dyson V15 Detect Plus for $570 (33 percent off): Our top pick for the best cordless vacuum on the market right now, the V15 Detect has some of the strongest suction power you'll find in a stick vacuum, plus a lightweight design and a dustbin that can hold more dirt and debris than it might seem. This model comes with five cleaning attachments, including the Fluffy Optic cleaner head that has LEDs to illuminate the floor as you're vacuuming so you can better see where all the dust bunnies are.

Dyson Ball Animal Total Clean Upright Vacuum for $400 (39 percent off): Dyson is still the king of reinventing vacuums, and the bagless, hyper-maneuverable Ball Animal is a blast to use. The Ball design is based on ease of steering, but the hidden MVP is the sealing — from the head to the canister, not a hair is getting out of this one once it's in.

Shark AV2501AE AI Robot Vacuum for $600 ($50 off): If you like the look of the AV2501S but have even more space to clean, the AV2501AE is also on sale. Its self-empty base can go a full 60 days before you have to dump it out, so it's ideal for large spaces, complex homes or areas that see heavy use. It's got the same features otherwise, including LiDAR mapping and two hours of autonomous work.

Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch for $450 (36 percent off): This robotic mop/vacuum combo is engineering so you'll almost never need to revisit it after you set it up. It can clean its own mop, refill its own water tank and empty its own dustbin for up to 30 days at a time. It's also equipped with air jets that blast dirt out of corners the vacuum can't fit into.

Dreame X40 Ultra Robotic Vacuum for $665 (45 percent off): Yes, it's on the expensive side, but the Dreame X40's performance earns every penny. It's another two-in-one combo, mixing a powerful vacuum cleaner with a precise mop to diligently scrub stains. Its inner workings are engineered to keep the wet and dry messes from touching, which can cause gross leaks in lesser vacuums.

Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 for $300 (57 percent off, Prime exclusive): The Shark Matrix Plus takes the robot vacuum concept even further by working a mop into the design for hands-off wet cleaning. This model is self-cleaning, self-emptying, self-charging and capable of tackling ground-in stains on hard floors.

Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe for $160 ($60 off): Moving into manual vacuums, let's start with one of the best. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away is a champion at getting deeply ingrained crud out of carpets, but it's also capable of squaring away bare floors. You can switch between the two settings quickly, and the lift-away canister makes it easy to empty.

iRobot Roomba 104 Vac for $150 ($100 off, Prime exclusive): This entry-level Roomba is a good pick for anyone who's new to owning a robot vacuum. It features a multi-surface brush and an edge-sweeping brush to clean all types of flooring, and it uses LiDAR navigation to avoid obstacles as it goes. The iRobot mobile app lets you control the robot, set cleaning schedules and more.

iRobot Roomba Plus 504 for $380 ($210 off): For those looking to upgrade to a more advanced robot vacuum, the Roomba Plus 504 is a great next step. It can clean almost anything that might land on a home floor, and if it can't clean it, it can steer around it. Two brushes and strong suction get at tougher stains, and it even includes an app you can use to set cleaning zones and change suction force remotely.

Roborock Q10 S5+ Robot Vacuum and Mop for $300 ($100 off): The Roborock Q10 S5+ is another great option for a vacuum-mop combo. It's skilled at knowing what type of floor it's on and deploying or retracting the mop appropriately, and comes with precision LiDAR mapping. You can change its settings remotely from a paired app.

Roborock Qrevo Edge S5A Robot Vacuum and Mop for $650 ($350 off): The higher-end Roborock choice has two brushes positioned to keep hair from tangling in either roll. The Qrevo Edge features strong suction, hot-water mopping and 60 days of completely hands-off cleaning. It can even mop and vacuum in the same cleaning session by lifting the mop whenever it notices a carpet.

Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop for $900 ($500): Evocacs is a high-end robot vacuum provider to be sure, but this deal makes the X9 Pro accessible. It cleans its mop in real time so dirty water never touches your floor and comes with a lift system that lets it mop and vacuum simultaneously. The X9 also has 16,600Pa of suction in case you've got some really ground-on stains.

Levoit LVAC-300 cordless vacuum for $220 (37 percent off, Prime exclusive): One of our favorite cordless vacuums, this Levoit machine has great handling, strong suction power for its price and a premium-feeling design. Its bin isn't too small, it has HEPA filtration and its battery life should be more than enough for you to clean your whole home many times over before it needs a recharge.

Shark NV352 Navigator Lift-Away for $130 ($70 off): If you want the excellent steering and modular design of the Navigator Lift-Away but don't need as much storage in the chamber as the Deluxe offers, the basic NV352 is cheaper and just as thorough. This slightly smaller unit still comes with a HEPA filter, swivel steering and a detachable handheld vacuum, plus toggleable carpet and hardwood settings.

Shark CarpetXpert HairPro for $280 ($90 off): Not all vacuums need to reinvent the wheel. The Shark CarpetXpert HairPro is the perfect midrange option, with a large brushroll for getting pet hair and other allergens out of your carpets. It's designed internally to suction and store hair without clogging, making it an even better fit for homes with pets.

Shark Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for $200 (43 percent off): If you're looking for a lighter vacuum that's more maneuverable, the Shark Cordless Vacuum Cleaner might fit the bill. It's easy to steer with a self-cleaning brushroll and surprisingly strong suction. Being slimmer makes it good for fitting under furniture and around tight corners.

Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum for $400 ($230 off): Dyson's take on the now-classic cordless vacuum design is another winner, with three power settings, a built-in HEPA filter and about an hour of continuous operation per charge. You can also detach the shaft and use it as a handheld vacuum as needed.

Amazon Basics Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner for $63 (10 percent off): All right, nobody goes to Amazon Basics to be impressed, but we have to admit this vacuum exceeds expectations. It's light, it has a big dust reservoir and it comes with all the attachments you'll need for a reasonably sized apartment. The filter is also simple to remove and clean.

Black+Decker QuickClean Cordless Handheld Vacuum for $27 (33 percent off): Rounding out the list, we've got this small-but-mighty hand vacuum, perfect for crevices, shelves or cleaning out your car. It weighs about 1.4 pounds and hoovers up small messes in the blink of an eye. The lithium-ion battery stays charged for up to 10 hours.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-vacuum-deals-save-on-machines-from-irobot-shark-dyson-and-others-151504087.html?src=rss

The best Prime Day SSD deals: Save on gear from Samsung, SanDisk, Crucial and others

A portable storage device can make a world of difference to intensive processing tasks, from running massive video games — which feels like all of them these days — to core operating system functions. A solid-state drive (SSD) gives your hard drive more bandwidth than it comes with by default, making huge chunks of data easier to digest and keeping your device from running too hot. This October Prime Day, we've rounded up the best deals on SSDs, portable SSDs and microSD cards. Not only do these Prime Day SSD deals cover some of the best products in the field, but their prices are lower than they're likely to be for some time.

Best October Prime Day SSD deals

• Crucial BX500 1TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5-inch Internal SSD for $69 ($25 off): The BX500 is Crucial's budget-conscious SSD option, but that doesn't mean it disappoints. This internal solid state drive cuts down on battery consumption and improves processing with read speeds reaching 540MB/s. It comes with a three-year warranty, too.

• Crucial P310 2TB for $112 ($38 off): The 2TB level of the Crucial P310 is a compact drive that works great in small laptops or Steam Decks — especially the latter, given Valve's warning against cramming in large SSDs. For this small size and great price, you get read speeds of over 7,000MB/s, plus a built-in heatsink and more efficient use of the device battery.

• Samsung 990 Evo Plus 1TB for $60 (43 percent off): This is an incredible deal on an internal SSD from a reliable brand. All capacities of the Samsung 990 Evo Plus are currently on sale, but even the 1TB option can visibly boost your performance with top read speeds of 7,250MB/s. There's no heatsink, but nickel plating on the controller reduces both heat output and energy use.

• Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB for $140 (33 percent off): Samsung's 990 Pro series represents a massive leap forward for the brand, cutting energy costs by around half while boosting speeds up to at least 7,000MB/s write and 5,000MB/s read. This version comes with 2TB of storage and its own built-in heatsink.

• Samsung SSD 9100 PRO 4TB for $370 (35 percent off): The 9100 Pro series comes with speeds and capacities that dwarf even the 990 Pro. If you need to improve your speeds while training large AI models or simply playing massive games, this is about the most power commercially available right now.

• Samsung Fit Plus 256GB for $23 (30 percent off): The Samsung Fit Plus isn't just the best thumb drive on the market right now — it's one of the best SSDs, period. This deal gets you 256GB of storage and read speeds of 400MB/s for almost unfathomably cheap. It's also built to resist water, extreme temperatures, magnets and even radiation.

• Kingston Fury Renegade G5 for $170 (48 percent off): For those who need the most power available — especially on machines working with AI — Kingston Fury Renegade is an affordable way to access fifth-gen PCle power. With working speeds over 14,000MB/s and backward compatibility, you'll be well-prepared for the next generation of processing.

• WD_BLACK 2TB SN7100 for $130 ($30 off): The SN7100 is a strong entry point to WD_BLACK's extremely powerful Gen 4 SSDs. It's built for gaming, with read speeds of up to 7,250MB/s and write speeds of 6,900. The 2TB edition has the best markdown, but 1TB is more affordable overall if you're on a tight budget — and both can easily run a whole operating system in parallel.

Best October Prime Day portable SSD deals

• SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable SSD for $150 ($60 off): The SanDisk Extreme line of portable SSDs provides a great middle ground in both price and performance. Read speeds of 1,050MB/s are enough for transferring most files you'll encounter day-to-day. Its external design holds up too, with a large carabiner loop, IP65 waterproofing and dustproofing and drop protection as high as three meters.

• Kingston SX1000 1TB High Performance for $75 (35 percent off): If you can't swing a Crucial X9 or X10 right now, Kingston offers a much more affordable alternative. The SX1000 can handle both PC backups and gaming storage with ease, nearly matching the X9 in our speed tests. It's also easy to carry around, though keep a tight grip as it's not officially rated for any drop height.

• Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB for $200 (44 percent off): This Seagate SSD is specifically for expanding storage on the Xbox Series X and S, and it's designed to meet Xbox specs exactly. You'll get exactly the same performance booting a game from this card as you would from internal Xbox storage, which makes data management infinitely easier.

Best October Prime Day microSD card deals

• Samsung PRO Plus microSD Memory Card for $75 (35 percent off): The Samsung PRO Plus was a strong runner-up in our testing of the best microSD cards, with speeds only beaten out by an even higher-end card from Samsung. This excellent deal should be plenty of speed and space for most normal tasks, though, from photography to gaming.

• SanDisk 1TB MicroSD Card for $100 (33 percent off): For those of you who haven't managed to snag a Switch 2 yet, SanDisk is offering a near-best price on the best storage card for the original Switch. With 1TB, you'd need to download a mind-boggling number of games to get anywhere near filling it. Plus, 90MB/s write speeds mean games download fast.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-ssd-deals-save-on-gear-from-samsung-sandisk-crucial-and-others-170039457.html?src=rss

The best Amazon Prime Day deals under $50 include sales from Anker, Ring, Lego, Roku and others

You can snap up a lot of useful tech for less than $50 during Amazon’s October Prime Day sale. We’re seeing discounts on bluetooth trackers, mini speakers, earbuds, mice, power banks, wall chargers, and more. But this isn’t just random drek. The deals highlighted here are pulled from our own guides and reviews — gadgets and accessories we’ve tried ourselves and currently recommend. If you’re looking for small electronics and accessories so you can fill your Amazon cart for Prime Day without spending too much — this list of the best Prime Day deals under $50 is a great place to start. 

Amazon Echo Buds for $15 ($35 off): We named these the best open-design pick in our guide to budget earbuds. They’re lightweight, have automatic wear detection and built-in assistance from Alexa. Just remember an open ear design blocks no noise and the battery life here isn’t the most robust. This Lightning deal matches the all-time low but is set to expire in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. 

Beats Pill for $50 ($100 off with Prime): Here’s one of our picks for best portable Bluetooth speakers. Only the Kim Kardashian version in light or dark grey is on sale, but other than the marketing they’re the same speaker as the other Beats Pills.

Apple MagSafe charger (25W, 2m) for $29 ($20 off): The latest version of Apple's MagSafe puck is Qi2.2-certified and supports up to 25W of wireless power when paired with a 30W adapter. The two-meter cable length on this particular model gives you more flexibility on where you can use it: in bed, on the couch, at your desk and elsewhere.

Audible subscription (three months) for $3 ($42 off): From now through mid-December, you can get Amazon’s audiobook subscription for just a dollar a month for three months. Note that it will auto-renew at $15 per month after that, but you can cancel at any point.

UGREEN Nexode Pro 65W USB-C Flat Charger for $43 ($13 off with Prime): One of our picks from our guide to fast chargers, this Ugreen fella has three ports (one of which is USB-A) and a 65-watt max power output. The folding prongs make it even more compact. Just note that it’s a bit wide and may block adjacent outlets in a crowded power strip.

Anker Nano Charger, USB-C 30W charger for $13 ($4 off with Prime): Here’s a tiny but mighty wall adapter that we like for iPhones (but it would work for an iPad too). It can pass on 30 watts of power to your device and looks nice doing it in five different pearlescent shades.

Instant Pot Vortex 2-QT Mini for $38 ($22 off with Prime): The budget model from our air fryer guide may not be large but its two-quart basket is enough to reheat leftovers for two or cook up a batch of frozen appetizers. And, because of its small size, it doesn’t take up a ton of space on your countertops — ideal for a small kitchen.

Elgato Stream Deck Mini for $50 ($10 off with Prime): We like Elgato gear for game streaming, but the handy shortcut deck can also be used for your nine to five. This six-button box can give you better control over PowerPoint presentations, video conferencing calls and spreadsheet wrangling.

INIU MagSafe Qi2 power bank for $34 ($16 off with Prime): This is the budget pick in our guide to the best MagSafe batteries. Not only can it refuel a dying iPhone (12 or newer) wirelessly, it comes with its own USB-C cable (that doubles as a handy carrying strap) so you can charge up other devices, too.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $40 ($20 off): Amazon's most powerful streaming dongle supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and Atmos and Wi-Fi 6E with double the storage of cheaper Fire TV sticks. It earned an honorable mention in our guide to streaming devices and also happens to make a good retro gaming emulator.

Lego Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece for $35 ($15 off with Prime): Who doesn’t love a good Lego set? Only people who don’t like fun. This floral centerpiece looks good enough to stick on a dining table and it’ll never die.

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2025 for $31 (30 percent off): 'Tis the season for advent calendars. They've flooded the internet, as they usually do this time of year, and there are plenty to choose from (and stock up on) before we get to December. Lego has a bunch, and this Star Wars one will be fun for everyone, not just kids, to open up each day at the end of the year.

—> Check out more sets in our Prime Day guide to Lego deals.

Anker USB-C to USB-C cable (10FT, 100W) for $9 ($3 off with Prime): Having a bad cable is almost as bad as not having a cable at all. We’re big fans of Anker’s cords. This one is a generous 10 feet and can deliver up to 100W of power. While it can transfer data, it does so slowly, so don’t grab this one for that purpose. This is $1 more than it sold for as a Prime-exclusive in July.

Chipolo Pop Bluetooth tracker for $25 ($4 off): If you lose stuff, stop it with a Bluetooth tracker like this. The Pop is our top pick in our guide. It works with either Apple’s Find My app or Google’s Find Hub app, calling on iPhone or Android phone users respectively to anonymously ping your lost stuff so you can find it.

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 for $20 ($10 off with Prime): Our favorite Bluetooth tracker for Samsung users is one of the best-looking fobs we tried. It’s got a wide finding network, drawing on nearby Samsung phones to ping your lost items (though not as large as Google or Apple’s networks).

Pebblebee Clip Universal for $25 ($10 off with Prime): This is our runner up pick for a rechargeable Bluetooth tracker. It’s ear-splittingly loud, has bright flashing LEDs and works with either Google or Apple’s finding networks.

Blink Video Doorbell for $35 ($35 off): True, Amazon just announced new Blink devices, but those won’t hit the market until after Prime Day is over. If you want a video doorbell right now at an impressively low price, this should serve. We’ve tested Blink security devices before and have been impressed by what you get for such a small price.

Blink Video Doorbell & Blink Mini 2 for $40 ($70 off): Here’s a bundle that combines a Blink Doorbell and a Mini 2 security camera. But again, new Blink cameras are on their way, so only get this if you're ok with last year’s tech.

Ring Battery Doorbell for $50 ($50 off): At $49.99 this juuust qualifies as an under $50 tech deal. If you don’t have doorbell wires at your front entrance, you can still have a camera to capture all the package deliveries and neighborhood animal sightings with the Ring Battery Doorbell. It records video in HD with more vertical coverage than the last model, so you can see people from head to toe. Just note that newer Ring devices are on the way. 

Blink Mini 2 security cameras (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): This is currently the top budget pick in our guide to the best security cameras. The Mini 2 is a great option for indoor monitoring or you can put it outside with a weatherproof adapter, but since it needs to be plugged in, we like it for keeping an eye on your pets while you're away and watching over entry ways from the inside.

Blink Mini 2 security cameras (three-pack) for $50 ($50 off): A three pack is also on sale and squeezes in just under the $50 mark. Or you can just get one camera for $20. 

—> Want spend no more than $25 on this sale? Check out our list of the super cheap stuff.

Anker 622 5K magnetic power bank with stand for $28 ($20 off with Prime): This 0.5-inch thick power bank attaches magnetically to iPhones and won't get in your way when you're using your phone. It also has a built-in stand so you can watch videos, make FaceTime calls and more hands-free while your phone is powering up.

J-Tech Digital Ergonomic Mouse for $17 ($7 off with Prime): This is the budget pick in our ergonomic mouse guide thanks to its vertical format, programmable buttons and nifty RBC lights (which you can turn off).

Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse for $30 ($40 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.

OtterBox Made for Kids Case for iPad (A16) for $49 ($21 off with Prime): Where other cases failed, this one has managed to keep my third grader’s iPad alive and functioning. It’ll fit the newest standard iPad or the 10th generation model that came before it.

Ring Indoor Cam for $25 ($25 off): While we thought the Blink Mini 2 was a better overall indoor camera in our guide, we do like the Ring app, which is ideal for beginners. Plus you get access to the Ring Neighbors app which is a fascinating glimpse into your neighborhood’s Ring-captured events. Just note that a new Ring indoor model was just announced. 

Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): We named this the best smart plug for Alexa users because it hooks up painlessly and stays connected reliably. Use it to control lamps or your holiday lights using programs and schedules in the Alexa app, or just your voice by talking to your Echo Dot or other Alexa-enabled listener.

Ultimate Ears MINIROLL Bluetooth speaker for $48 ($32 off with Prime): Ultimate Ears speakers make a couple of appearances in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. The Miniroll is the smaller sibling of the UE Wonderboom. You’ll sacrifice a little in the sound department, but it maintains a similarly durable waterproof and dustproof build.

Anker Nano 3-in-1 Portable Charger for $32 ($13 off with Prime): It’s a wall charger! It’s a portable battery! It has its own USB-C cable! In short, this handy power bank is clever and compact, which is why it’s one of our favorites.

Anker Nano portable charger for $20 ($10 off with Prime): It looks like an oldy timey lipstick case and can deliver a partial refill to any small device with a USB-C port. We named it a good pick after testing it for our battery guide.

Twelve South AirFly SE for $28 ($12 off with Prime): We recommend this in our father’s day gift guide and a couple of our travel guides. If you know you’re travelling on a plane with screens in the backs of the seats, you may want Twelve South’s gadget. It lets you connect your wireless earbuds to the aux jack. Also a good pick for gym equipment.

Levoit Mini Core-P air purifier for $40 ($10 off with Prime): This is the mini version of the top pick in our guide to air purifiers. It has a three-stage filter (pre, activated carbon and particle filters) though that particle filter is not a true HEPA filter. But it’s rated at 250 square feet and can help clear the air in your office or other small room.

8Bitdo Ultimate Bluetooth controller (Switch 2) for $43 ($27 off with Prime): If you’ve got a Switch 2 and are looking for a good controller to go with it, we think this is a good one. Recommended in our guide to the best Switch 2 accessories, it’s got an Xbox style configuration with the left stick placed higher on the game pad, which some prefer. The lowest price we tracked before this is $50.

Anker 555 USB-C Hub for $36 ($14 off with Prime): To give your iPad (or even your laptop) more connection options, pick up this USB-C hub. It’s the model we liked best for our guide to MacBook accessories and adds an HDMI port, an SD card reader, Ethernet jack and two USB-A ports. It also has one data USB-C port and a pass through power delivery USB-C port, along with a built-in USB-C cable.

Echo Pop smart speaker for $25 ($15 off): The half sphere Pop is the most affordable Echo speaker in Amazon’s lineup. The sound won’t be as full as its larger siblings, but will do a fine job of bringing Alexa’s help to smaller rooms. Just note that it went as low as $18 for Black Friday and October Prime Day last year.

Elden Ring (PS5) for $30 ($20 off): If you somehow haven’t yet played the action-RPG Elden Ring, here’s a chance to do so for less money. It’s challenging yet accessible if you want plus it’s darkly funny and one of our favorite games.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PS5) for $35 ($15 off): We gave this game a favorable review last year. But just note that you’ll get more out of it if you’ve played Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

—> For more video game deals, check out Engadget's gaming deals roundup.

Belkin Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2 for $25 ($5 off with Prime): While this model doesn’t have the battery pack like Belkin’s charging case that we reviewed, it will still offer more than enough protection for everyday bumps and tumbles just like its more expensive counterpart.

Belkin Apple AirTag holder for $15 ($5 off with Prime): The best thing about Apple’s AirTags are their ability to rope in most any nearby iPhone to anonymously hunt for lost trackers. The worst thing is probably the tiny, slippery disk shape that can’t attach to anything without some help. This is the help we suggest in our iPhone accessories guide.

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom Play speaker for $48 ($42 off with Prime): This is a relative of the Wonderboom 4, one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers. It only has one driver and passive radiator, while the Wonderboom 4 has two of each. The battery life isn’t quite as long here, either (10 hours compared to 14). But this one is currently half the price of its sibling.

Samsung Fit Plus 256GB for $23 (30 percent off): We named this thumbdrive one of the best SSDs you can buy. This configuration has 256GB of storage and read speeds of 400MB/s. It's also built to resist water, extreme temperatures, magnets and even radiation.

Roku Streaming Stick HD for $18 ($12 off): If you don’t care about 4K (or your screen resolution isn’t that high anyway) you can still get the same simple-to-use Roku OS with this device. The best thing about Roku streaming sticks is the access to all the free content — so this is an affordable way to get it.

Belkin 45W Dual USB C Charger Block for $29 ($11 off with Prime): Members of my family fight over this handy wall charger. It has exactly what you need, two USB-C ports and speedy, 45W charging, perfect for juicing up a phone and tablet in tandem.

Leebein 2025 electric spin scrubber for $38 ($32 off with Prime): This is an updated version of the electric scrubber we love that makes shower cleaning easier than ever before. It comes with seven brush heads so you can use it to clean all kinds of surfaces, and its adjustable arm length makes it easier to clean hard-to-reach spots. It's IPX7 waterproof and recharges via USB-C.

Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.

Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $23 ($6 off with Prime): This handy little fan is a must-have if you live in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don't have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan's blades shows its remaining battery level.

Moft Magnetic Wallet Stand for $24 ($6 off with Prime): I like to carry as little as possible, preferably in my pockets. This nifty wallet attaches to MagSafe phones (iPhones 12 and newer), has room for two cards and has a pop-out stand for screen-viewing in either portrait or vertical orientation.

Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go speaker for $23 ($12 off with Prime): This is one of our top picks for Bluetooth speaker. It gets pretty loud for its size and has decent sound quality. You can pair two together for stereo sound as well, and its IP67-rated design will keep it protected against water and dust.

Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $28 ($17 off with Prime): This small speaker was a past pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. It’s waterproof and goes for 24 hours on a charge. We found the sound to be surprisingly big for its size.

Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): Amazon brought the Echo Spot smart alarm clock back from the dead last year with a new design and improved speakers. In addition to being able to control smart home devices and respond to voice commands, the Echo Spot can also act as a Wi-Fi extender for those that have Eero systems. It went as low as $45 for Black Friday last year.

Samsung EVO Select microSD card (256GB) for $23 ($4 off): This Samsung card has been one of our recommended models for a long time. It's a no-frills microSD card that, while not the fastest, will be perfectly capable in most devices where you're just looking for simple, expanded storage.

Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam $40 ($20 off): If you like the idea of being able to move the camera around to follow the action in your home, you may want to get a pan-and-tilt option like this one. We will again note that new Ring devices are on the way, but if you don’t have to have the latest thing and just want to see what your dog gets up to while you’re gone, you may want to snag this 33 percent discount.

Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $43 ($37 off with Prime): Our top pick for the best budget wireless earbuds, the Space A40 have surprisingly good ANC, good sound quality, a comfortable fit and multi-device connectivity.

JLab Go Air Pop+ for $17.49 ($12 off with Prime): JLab earbuds pop up in a few of our guides including the best running headphones and best budget buds. The Pop+ earbuds are smaller and lighter than the previous model, and the app’s preset EQ modes let you customize your sound. Total battery life with the case comes in at more than 35 hours.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-amazon-prime-day-deals-under-50-include-sales-from-anker-ring-lego-roku-and-others-120531317.html?src=rss

Amazon Prime Day tech deals under $25: Save on Blink, Anker, Roku and Fire TV

Forget iPads and TVs. This list is all about the best Prime Day deals you can buy for less than $25. There’s a surprising number of deals on Amazon’s site for gadgets, accessories and small electronics that we’ve tested and recommend. If you’re looking for mini speakers to keep you company by the fire pit, a new cable that won’t conk out on you or a smart plug to control your Halloween lights, check out this list. We’ve linked to our buying guides and reviews so you can read up on a product before plunking down your hard-earned (but less than 25) dollars. Here are Engadget’s picks for the best Prime Day tech deals under $25.

Chipolo Pop Bluetooth tracker for $25 ($4 off): If you lose stuff, stop it with a Bluetooth tracker like this. The Pop is our current top pick in our guide. It works with either Apple’s Find My app or Google’s Find Hub app, calling on iPhone or Android phone users respectively to anonymously ping your lost stuff so you can find it.

Audible (three months) for $3 ($42 off): From now through mid-December, you can get Amazon’s audiobook subscription for just a dollar a month for three months. Note that it will auto-renew at $15 per month after that, but you can cancel at any point.

Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): We named this the best smart plug for Alexa users because it hooks up painlessly and stays connected reliably. Use it to control lamps or your holiday lights using programs and schedules in the Alexa app, or just your voice by talking to your Echo Dot or other Alexa-enabled listener.

Kasa TP-Link Smart Wi-FI outdoor plug for $15 ($7 off with Prime): We tested a similar plug for our buying guide to smart plugs and named it the best outdoor pick for HomeKit users — but this model only works with Alexa and the Google Assistant. 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 Soundcore Select 4 Go speaker for $23 ($12 off with Prime): This is one of our top picks for a Bluetooth speaker. It gets pretty loud for its size and has decent sound quality. You can pair two together for stereo sound as well, and its IP67-rated design will keep it protected against water and dust.

Belkin Apple AirTag holder for $15 ($5 off with Prime): The best thing about Apple’s AirTags are their ability to rope in most any nearby iPhone to anonymously hunt for lost trackers. The worst thing is probably the tiny, slippery disk shape that can’t attach to anything without some help. This is the solution we suggest in our iPhone accessories guide.

Anker Nano Charger, USB-C 30W charger for $13 ($4 off with Prime): Here’s a tiny but mighty wall adapter that we like for iPhones (but it would work for an iPad too). It can pass on 30 watts of power to your device and looks nice doing it in five different pearlescent shades.

Anker Nano portable charger for $20 ($10 off with Prime): It looks like an oldey timey lipstick case and can deliver a partial refill to any small device with a USB-C port. We named it a good pick after testing it for our battery guide.

Anker USB-C to USB-C cable (10FT,100W) for $9 ($3 off with Prime): Having a bad cable is almost as bad as not having a cable at all. We’re big fans of Anker’s cords. This one is a generous 10 feet and can deliver up to 100W of power. While it can transfer data, it does so slowly, so don’t grab this one for that purpose. This is $1 more than it sold for as a Prime-exclusive in July.

Anker Right-Angle USB-C braided charging cable (two-pack) for $9 ($7 off with Prime): This is the cable I used to turn an old iPad into a digital picture frame. The right-angle looks much neater than a straight cable, plus this one can shuttle up to 240 watts of power during charging.

Samsung EVO Select microSD card (128GB) for $13 ($4 off): This Samsung card has been one of our recommended models for a long time. It's a no-frills microSD card that, while not the fastest, will be perfectly capable in most devices where you're just looking for simple, expanded storage. The larger-capacity 256GB model is on sale for $23, but the 128GB is a better gigs-to-dollars deal. 

Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $23 ($6 off with Prime): This handy little fan is a must-have if you live in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don't have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan's blades shows its remaining battery level.

Pebblebee Clip Universal for $25 ($10 off with Prime): This is our runner up pick for a rechargeable Bluetooth tracker. It’s ear-splittingly loud, has bright flashing LEDs and works with either Google or Apple’s finding networks.

Roku Streaming Stick HD for $18 ($12 off): If you don’t care about 4K (or your screen resolution isn’t that high anyway) you can still get the same simple-to-use Roku OS that we liked in our guide with this device. The best thing about Roku devices is the access to all the free content — and this is an affordable way to get it.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $18 ($17 off): Here’s what we named the best budget streaming stick. At a price this low and only an HD resolution, you shouldn’t expect a premium picture, but if you just want a quick way to get your streaming apps up and running on a basic screen, this will do the thing.

Ring Indoor Cam for $25 ($25 off): While we thought the Blink Mini 2 was a better overall indoor camera in our guide, we do like the Ring app, which is ideal for beginners. Plus you get access to the Ring Neighbors app which is a fascinating glimpse into your neighborhood’s Ring-captured events.

Echo Pop smart speaker for $25 ($15 off): The half sphere Pop is the most affordable Echo speaker in Amazon’s lineup. The sound won’t be as full as its larger siblings, but will do a fine job of bringing Alexa’s help to smaller rooms. Just note that it went as low as $18 for Black Friday and October Prime Day last year.

JLab Go Air Pop+ for $17 ($13 off with Prime): JLab earbuds pop up in a few of our guides including the best running headphones and best budget buds. The Pop+ earbuds are smaller and lighter than the previous model, and the app’s preset EQ modes let you customize your sound. Total battery life with the case comes in at more than 35 hours.

Amazon Basics Smart LED Light Bulb for $9 ($3 off with Prime): We didn’t test this one for our smart bulb guide, but it’s tough to argue with this price — and I’ve found the smart plug equivalent of this device to be one of the more reliable bits of smart home tech I’ve tried. Like all Amazon smart home gear, this only works with Alexa devices like an Echo speaker (and any smartphone).

Samsung Fit Plus 256GB for $23 (30 percent off): We named this thumbdrive one of the best SSDs you can buy. This configuration has 256GB of storage and read speeds of 400MB/s. It's also built to resist water, extreme temperatures, magnets and even radiation.

Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Repeller for $19 ($16 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.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-prime-day-tech-deals-under-25-save-on-blink-anker-roku-and-fire-tv-084136589.html?src=rss

Tesla's stripped-back standard models bring the Model 3 and Y back under $40,000

Tesla has been promising less expensive versions of its electric vehicles for several months, and today the company introduced two 'standard' models. The Standard Model 3 sedan will retail starting at $36,990 and the Standard Model Y SUV will start at $39,990. While these price tags make Tesla EVs available for less than $40,000, the cost is still not down to the $35,000 level that the company once briefly had for the Model 3. 

Although the price tags seem lower, the US ended its federal tax incentive for EVs on September 30. That offered buyers a savings of $7,500 on purchases of electric vehicles. These Standard models effectively cost about $2,000 more than the old spec, now called 'Premium,' would have retailed for last week.

Both have an EPA estimated range of 321 miles on a full battery. However, these Standard versions will also have fewer features than their counterparts. They're only available with rear-wheel drive, and they won't offer the Autopilot or the Autosteer driver assistance programs. The trims have also been stripped back, with only the first row of seats containing heaters, no second-row touchscreen and no AM/FM radio. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tesla updated the higher-end Performance version of its Model Y last week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/teslas-stripped-back-standard-models-bring-the-model-3-and-y-back-under-40k-205012564.html?src=rss

The best Prime Day kitchen deals include up to 50 percent off our favorite Instant Pots, blenders and more

New gear can make cooking easier (and sometimes more fun) but the best kitchen tech isn’t cheap. That’s why it’s a good idea to wait for a sale like Amazon's Prime Day. At Engadget, we’ve tested plenty of kitchen gear (and have opinions to accompany said testing) so we searched for discounts on what we actually recommend. We found deals on some of our preferred brands like air fryers from Breville, Instant Pot cookers, coffee makers and even a Ninja ice cream machine. We’ve linked to our testing and reviews so you can get the information you need before you buy. Here are the best Prime Day deals on kitchen tech we could find..

Fellow Aiden Precision Drip Coffee Maker for $320 ($80 off): Fellow gear shows up again and again in our guide for coffee lovers and we gave this particular machine a review score of 91 upon its debut in late 2024. It’s an automatic drip coffee machine that actually delivers on its promise of making hands-free pour-over coffee.

KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer for $379 ($121 off): There’s a reason this is so popular among home bakers and chefs. The Artisan KitchenAid is sort of the gold standard stand mixer, as we point out in our guide to the best kitchen tech. This isn’t an all-time low (it was $350 as recently as May), but matches the July Prime Day price.

Ninja Slushi for $300 ($50 off): We haven’t officially tested this one just yet, but given our love of both the Creami and the Creami Swirl, it’s a fair bet that this one will do good things with cold stuff too. This is the lowest price of the year so far.

Vitamix 2-Speed Immersion Blender for $90 ($40 off with Prime): For quick sauces and soups, we like this nifty two-speed hand blender from Vitamix, and said so in our guide to cheap kitchen gadgets. It even comes with a whisk for making your own whipped cream.

Ninja Dual Foodie Zone Air Fryer (DZ302) for $160 ($70 off): If you want to air fry two different things at the same time, this is the one to get. This is the same in specs, capacity and wattage as our top pick for a dual-zone air fryer, just with a different model number. It even has a feature that makes sure the two different foods are ready at the same time.

Vitamix 5-Speed Immersion Blender for $200 ($100 off with Prime): If you want a little extra oomph from your hand blender, grab this one. We named it the best counter top replacement model in our guide to the best immersion blenders. The 625 watt motor is more powerful than most and the blender head is intelligently designed to reduce suction and prevent scratches plus it fits inside a wide mouth mason jar.

Ninja Creami ice cream maker $180 ($50 off): This is one of our favorite pieces of kitchen tech and we called it a frozen fantasy-maker in our review. Note that the Creami dipped down to $160 last Black Friday but this matches the lowest price we've seen this year.  

Instant Pot Vortex Plus with Clear Cook for $80 ($20 off with Prime): This Vortex air fryer model is similar to our top airfryer pick, but is missing the Odor Ease feature. It still has the Clear Cook window that lets you keep an eye on your food as it crisps and the Vortex cooking tech heats up remarkably fast, with almost no pre-heating time.

Meater Pro wireless thermometer for $99 ($31 off): This was previously called the Meater 2 Plus, but the company changed the name. We gave it high praise in our review, and like the extended range, strong battery life, durability and precision.

Fellow Stagg EKG Pro Electric Gooseneck Kettle for $144 ($36 off with Prime): This is one of the appliances we recommend in our guide for tea gifts. I bought one based on that suggestion and have been impressed with this little kettle’s speed and good looks ever since.

Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air Fryer (4QT) for $65 ($65 off with Prime): Here’s a smaller version of our best overall air fryer. This one has a four-quart capacity, which is perfect for one person and small kitchens. And, like its larger sibling, pre-heats quickly thanks to a 1600-watt output. 

Instant Pot Vortex 2-QT Mini for $38 ($22 off with Prime): The budget model from our air fryer guide may not be large but its two-quart basket is enough to reheat leftovers for two or cook up a batch of frozen appetizers. And, because of its small size, it doesn’t take up a ton of space on your countertops — ideal for a small kitchen.

Ooni Koda 16 Gas Pizza Oven for $520 ($129 off): Ooni dominates our list of the best pizza ovens. The Koda can run on a propane tank or natural gas line and heats up to 950 degrees in just 20 minutes. Plus its big capacity can cook a 16-inch pizza in around one minute.

Breville InFizz Fusion beverage maker for $200 ($50 off): We called this fizz-maker the bubble master in our review. True, it’s pricier than rivals in the same space, but the upscale design — that actually looks good on a countertop — somewhat makes up for the price premium. We also appreciate the Fusion Cap that helps prevent messy eruptions when you’re bubbling up your drinks.

Hamilton Beach Digital Rice Cooker for $37 ($13 off with Prime): Our top pick for a budget rice cooker is great for small kitchens (but probably not for big families). We thought it outperformed other cookers that are four times the price, though it’s not the best for all-day warming of rice as the bottom bigs got a little overdone.

Cosori Air Fryer Pro Compact for $85 ($15 off with Prime): One of our concerns with the Cosori 9-in-1 was that it was a little on the wide side, taking up extra countertop space. The Pro Compact has a more space-saving design while still packing a five-quart basket.

Instant Pot 4QT Vortex mini air fryer for $55 ($35 off with Prime): This model’s four-quart capacity falls between our top Instant Pot air fryer pick and the budget model. It has the Clear Cook window feature, six presets and it comes in pink in addition to the standard white and black.

Instant Pot Duo Plus for $90 ($50 off with Prime): We named this the best multicooker in our guide to the best kitchen tech we’ve tested. It can cook a dizzying array of foods from basic beans and rice to homemade yogurt. We like this one because it’s simple to use, and has quick-cooking modes for soup, eggs and grains. There’s even a sous vide cooking function.

Breville Bambino Plus for $400 ($100 off): In our gift guide for coffee lovers, this espresso machine earned our respect for its compact size and the fact that it doesn’t cost a grand, like some machines do. Plus the controls are easy for beginners to learn but makes silky milkfoam for pro-level latte artists.

Breville Juice Fountain Plus for $130 ($20 off): This went as low as $110 back in January, but it’s still a decent discount on a high-powered juice extractor. We were won over by its impressive juicing abilities and despite how it looks, it's surprisingly easy to clean — as long as you do it right away.

Ninja 5.5-quart Air Fryer XL (AF150AMZ) for $130 ($50 off with Prime): This one earned an honorable mention in our guide to air fryers. It’s double the capacity of our budget pick and has a dehydrate preset. While we found the round basket a little cramped, we liked how the fryer’s vertical design saved counter space. Just note that this went as low as $90 in July.

Vitamix Explorian E310 Blender for $330 ($50 off): This isn’t the best deal we’ve seen this year — this Vitamix dropped to $300 as recently as May. But if you’re in the market for a blender that can turn the most recalcitrant nut into the creamiest butter, we think this won’t let you down.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-kitchen-deals-include-up-to-50-percent-off-our-favorite-instant-pots-blenders-and-more-193009814.html?src=rss

Prime Day TV deals: Save up to $500 on sets from Samsung, LG, Sony and more

It’s time for another October Prime Day sale, and that means Amazon is selling a number of well-regarded TVs for lower prices than usual. Not every deal is exclusive to the event, and it’s still possible that these sets drop even further as we approach Black Friday. But for now, a number of highly-rated sets from LG, Samsung, Sony and other brands are at or near their lowest prices to date. We’ve rounded up all the best October Prime Day TV deals we’ve seen thus far below, along with a few discounts on streaming players we like. Just note that you may need to be an Prime subscriber to access some of the discounts in Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event, which runs through October 8.

TCL QM7K 55-inch Mini-LED TV for $570 ($330 off MSRP): If you’re willing to stretch your budget a little further, the TCL QM7K is a fairly comprehensive step up, with noticeably improved contrast, brightness and color volume. It has a 144Hz refresh rate with 288Hz support at 1080p, too, though it’s still limited to two HDMI 2.1 ports. (As with the QM6K, however, neither of those is an eARC port, so hooking up a soundbar won’t block a game console if you have multiple systems.) This discount represents a new low, beating the previous best mark we've seen by roughly $30.

Hisense U8QG 65-inch Mini-LED TV for $998 ($500 off): Several reviews suggest that the Hisense U8QG ticks most of the requisite boxes for a LCD TV in 2025: robust local dimming and mini-LED backlighting, exceptionally high brightness, vibrant quantum-dot colors, a fast refresh rate (165Hz in this case), support for the major HDR formats and so on. It’s a higher-end option than something like the TCL QM6K or QM7K with superior brightness and contrast, though it still falls short of a good OLED TV when it comes to the latter. Like most LCD panels, it’ll also look a bit washed out if you view it from an angle. It has three HDMI 2.1 ports, which is one fewer than many other TVs in this price range, though it uniquely includes a USB-C video input if you want to hook up a gaming laptop or Nintendo Switch. (Just note that you won’t get VRR or HDR when using that.) You’d mainly get it over an OLED TV if you’re willing to trade some picture quality for something better-suited in a bright room. This deal on the 65-inch model matches the best price we've tracked.

Samsung S90F 55-inch QD-OLED TV for $1,100 ($498 off): The Samsung S90F is an upper-tier model with a QD-OLED panel, which blends the usual perks of a quality OLED set — near-perfect contrast, wide viewing angles, clear motion, low input lag — with a layer of quantum dots. This helps it produce a wider gamut of more vivid colors compared to traditional WOLED TVs. It also comes with four HDMI 2.1 ports and has a fast refresh rate of 144Hz. It doesn’t support Dolby Vision HDR, however, and reviews we trust say that the LG C5, a competing WOLED model, retains darker black levels in a bright room. This deal marks a new low for the 55-inch model, while the 65-inch and 77-inch versions are also at all-time lows of $1,598 and $2,298, respectively. Just make sure you only buy the 55-, 65- or 77-inch model, as every other size in the US uses a lesser WOLED panel. Shady, we know.

LG C5 65-inch OLED TV for $1,373 ($1,324 off): The LG C5 can’t produce the same bold colors as a QD-OLED display like the Samsung S90F, but reviews almost universally agree that it’s an exceptional OLED TV otherwise. It should get brighter with non-HDR content, and as noted above it should produce deeper blacks in well-lit environments. It also has just about all the essential gaming features, plus it supports the popular Dolby Vision HDR format (but not HDR10+). If you need that, or if you want an OLED set in this price range for a bright-ish room, it’s well worth a look. This is nearly an all-time low for the 65-inch model, beating its typical street price by about $125. Other sizes are also on sale, but note that the 42- and 48-inch models can’t get as bright as the larger versions.

LG B5 55-inch OLED TV for $997 ($100 off): The B5 is LG’s entry-level OLED TV for 2025, and as such it’s a level below the C5 in terms of brightness and color performance. It’s technically limited to a 120Hz refresh rate instead of 144Hz as well, though that isn’t a huge deal right now unless you plan on hooking up a gaming PC. If anything, last year’s LG C4 — which isn’t seriously discounted as of this writing — is a better value for most on the whole. But if you just want to save cash, the B5 still provides most of the core benefits of an OLED display at a lower price. This is a new all-time low for the 55-inch variant.

Samsung S95F 55-inch QD-OLED TV for $1,998 ($200 off): If you’re willing to pay for a top-of-the-line OLED TV, the Samsung S95F should fit the bill. Reviews around the web praise it for being especially bright for an OLED TV while retaining the bold colors and superb contrast you’d want from a high-end QD-OLED panel. That brightness combined with the screen’s matte finish means it’s particularly adept at fending off glare, so it’ll be effective in either a dark or bright room. It’s also loaded with gaming features, including a 165Hz refresh rate. That said, the matte coating means black levels won’t be as deep in a well-lit environment, and there’s still no Dolby Vision support. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the 55-inch model.

LG G5 55-inch OLED TV for $1,768 ($732 off): The LG G5 competes with the Samsung S95F in the top end of the OLED TV market. Most reviews say it can get even brighter than Samsung’s model, it supports Dolby Vision and its lack of a matte coating means it won’t lose its inky black levels in a bright room. That said, having a glossy finish also means that it’s more susceptible to direct reflections. And while its picture is a level above most other WOLED TVs, it isn’t quite on par with the S95F when it comes to color volume. Still, if you’re mainly going to watch things in the dark, it might be the better buy. This is a new low for the 55-inch variant.

Sony Bravia 8 II 65-inch QD-OLED TV for $2,798 ($702 off): It’s certainly not cheap, but the Sony Bravia 8 II has earned plaudits for its excellent image processing, upscaling and overall accuracy alongside the expected color, contrast and motion benefits of its QD-OLED display. This should help it make lots of movies and shows look closer to their original intent. It also uses the handy Google TV interface. This deal marks the best price to date for the 65-inch version. That said, if you can’t stomach the high price, other reviews note that the older Sony A95L offers similar performance a bit less, while more recent competitors like the LG G5 and Samsung S95F can get noticeably brighter (even if they’re not always as accurate). Those two should be better for gaming as well, as the Bravia 8 II only has two HDMI 2.1 ports — one of which is an eARC port for soundbars — and its input lag is slightly higher.

Samsung The Frame (2024) 55-inch LED TV for $798 ($700 off): Samsung’s The Frame series has always been for people who care about their TV’s aesthetic more than its picture quality, since it’s designed to resemble a framed piece of wall art. It’s still overpriced for a TV with no local dimming or Dolby Vision HDR, but this deal ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the 55-inch model, making it at least a little more reasonable. Other sizes are also on sale. Note that this deal is for the 2024 model — this year’s version is discounted as well, but its panel still isn’t great for the price. We’d recommend saving as much cash as possible if you really want one of these things.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $30 ($20 off): The Streaming Stick 4K is worth considering if you prefer a stick-style streamer that plugs directly into your TV, or if you’re partial to Roku’s app-centric interface, which many find simpler to navigate than the content-heavy UIs pushed by Google and Amazon. It supports Apple AirPlay and the major HDR formats, and its performance remains quick enough for most. You’ll have to deal with some ads, though, and no Roku player supports the Twitch app. This deal is $5 more than the device’s all-time low but ties the best price we’ve seen in several years.

Roku Streaming Stick Plus for $24 ($16 off): The Streaming Stick Plus is cheaper alternative to the Streaming Stick 4K with no Dolby Vision support and no long-range Wi-Fi extender built in. The latter means it may be less reliable if you don’t get a consistent connection in your TV’s room. (Both sticks are limited to Wi-Fi 5, though.) That said, this model can typically be powered straight from a TV’s USB port instead of requiring a separate power supply. If you can live with the sacrifices, it may not be worth paying extra. This deal represents a new all-time low.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $25 ($25 off): The standard Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K offers the same core experience as the pricier Fire TV Stick 4K Max, only it comes with a slightly slower processor, half the storage (8GB) and Wi-Fi 6 instead of Wi-Fi 6E. For most people just looking for a casual streamer on the cheap, those shouldn’t be huge losses. This model is also more powerful than the just-announced Fire TV 4K Select, though its Fire OS interface can still be messy and ad-heavy, with special emphasis on Amazon’s own services. This deal is $3 more than the stick’s all-time low, though it matches the best price we’ve seen since Black Friday last year.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $18 ($17 off): The Fire TV Stick HD is the budget pick in our guide to the best streaming devices. It can only stream up to 1080p, and it can run a bit choppier than the 4K models since it has a slower chipset and half the RAM (1GB). The usual issues with the Fire TV interface still apply here too. But if you just want to add streaming apps to an aging TV or basic monitor for as little cash as possible, it should get the job done. This discount ties the device's lowest price to date.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-tv-deals-save-up-to-500-on-sets-from-samsung-lg-sony-and-more-180051945.html?src=rss

The Beats Studio Pro are on sale for $170 this Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day is usually a good time to think about upgrading your headphones, or picking up that pair you've had your eye on for a while. Like in years past, this year's October Prime Day has brought discounts to big brands in the headphones space — including Beats. A solid deal right now is on the Beats Studio Pro cans. Normally $250, these wireless headphone are $80 off right now and down to $170.

Apple-owned Beats refreshed these headphones in 2023. That update introduced some serious upgrades that listeners have come to expect for pro-tier headsets. The Beats Studio Pro improved active noise cancellation and added the very useful transparency mode. It also introduced spatial audio with dynamic head tracking for even more immersion when you're This model also supports USB-C wired audio and 3.5mm wired audio in addition to its wireless capabilities.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-beats-studio-pro-are-on-sale-for-170-this-prime-day-113043590.html?src=rss

Prime Day Kindle deals include the Colorsoft for a record-low $200

Prime Day is a good time to consider picking up one of Amazon's own devices, particularly Kindle ereaders. Amazon typically saves the best discounts for its shopping events, and this year is no different. One of the standouts is the Kindle Colorsoft, which is on sale for $200. That's $50 off and a record low for the 16GB model.

The cost was one of the only real detractions we found in our review of Amazon's long-awaited color screen ereader, which has a bunch of nice features. The warm light of the screen is adjustable so that you can read easily in different lighting conditions, and there are no ads on the lock screen. If you're reading a lot of comics or manga, you'll likely appreciate both the color screen and the Colorsoft's pinch-to-zoom feature. Amazon says the Colorsoft can last up to eight weeks on a single battery charge, and it's waterproof in case you want to bring it to the beach or the pool (or if you just don't want to risk ruining it if you knock over your water bottle).

Colorsoft isn't the only Amazon ereader that's on sale for Prime Day. The standard Kindle model is currently available for $85, down from its usual $110 cost. You can also pick up a Kindle Paperwhite for $125, discounted from $160. Both of these options made our ranking of the best ereaders, with the Kindle winning our recommendation for an entry-level option and the Kindle Paperwhite impressing us as the best premium pick.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-kindle-deals-include-the-colorsoft-for-a-record-low-200-093010883.html?src=rss

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are $100 off for Prime Day

Noise-cancelling headphones are essential tech if you travel often or even have a lengthy commute. Bose is one of the top players in this space, and you can save on some of its high-end wireless headphones for Prime Day. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are $100 off right now and down to $329.

Note that this deal applies to the previous generation QuietComfort Ultra, rather than the refreshed second-gen model Bose has just announced. These offer improved battery life, ANC and audio performance, and they also support lossless audio over a wired USB-C connection for the first time. However, these headphones also cost $449 out of the gate, which is considerably more than the heavily slashed price of their predecessor.

If you don’t have to have the latest and greatest in every product line, the first-gen QuietComfort Ultra will be more than enough for the vast majority of people. They still offer exceptional noise-canceling, very good sound and a comfortable design. Bose’s “Immersive Audio” spatial sound feature can be a bit hit and miss, but with the right content it can be incredible. And while $329 is still a lot of money, $100 is a big saving on what were very recently the best Bose headphones you can buy.

Click here for our rolling coverage of the best Prime Day 2025 deals, which we’ll be updating as the event rolls on.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-are-100-off-for-prime-day-123043790.html?src=rss

Google's Michel Devoret is one of the 2025 winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded Google's Chief Scientist of Quantum Hardware the Nobel Prize in Physics alongside former Google employee John Martinis, and University of California, Berkeley professor John Clarke. This is the second year in a row that current or former Google employees have been awarded the prestigious prize: In 2024, a  former Google vice president was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics and the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was shared by researchers from Google DeepMind.

This year's Nobel Prize in Physics is being awarded in recognition of "the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantization in an electric circuit." Google puts it more plainly in its blog, writing that Devoret, Martinis and Clarke "created a superconducting electrical circuit" with a feature called a Josephson Junction "that can be used to create and manipulate… quantum phenomena."

Google says the group's experiments with Josephson Junctions in 1984 and 1985 were important, not just for the field of physics, but also its current research into quantum computing. The work of the company's Quantum AI team is occasionally trotted out as a glimpse of a future where major scientific discoveries are driven by hyperefficient computers. See, for example, the Willow quantum chip the company announced last year. Google is ultimately still working on creating the fundamental components that will power these computers, though. And "Josephson Junctions form the basis for today’s superconducting quantum bits (qubits)," an enabler of many of the quantum computing milestones it's hit in the last few years.

“It is wonderful to be able to celebrate the way that century-old quantum mechanics continually offers new surprises," Olle Eriksson, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, shared in a press release announcing the winners. "It is also enormously useful, as quantum mechanics is the foundation of all digital technology."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/googles-michel-devoret-is-one-of-the-2025-winners-of-the-nobel-prize-in-physics-192226450.html?src=rss

The best fast chargers for 2025

Fast chargers have become essential as phones, tablets and even laptops demand more power to keep up with daily use. Many new devices no longer include a charger in the box, so finding the best fast charger for you is important if you want reliable speed without damaging your battery. A good charger saves you time, keeps your devices powered during busy days and often supports multiple gadgets at once.

The best fast charger options now go beyond smartphones. Tablets like the iPad Pro, foldables such as the Galaxy Z Fold series and laptops with USB-C charging all benefit from higher wattage and newer standards like USB-C PD and GaN. Some models are compact enough to fit in your pocket, while others have several ports so you can power a laptop, phone and earbuds at the same time.

With so many different devices and charging standards, choosing the best fast charger depends on your setup and how you use it. This guide breaks down our top picks to help you find the right match for your gear.

Before you start looking at specific chargers, it's critical to determine three things: how many devices do you need to charge, how much power do they require and whether or not you're planning on traveling with any of them.

The reason for the first question is simple. If you only need to charge a single device, like an iPhone or Android phone, it's cheaper and usually more space-efficient to get a lower-wattage phone charger with one port instead of two or three. Next, it's critical to figure out how much electricity your gadgets need because it doesn't make sense to buy a power brick that pushes out more juice than your device can actually use. This may sound a bit tricky, but most major manufacturers will list a product's max charging speeds in its tech specs, which is typically denoted by a specific wattage (15W, for example) or a quick-charge rating.

Unfortunately, very powerful or large laptops like gaming notebooks can suck a ton of juice (more than 140 watts), which means they may rely on more traditional power adapters with barrel plugs. This may result in them not being compatible with universal chargers. Some of these PCs may also support charging over USB-C, so even if a specific adapter can't deliver its full power draw, it can still send over some energy — but it will do so at a slower rate compared to the laptop's included charger. To get the best performance, using a fast charging cable, such as a USB-C cable, can make a big difference in maintaining consistent power delivery.

For frequent travelers, size and weight are often important considerations, because the bigger and heavier a charger is, the more annoying it will be to lug around. You'll also want to think about other factors like support for international plugs, which can be a big help to anyone who regularly visits other countries. If you’re already traveling with power banks or a charging station, choosing a compact GaN charger can help streamline your gear.

Finally, you'll want to figure out if your smartphone uses a proprietary charging standard or if it's compatible with the USB Power Delivery spec (USB PD). For example, the OnePlus 13's included SuperVOOC power adapter can send up to 100 watts to the phone. However, if you use a generic USB-PD charger, speeds top out at 45 watts. That’s still pretty quick, but not nearly as fast as OnePlus' brick — and the same applies to devices with super fast charging support. Also, make sure your charging cable and connector are up to spec, as lower-quality accessories can bottleneck your charging speeds.

What is GaN?

When looking for chargers, you may notice that some are marked as GaN, which stands for gallium nitride. This is an important distinction because, when compared to older adapters that use silicon switches, GaN-based devices support increased power efficiency and output, allowing manufacturers to create more compact bricks that run cooler and support higher wattages.

Depending on the specific power output, GaN adapters can be 30 to 50 percent smaller and lighter than silicon-based alternatives. That might not sound like much, but when they’re sitting in a bag alongside a laptop and a half dozen other accessories you might have, cutting down on excess bulk and weight goes a long way.

Do fast chargers affect battery life?

Technically yes, because the process of sending a ton of watts into a gadget and potentially generating additional heat while doing so can decrease battery health over time. That said, modern devices and chargers use various protocols to ensure temperatures and power levels stay within preset limits — in large part to avoid damaging the product or creating a safety risk. At a base level, simply charging a gadget regardless of speed will cause degradation over time (nothing stays perfect forever, you know?). So as long as you use compatible chargers and cables, the impact of fast charging is generally quite negligible.

What's the difference between a fast charger and a regular charger?

There isn't a single generally accepted definition of fast charging. However, with power adapters capable of sending as little as five watts or less, it's important to know how much juice your device is getting, especially if you need to recharge something quickly. So depending on who you ask (particularly when it comes to smartphones), any charger that can push out more than 15 to 18 watts is generally considered to be "fast." That said, with some phones capable of receiving more than 100 watts and up to 240 watts for some laptops, it's more important than ever to consider what devices you own before buying a new fast charger.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-fast-chargers-140011033.html?src=rss

Prime Day Bluetooth speaker deals include the Beats Pill at a record-low price

Amazon Prime Day has arrived for October, bringing discounts to a bunch of tech we love. That includes a bunch of Bluetooth speakers, including the latest Beats Pill. Depending on the color option you choose, you can get the Beats Pill for $50 — a record low — or between $80 and $100. It's one of our picks for best portable Bluetooth speakers on the market today.

Beats released the Pill in late 2024 after nearly a decade without a new portable speaker, and two years since it had discontinued the Pill+. We gave the 1.5-pound speaker an 83 in our review thanks to a huge increase in sound quality and double the battery (24 hours) of previous Beats speakers. It also offers lossless audio over USB-C, a durable build and IP67-rated water and dust resistance. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-bluetooth-speaker-deals-include-the-beats-pill-at-a-record-low-price-114554429.html?src=rss

Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2 are cheaper than ever for Prime Day

If you have an Android phone and need a new pair of wireless earbuds, Prime Day may have just what you're looking for at a discount. One of the best deals in this space is on Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2, which are down to $170. That's $60 off their usual $230 price, and a pretty great deal for a pair of wireless buds that rival Apple's AirPods Pro 3.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are compact wireless earbuds with a touch-sensitive surface and a small circular ring in the back to help them stay in your ears. You can currently purchase the buds in bluish-gray "Moonstone," off-white "Porcelain," pink "Peony" or light black "Hazel" color options, but whichever you choose, you'll get solid active noise cancellation and a collection of other helpful audio features. In terms of ANC, Engadget's review of the Pixel Buds Pro 2 found that the earbuds do a good job of blocking out "low-to-mid-range noise" but still struggle to block out nearby voices. On the whole, though, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 sounds better than Google's previous wireless earbuds, particularly when you're listening bass-forward tracks.

The capabilities of the Pixel Buds Pro 2 extend beyond just listening to music, of course. Like its competitors, Google has turned its wireless earbuds into hearing protection, too. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 were recently updated to support what Google calls Loud Noise Protection, which can reduce incoming loud noises to protect your ears. That's on top of features like Adaptive Audio, which can adjust noise cancellation and volume based on your surroundings, and Talk to Gemini Live, which gives you a hands-free way to have a free-flowing conversation with Google's AI chatbot.

There might be other earbuds that offer better audio performance, but the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is the best option if you're on Android and want a seamless experience. For $170 during Prime Day, that's hard to pass up.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/googles-pixel-buds-pro-2-are-cheaper-than-ever-for-prime-day-130038433.html?src=rss

Get $200 off the Samsung Galaxy S25 for Prime Day

If you're looking for your next Android smartphone, Prime Day deals may have just want you're looking for. You can pick up the Samsung Galaxy S25 for $660, or $200 off its usual price. It may not be as flashy as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but Samsung Galaxy S25 still gets you a great smartphone experience.

The Galaxy S25 is a mix of old and new. The phone largely looks like the Galaxy S24, but comes in new colors and a slightly thinner frame. It uses the same bright 6.2-inch, 120Hz AMOLED screen, but is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. You're stuck with the same 50-megapixel wide, 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP 3x telephoto, but the phone (sort of) supports Qi2, if you're willing to add on a case. The list goes on, but what matters, based on Engadget's review of the smartphone, is that battery life is long and Samsung seems to be delivering on the promise of smartphone AI features.

In terms of battery life, the Galaxy S24 already started out strong at around 24 hours, but the Galaxy S25 goes a good bit past that with an additional four hours. That gives you more time for calls or watching videos — one of the tangible benefits of a power-efficient 3nm Qualcomm chip. That performance also shines when it comes with AI. Samsung offers its own collection of Galaxy AI features, like the less-than-useful Now Brief and AI photo editing, but it's also just a good vehicle for Gemini. Google debuted the ability for Gemini to take action across on-device apps and services on the Galaxy S25, and it works well.

At $800, a Galaxy S25 that largely carries over the features and components of the S24 isn't necessarily appealing. But for $200 off for Prime Day, and a guaranteed 256GB of base storage, purchasing Samsung's cheapest Galaxy S25 starts to make a lot more sense.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-200-off-the-samsung-galaxy-s25-for-prime-day-100037363.html?src=rss

ICE spent $825K this year on vehicles with IMSI catchers

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement paid $825,000 this year for surveillance tech that can spy on nearby mobile phones. TechCrunch identified the contract, which "provides Cell Site Simulator (CSS) Vehicles to support the Homeland Security Technical Operations program," in public records. This isn't the first time ICE has used cell-site simulators, but the agency has recently drawn outcry for actions such as unlawfully detaining US citizens and using violence against journalists and protestors as it carries out the immigration enforcement ordered by President Donald Trump.

TechOps Specialty Vehicles supplied the vehicles equipped with cell-site simulators, also known as IMSI-catchers, in this contract with ICE. IMSI stands for "International Mobile Subscriber Identity," and is a unique identifier for every user on a cellular network. Cell-site simulators act as fake cellular towers that can eavesdrop on any mobile phone in the nearby area when a user connects to the actual cellular towers of their service provider.

There are active and passive versions of IMSI catchers. The passive ones are less intrusive, but the active IMSI catchers can intercept all data transferred from mobile phones as well as tracking the phones' location. The TechCrunch report didn't uncover which version is being used by ICE. This surveillance tech can also interfere with a targeted phone's ability to contact emergency services via 911, posing a safety risk. It is also controversial since it doesn't involve obtaining a warrant and can expose innocent bystanders' information to the government.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ice-spent-825k-this-year-on-vehicles-with-imsi-catchers-182947167.html?src=rss

The best Amazon deals on Kindles, Echo speakers, Fire TV devices and more for Prime Day

While you can often find discounts on Echo speakers, Fire tablets, Kindles and other Amazon devices throughout the year, Amazon Prime Day is the best time to buy them, period. Prime Day is basically Black Friday for all Amazon-made gear, provided you’re a Prime member who can actually participate in the members-only shopping event. In recent years, October Prime Day discounts on these gadgets have been the same or even better than those we’ve seen during the holiday shopping season. For October Prime Day 2025, you’ll find most of Amazon’s devices on sale for record-low prices (or close to them). These are the best October Prime Day deals you can get on Kindles, Fire TVs, Echos and more.

Kindle Kids for $95 ($35 off): This is the same device as the base Kindle, but it becomes more kid-friendly thanks to the included cover, two-year warranty and the included year of Amazon Kids+, which gives children ages 3-12 access to hundreds of appropriate ebooks and audiobooks. Just be sure to take note when you activate that subscription because it will renew after one year at the standard $6/month rate.

Kindle Paperwhite for $125 ($35 off): The latest version of the Paperwhite has a seven-inch display, thinner bezels, an adjustable warm light, speedier page turns and a battery that can last up to 12 weeks on a single charge. This model is also IPX8 waterproof and has built-in Audible integration.

Kindle Colorsoft for $200 ($50 off): Amazon's only color e-reader has a seven-inch, high-contrast display, an auto-adjusting front light, a color highlighting feature and an eight-week battery life.

Kindle Scribe for $300 ($100 off): The Scribe is one of the best E-Ink tablets you can buy at the moment, and certainly the top pick if you want a writable table that also excels as an ereader. It provides a great reading and writing experience, thanks in part to its ability to access the entire Kindle ebook library, and it has handy Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox integration.

Echo Pop speaker for $25 (38 percent off): One of the newer Echo devices available, the Pop it sports a 1.95-inch front-facing speaker and a physical mic mute switch for extra privacy. The Pop also has built-in eero compatibility, so it can extend the area of your home Wi-Fi network if you already have an eero router system.

Echo Dot speaker for $35 (30 percent off): One of the smallest Echo speakers, this version of the Dot has improved audio and a compact design that will fit almost anywhere. You'll control it mostly with Alexa voice commands, but there are a few onboard buttons, including a mic-off button for when you need more privacy.

Echo Show 5 for $55 (39 percent off): This model is one of our favorite smart displays thanks to its compact design, ambient light sensor and sunrise alarm feature, all of which make it an excellent smart alarm clock. Amazon improved the speaker quality on this latest model, which gives sound deeper bass and clearer vocals.

Echo Show 8 for $100 (33 percent off): This is our current top pick for the best smart display with Amazon’s Alexa thanks in part to its 8-inch touchscreen, 13MP camera that supports auto-framing for better video chats and its built-in Zigbee smart home hub. The 2023 model supports Visual ID, which will show personalized information on the device’s display depending on who’s using it, and video streaming from Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video and other services.

Fire TV Stick 4K for $25 (50 percent off): This is the cheapest Fire TV Stick you can get to stream 4K content, plus it has support for Wi-Fi 6 and Dolby Vision and Atmos. With its live picture-in-picture feature, you can view security camera feeds right on your TV while you’re watching your favorite show or movie.

Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $40 (33 percent off): In addition to 4K HDR streaming with Dolby Vision and Atmos support, the 4K Max dongle includes Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, 16GB of built-in storage and live picture-in-picture capabilities. It also supports the Fire TV “ambient experience,” which lets you display photos and images on your TV screen when you’re not actively watching something.

Fire TV Cube streaming box for $100 (29 percent off): This model will provide the best performance of any Fire TV streaming device, and it supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and Atmos and an enhanced version of the Alexa Voice Remote. Along with live picture-in-picture view and the Fire TV ambient experience, you can also hardware other devices to the Fire TV Cube including a cable box or a game console.

Fire HD 8 tablet for $55 (45 percent off): This is Amazon's most bare-bones tablet, featuring an eight-inch HD touchscreen, hexa-core processor and 13 hours of battery life. The improvements in the screen quality alone from the old-school Fire 7 tablet make it a better buy for most people, and this slab would make a good couch device for general web browsing, email checking, online shopping and more.

Fire Max 11 tablet for $140 (39 percent off): Amazon’s most powerful tablet, the Fire Max 11 sports an 11-inch 2,000 x 1,200 touchscreen, an octa-core processor, up to 128GB of storage and 14 hours of battery life. It also works with a number of optional accessories, including a stylus and keyboard case.

Fire HD 10 Kids tablet for $105 (45 percent off): This slab is designed for kids aged three to seven, with full parental controls plus one year of Amazon Kids+ for free with the tablet purchase. This model has a 10-inch FHD touchscreen, an octa-core processor and 13 hours of battery life, plus it comes with a two-year warranty and a protective case.

Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet for $105 (45 percent off): This model is designed for kids aged six to 12 and comes with a slimmer protective case, a two-year warranty and one year of access to Amazon Kids+. Otherwise, you get a very similar experience here that you would with the non-Pro version, including parental controls, a 10-inch touchscreen, solid performance and a 13-hour battery life.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-amazon-deals-on-kindles-echo-speakers-fire-tv-devices-and-more-for-prime-day-081210730.html?src=rss

This Ninja dual-zone air fryer is 30 percent off for Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day is typically a great time to assess your kitchen's situation. If you need to upgrade your coffee maker, invest in a new air fryer or finally pick up that ice cream maker you've had your eye on, you can usually do so while saving some cash. Case in point: this deal on Ninja's DZ302 10-quart Air Fryer with Dual Baskets. You can get the countertop air fryer for $160 right now, or 30 percent off.

The 10-quart Ninja DZ302 Air Fryer is a great investment for a lot of reasons, starting with its six settings. You can use it to air fry, air broil, bake, dehydrate, keep things warm and roast your food. Even better? It has two five-quart baskets that allow you to cook two different foods at two different settings. Also, despite it's capabilities, at under 15 inches, it doesn't take up too much counter top real estate (though it's probably too large for the smallest kitchens). 

The air fryer also comes with Ninja's Smart Finish feature, which ensures your two foods finish cooking at the same time. Plus, there's the Match Cook option which sets both baskets to the same instructions for when you're cooking one thing across both.

Those two features are the main difference between the Ninja DZ302 and the 10-quart Ninja DZ401 Foodi — our pick for best dual-zone air fryer. But, otherwise, the latter will give you a very similar device for $130.  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-ninja-dual-zone-air-fryer-is-30-percent-off-for-prime-day-110026266.html?src=rss

Mastodon is adding Bluesky-like starter packs

Mastodon, the federated social network built on ActivityPub, is taking cues from Bluesky and introducing its own version of the social platform's "Starter Packs." The hope is that Mastodon's "Packs" will make it easier to find people to follow when you first join a server, a sometimes daunting task given the distributed nature of decentralized social networks.

In comparison to Starter Packs, which let Bluesky users curate a list of accounts that you can follow in one foul swoop, Packs will come with some modifications and improvements. For one thing, Mastodon's nonprofit developer Mastodon gGmbH says that users will have a say in whether they appear in Packs. Packs will be incorporated in the discovery features Mastodon already has, so if you don't want to be included in a Pack, you can just toggle off the existing "Feature profile and posts in discovery algorithms" setting.

The developer also says that there will be a more "neutral" way to remove yourself from a Pack once you're added. On Bluesky, to be removed from a Starter Pack you have to either report the pack or block its creator. According to Mastodon gGmbH, once you're notified you've been added to a Pack, you'll be able to remove yourself in a similar fashion to the way Mastodon lets you remove yourself from Quote Posts.

Mastodon gGmbH says it's collaborating with other Fediverse developers on a Fediverse Enhancement Proposal (FEP), that once completed, will allow the feature to be used by any developer building an app on ActivityPub. Bluesky's feature is one of its better additions to the microblogging format, so it makes sense Mastodon would want to adopt it. In fact it's so good that Meta added a clone of it to Threads late last year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/mastodon-is-adding-bluesky-like-starter-packs-182014446.html?src=rss

Meta makes Facebook Reels more like their Instagram counterparts

Meta is rolling out some serious changes to Facebook Reels to make the experience more like Instagram Reels. First of all, the Reels will now be accompanied by friend bubbles. This shows users which posts their friends like and makes it "easy to start a chat instantly about what you're both interested in." Instagram does something similar and also lets users send Reels as direct messages.

Meta

The recommendations engine is also getting a refresh, with Meta claiming that it "learns your interests quicker and shows you newer and more relevant Reels." The company says that the new engine recommends 50 percent more reels that have been published that day.

The new algorithm will also take preferred video length into account, as it will recommend Reels that are longer if you've been watching longer content or the opposite. Reels are now accompanied by a "Not Interested" button for improved recommendations.

Meta

This is 2025, so you know Meta is also throwing some AI into the mix. Reels will now offer AI-powered suggestions for deep dives into particular interests. This is going to be a boon for my dad when he wants to watch hundreds of short Sopranos clips in a single sitting.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-makes-facebook-reels-more-like-their-instagram-counterparts-180822646.html?src=rss

We found the best Prime Day Anker deals on power banks, wireless chargers and other accessories

You may not be looking to spend big on tech this October Prime Day, but it's still a good idea to look for tech essentials during the shopping event while you can get some at good discounts. Anker makes some of our favorite charging gear and I always end up picking up an accessory or two during Prime Day to ensure I have what I need when I need it most, and I feel better knowing I didn't spend full price on it.

For example, in sales past, I picked up a couple of extra USB-C charging cables so I could keep one in my carry-on luggage so I always have one when I travel. My partner will likely be upgrading to an iPhone 17 this year, so we'll have to get a few more USB-C cables now that Lightning is officially banished from our home. Also, every year it seems I need yet another surge protector, so even though I picked one up the year before — but one can never have too many. Here, we've collected all of the best October Prime Day deals on Anker devices and other charging gear we could find, and we'll update this post as the event goes on with the latest offerings.

Power banks are not as straightforward as you might think. They come in all shapes, sizes and capacities and can have extra features like magnetic alignment, built-in kickstands, extra ports and more.

It's worth considering how you'll use a power bank before you decide on the right one to buy. Smartphones don’t need huge-capacity bricks to power up a couple of times over; a 5K or 10K portable charger should be plenty if that’s all you’re looking to support. If you want a more versatile accessory that can charge a tablet, laptop or gaming handheld, consider a brick with a higher capacity — and more ports so you can charge multiple devices simultaneously.

A good wireless charger can lighten your cable load. While wired charging remains faster and more efficient, wireless chargers can clean up your space by eliminating a few of those cables that constantly trip you up.

We recommend thinking about where you'll use a wireless charger before buying one. Those outfitting a home office with new tech may want a wireless charging stand that puts their phone in an upright position that’s easier to see while it’s powering up, while those who want a wireless charger for their nightstand might prefer a lay-flat design or a power station that can charge a smartphone, smartwatch and pair of earbuds all at once.

Plenty of other charging gear is on sale for Prime Day. It’s never a bad idea to pick up a few 30W USB-C adapters so you always have what you need to reliably power up your phone. Same goes for extra USB-C (or USB-A) cables that can live in your car, in your office at work or by the couch.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/we-found-the-best-prime-day-anker-deals-on-power-banks-wireless-chargers-and-other-accessories-164536745.html?src=rss

Steam is back online after outage

Steam went down on Tuesday. Steamstat.us indicated earlier that the Steam Store, Steam Community and Web API were all down. But it's been all systems go for the better part of the past hour.

Engadget staffers' experience matches that. Earlier, when trying to access the Steam Store on Steam Deck and in the mobile app, only the UI loaded as an empty wrapper. Now everything appears to be loading normally.

At the peak of the outage, Steamstat.us showed over 1.5 million page views in the previous hour. That typically means lots of annoyed gamers are trying to find out why they're having problems. PC Gamer reports that APIs for Valve's first-party games (including Counter-Strike 2 and Deadlock) were also offline earlier.

We'll keep an eye on the situation and update if the problems return.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/steam-is-back-online-after-outage-170514965.html?src=rss

This Prime Day iPad deal brings the iPad A16 down to a record low for Amazon's October sale

The entry-level Apple iPad with the A16 chip is on sale for $280 as a Prime Day promotion. This is a discount of around $70 and represents a record-low price for the 11-inch tablet. The deal is available in multiple colorways and is one of the best Apple deals for Prime Day this year.

This tablet made our list of the best iPads and we particularly recommend it for the budget-conscious. It may lack some of the bells and whistles of its more expensive cousins, but it still gets the job done. It's fast enough for most common tasks and the battery life is solid, at 10 hours per charge. It also ships with 6GB of RAM, which is a decent enough metric.

The tablet integrates with Wi-Fi 6 and features a USB-C connector, along with a pair of 12MP cameras. There's also a Touch ID sensor, which can be used to unlock the device and to make payments.

This is the most basic tablet in Apple's lineup, so it lacks some features. It doesn't integrate with the Apple Pencil Pro or the Magic Keyboard. The display is also not quite as gorgeous as the iPad Air or Pro, but it's still a Liquid Retina panel. 

Elsewhere among the Apple deals for Prime Day, you can get $150 off the iPad Air — both the 11-inch model and the 13-inch model.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-prime-day-ipad-deal-brings-the-ipad-a16-down-to-a-record-low-for-amazons-october-sale-082743171.html?src=rss

Best Amazon Prime Day laptop deals: Discounts on machines from Apple, Lenovo, Dell, HP and more

If your laptop simply isn’t cutting it anymore, October Prime Day might have arrived just in time. As has been the case for the past few years, laptop deals are abundant for Amazon's Big Deal Days, bringing discounts to MacBooks, Windows laptops, Chromebooks and more. But we wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t know how to figure out if that laptop you’re eyeing actually has a good discount for Prime Day, or if the deal is stale.

That’s where Engadget can help. We’ve poured over the Prime Day laptop deals available this year to pick out the best ones you can get across all kinds of computers. If you’re super picky about the specs you want in a new laptop, we always recommend going straight to the manufacturer so you can configure the machine exactly to your needs. But if you’re willing to work with premade models, October Prime Day deals could help you save some cash on your next laptop.

Apple’s latest laptops are the MacBook Air M4 and the MacBook Pro M4, and we recommend getting those if you want a device that’s as future-proof as possible at the moment. You’ll find decent MacBook deals on Amazon throughout the year, and most of them will be on the base configurations. In a welcomed update earlier this year, Apple recently made all base models of the MacBook Air M4 have 16GB of RAM by default (which is the same as you’ll find on the base-level Pros).

• Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M4) for $999 (17 percent off)

• Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M4) for $1,399 (13 percent off)

• Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M4) for $2,249 (10 percent off)

You’ve got a lot of variety to choose from when it comes to Windows laptops, and that can be a blessing or a curse. We recommend looking for a laptop from a reputable brand (i.e. Microsoft, Dell, Acer, Lenovo and others like them), and one that can handle daily work or play pressures. That means at least 16GB of RAM and 245GB of SSD storage, plus the latest Intel or AMD CPUs. If you’re looking for a new gaming laptop, you’ll need a bit more power and a dedicated graphics card to boot.

• HP Ultrabook 14 (14-inch, Intel N100) for $280 (20 percent off)

• Lenovo IdeaPad 1i (Windows 11, 15-inch, Intel Celeron) for $280 (30 percent off)

• Dell Inspiron 3530 laptop (15-inch, Core i3) for $284 (29 percent off)

• Acer Nitro V gaming laptop (15-inch, Intel Core i5) for $600 (20 percent off)

• Dell 15 3530 laptop (Windows 11 Pro, 15-inch, Intel Core i5) for $659 (27 percent off)

• Lenovo LOQ laptop (15-inch, Intel Core i7) for $780 (34 percent off)

• Alienware 16 Aurora gaming laptop (16-inch, Intel Core 7) for $1,180 (16 percent off)

Most Chromebooks are already pretty cheap, but that just means you can get them for even less during an event like Prime Day. However, there are a ton of premium Chromebooks available today that didn’t exist even three years ago, so now is a great time to look out for discounts on those models. In general, we recommend looking for at least 4 to 8GB of RAM and at least 128GB of SDD storage in a Chromebook that you plan on using as your daily driver.

• Lenovo Chromebook Duet 2025 (11-inch, MediaTek Kompanio 838) for $210 (34 percent off)

• HP HD Chromebook (15-inch, Intel Pentium N200) for $319 (9 percent off)

• Acer Chromebook Plus (14-inch, Intel Core i3) for $360 (10 percent off)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/best-amazon-prime-day-laptop-deals-discounts-on-machines-from-apple-lenovo-dell-hp-and-more-130507738.html?src=rss

Prime Day Lego deals: Get up to 30 percent off Star Wars and Super Mario sets

With October Prime Day comes deals on all sorts of things, including tech and toys. Amazon has used the event to kickstart the holiday shopping season for the past few years, making it a good time to pick up early gifts for less and stock up on things for yourself without spending full price. Maybe you haven’t even thought about the holidays yet, but it’s worth giving the latest Prime Day Lego deals a look. A number of Lego sets from the Super Mario and Star Wars collections are already on sale for up to 38 percent off.

When shopping for Lego sets on Amazon, we highly recommend checking a price tracker like Keepa or CamelCamelCamel before buying. It's not difficult to find Lego sets "on sale" at Amazon, but often those discounted prices have been around for a long time. We've clocked "deals" in which the sale price has been available for months already, going back as far as late spring and early summer 2025. Here, we're mostly highlighting discounts on new Lego sets, recent price drops and record-low (and close to them) prices on popular Lego sets from franchises like Star Wars, Super Mario and others.

• Lego Minecraft Advent Calendar 2025 21280 for $38 (16 percent off)

• Lego Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2025 76456 for $38 (16 percent off)

• Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 for $18 (49 percent off)

• Lego Classic Vibrant Creative Brick Box Building Blocks 11038 for $42 (30 percent off)

• Lego Star Wars Brick-Built Star Wars Logo set 75407 for $50 (17 percent off)

• Lego Star Wars Spider Tank Building Toy 75361 for $35 (30 percent off)

• Lego Star Wars R2-D2 set 75379 for $80 (20 percent off)

• Lego Star Wars Ahsoka Ghost and Phantom II Spaceship Toy 75357 for $112 (30 percent off)

• Lego Super Mario: Mario Kart Donkey Kong & DK Jumbo set 72033 for $28 (19 percent off)

• Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi Building set 71438 for $104 (20 percent off)

• Lego Technic Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Toy Car 42138 for $35 (30 percent off)

• Lego Creator 3 in 1 Forest Animals Red Fox Toys 31154 for $35 (30 percent off)

• Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses 10328 for $48 (20 percent off)

• Lego City F1 Garage & Mercedes-AMG & Alpine Cars set 60444 for $64 (20 percent off)

• Lego Ideas A-Frame Cabin Building Set 21338 for $126 (30 percent off)

• Lego Brick Tile backpack for $50 (29 percent off)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-lego-deals-get-up-to-30-percent-off-star-wars-and-super-mario-sets-121513345.html?src=rss

The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are $20 off for Prime Day

Our favorite wireless headphones are on sale for October Prime Day. The excellent Sony WH-1000XM6 wireless headphones are $22 off and down to $428 right now. It's not a huge discount, but it matches the best price we've seen these cans drop to since they debuted earlier this year.

The WH-1000XM6 takes a leap forward in sound quality, active noise cancellation (ANC) and other features. Our audio reviewer, Billy Steele, called them the best headphones you can buy right now. "The crown is safe once again," he wrote. "Sony has managed to overhaul its flagship headphones in all the right ways that keep the 1000X line atop our best headphones list."

The XM6 has a powerful new chip, the QN3, that unlocks much of its potential. Sony also developed new drivers for this model, resulting in richer details, clearer vocals and a better overall balance. The headphones added four extra microphones to enhance ANC. The XM6 is especially improved at blocking out voices.

If you're a fan of spatial effects, which simulate a wider soundstage, Sony added that for this generation. The (optional) 360 Spatial Sound feature transforms regular stereo content into something with a surround-sound effect. It's similar to what Apple and Bose have in their models. It's yet another audio effect option in Sony's app, alongside 360 Reality Audio and DSEE Extreme upscaling.

The headphones are no slouch in the battery life department. The XM6 is rated for up to 30 hours with ANC on and up to 40 hours with it off. In Engadget's testing, we had no problem hitting those advertised figures.

If you'd rather save more money for a lesser (but still great) pair of cans, Sony's last-gen model is also on sale. You can get the WH-1000XM5 for $100 off. The 2022 flagship headphones offer premium sound, ANC, and battery life. Typically $400, you can get them during October Prime Day for $298.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-sony-wh-1000xm6-headphones-are-20-off-for-prime-day-094527714.html?src=rss

The Sonos Era 100 speaker is down to $179 for Prime Day

Prime Day deals have brought big discounts to all kinds of tech we love, including home speakers. One of the best deals you can get is on the Sonos Era 100: pick one up for $179 during the sale, which is a good bit cheaper than its original price of $219.

We reviewed the Era 100 and came away impressed, saying that it provides "affordable multi-room audio that actually sounds good." This model replaced the Sonos One speaker and it's an improvement on that design in every major way. The sound quality is great and it gets plenty loud for get-togethers and the like.

The design is simple and attractive and there's both Bluetooth and line-in support. It includes built-in mics for Trueplay tuning and works with just about every music streaming service. It's a good little speaker.

While it's easy to recommend this unit, there are a couple of little caveats. It doesn't offer voice support for Google Assistant, though it does integrate with Alexa and the company's proprietary voice assistant. Also, this is a single speaker so there's no real stereo separation.

The company is also discounting the Beam 2 soundbar from $463 all the way down to $370. That's a savings of nearly $100.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-sonos-era-100-speaker-is-down-to-179-for-prime-day-103041817.html?src=rss

The Apple Watch Series 10 is cheaper than ever for Prime Day

You don't always have to get the latest and greatest in tech to get a solid device. For example, when Apple comes out with new Apple Watches in September, you can usually get the previous generation for less for a while. Prime Day deals have brought such discounts: the Apple Watch Series 10 is on sale for $279, a record low for this model.

This particular deal applies to the 42mm GPS version of the Apple Watch Series 10 in a variety of color options. And while it is no longer Apple’s flagship smartwatch, with the Series 11 succeeding it last month, it was comfortably our top pick for the best smartwatch until that arrived. Considering its regular list price starts at $399 (the same as the 42mm Series 11), you’re saving some serious cash if you opt for the older device.

In our 90-scoring review, we warned any Series 8 or 9 Apple Watch owners that the Series 10 was a fairly unspectacular iterative update, but for first-time buyers or people looking to upgrade from an older model, it’s very easy to recommend. Its larger display makes it easier to check notifications than on previous Apple Watches, while the thinner frame means it looks nicer too.

The former flagship Apple Watch unsurprisingly excels at health and fitness tracking, and the blood oxygen app that Apple was forced to remove when the watch launched is now available again after a redesign.

For the rest of our rolling Prime Day coverage, including more deals on Apple products, click here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-series-10-is-cheaper-than-ever-for-prime-day-091521402.html?src=rss

This Dyson cordless vacuum is 44 percent off for Prime Day

Prime Day is a great time to consider a new vacuum. Whether you have a bulky upright or an aging cordless vacuum, there are plenty of deals to choose from this time around. One of the best is on the Dyson V8 Plus, which you can pick up for $300 or 44 percent off. 

The Dyson V8 Plus is the same basic vacuum as the original V8, just with a wider selection of accessories that should ideally make it even more essential to your cleaning routine. The Dyson V8 Plus has 115AW of suction, and a 40-minute run time that should give you more than enough flexibility to clean a small home or apartment. Dyson also says the vacuum's filter can capture 99.9 percent of dust, particles and allergens.

Like some of Dyson's other stick vacuums, the Dyson V8 Plus can work in handheld mode when you need to get in the crevices of couch cushions or shelves. It's also designed to easily empty dust and debris directly into a trash can without having to unscrew its filter. In terms of accessories, purchasing the V8 Plus gets you the main "Motorbar" cleaner head, a hair screw attachment for untangling long hairs, a mini soft dusting brush for sweeping off flat surfaces and a crevice tool for getting into small spaces.

The Dyson V8 Plus, while good, isn't on Engadget's best cordless vacuums list, but a pick from the list is on sale for Prime Day. You can get the Dyson V15 Detect Plus for $570 during Amazon's sale, a not insignificant discount on a vacuum that's typically sold for more than $800. The Dyson V15 Detect Plus offers 240AW of suction in comparison to the V8 Plus' 115AW, and it can run for 60 minutes on a single charge, giving you even more time to clean. You'll also get more accessories in comparison to Dyson's other vacuum. On top of the usual suspects like the hair screw tool and the mini dusting brush, the V15 Detect Plus also supports the company's "Fluffy Optic" cleaner head, which uses a built-in light to reveal hidden dust and hair.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-dyson-cordless-vacuum-is-44-percent-off-for-prime-day-090036877.html?src=rss

California bans loud commercials on streaming platforms

California has passed a law to ban loud commercials on streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu.

This is great news for people who don't want to wake the neighborhood up when a streaming show suddenly turns into an aggressively loud ad for migraine medication.

Governor Gavin Newsom just signed the law and the ban goes into effect on July 1, 2026. On that date, streaming services won't be allowed to “transmit the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the video content the advertisements accompany."

Newsom said that California is "dialing down this inconvenience across streaming platforms, which had previously not been subject to commercial volume regulations passed by Congress in 2010.” He's referring to the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, which barred the audio of TV commercials from being broadcast louder than the TV program being aired. California's new law makes streaming platforms comply with those same volume regulations.

The bill was authored by State Senator Tom Umberg, who said it was inspired by "every exhausted parent who’s finally gotten a baby to sleep, only to have a blaring streaming ad undo all that hard work." The full text of the bill is available right here.

California holds some major sway in the entertainment industry, so here's hoping that this type of legislation will come to other states. Americans don't agree on much, but everyone hates loud ads.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/california-bans-loud-commercials-on-streaming-platforms-155809660.html?src=rss

PowerWash Simulator 2 arrives on October 23

The sequel to 2022’s surprisingly engaging first-person clean-‘em-up, PowerWash Simulator, finally arrives on October 23.If you enjoyed the first game (along with the other 17 million people it got its hooks into), it looks like you’re in for even more shockingly dirty locations on which you can unleash your trusty power washer.

A new release date trailer shows off a variety of tools you can use to get the job done, as well your own customizable home base that you’re free to decorate, cover in muck and clean to your heart’s content. There are also cute cats to play with, a very knowing reference from the developers to this being a 2025 video game, which means you must be able to pet an animal of some description.

The latest trailer doesn’t focus on it, but PowerWash Simulator 2 also introduces split-screen co-op. The original quickly cemented itself as the ultimate chillout game, so you can now kick back and clean twice as effectively with the help of a buddy. You can also share campaign progress when playing online with friends.

PowerWash Simulator 2 hits the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2 and PC on October 23, and it’s coming to Game Pass, for those still hanging around those parts after Microsoft's recent price hike. Here’s hoping for an eventual DLC add-on as good as the first game’s (slightly random) Shrek tie-in.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/powerwash-simulator-2-arrives-on-october-23-154854867.html?src=rss

Prime Day deals include the Google Pixel 9a for a new record low, plus discounts on Pixel 10 phones

The Google Pixel 9a is our top pick for the best midrange phone on the market right now. It's a great value at $499, but when it's $150 off like it is for Amazon Prime Day, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better smartphone in this price range. You can pick it up for only $349 during the sale, or step up to either the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, which both are on sale for the first time.

The Pixel 9a may lack the cutting-edge sizzle of ultra-premium phones that cost triple what you'll pay here. But in return, you get strong performance, a sleek design, a robust battery that lasts over 28 hours and camera quality that rivals that of competitors costing $1,000 or more.

The phone has a simple design with an aluminum frame and a recycled polycarbonate back. It has an IP68 rating for solid protection against dust and water. On the front, you have a spacious 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen's brightness can reach an impressive 2,700 nits, matching the standard Pixel 9. Its resolution is a crisp 1080 x 2424 (422 PPI).

In Engadget's tests, the Pixel 9a's camera "preserved more details and produced a generally better-looking image" than the Galaxy S25 Ultra's. (If you aren't familiar, that's a $1,300 phone.) The Pixel 9a does lack a dedicated telephoto lens. But Google has included the Super Res Zoom AI upscaling feature to help compensate for the loss.

Amazon's deal includes all four colors available for the phone: obsidian, porcelain, peony and iris. There's no guarantee stock will last through all of October Prime Day, so you may want to consider pouncing soon if this deal is for you. Also on sale are the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, which you can pick up for $$649 and $799, respectively.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deals-include-the-google-pixel-9a-for-a-new-record-low-plus-discounts-on-pixel-10-phones-120044715.html?src=rss

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is still $20 a month if you buy pre-paid codes

Microsoft may have made the unfortunate decision to raise the price of a Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to $30 a month, but you don't have to live by the company's rules — at least not yet. Most online retailers are still selling codes for prepaid Game Pass subscriptions at the original $20 a month price. That means you can pay $60 for three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, stack your codes and keep your subscription without having to downgrade or cancel.

As the highest tier in Game Pass, an Ultimate subscription gives you the ability to download and play a library of over 200 games on your PC or Xbox. With Xbox Cloud Gaming, you can also stream the majority of those games to other devices, too, whether it's a smartphone, LG TV or in-car display. It's worth noting, though, the benefits of Ultimate did change with the introduction of the higher price. Microsoft shared that Ultimate subscribers will now also receive the benefits of an Ubisoft+ subscription at no additional cost, a $16 a month value that unlocks access to a back catalog of Ubisoft games from franchises like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry. Starting in November, the new Ultimate subscription also includes access to Fortnite Crew, Epic's $12 a month plan that gives you V-Bucks, battle passes and more in Fortnite.

While those new benefits might justify a higher price monetarily, whether that's a convincing reason to stay subscribed is a separate question. This likely won't be the last time Microsoft will raise the price of its subscription service. Avoiding those fees by buying pre-paid Game Pass codes seems like an excellent way to try out the new Ultimate before committing to cancelling your subscription, downgrading your plan or sticking with Microsoft's new price. You can purchase three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $60 a month. Stacking four three-month codes should come out to around $240.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-game-pass-ultimate-is-still-20-a-month-if-you-buy-pre-paid-codes-222333122.html?src=rss

OpenAI has disrupted (more) Chinese accounts using ChatGPT to create social media surveillance tools

OpenAI has disclosed that a now-banned account originating in China was using ChatGPT to help design promotional materials and project plans for a social media listening tool. OpenAI says that this work was purportedly done for a government client. The tool was a "probe" that could crawl social media sites like X, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok and YouTube for specific political, ethnic or religious content as defined by the operator. The company said it cannot independently verify if the tool was used by a Chinese government entity. OpenAI disrupted similar efforts earlier this year.

The company also says it banned an account that was using ChatGPT to develop a proposal for a tool described as a "High-Risk Uyghur-Related Inflow Warning Model" that would aid in tracking the movements of "Uyghur-related" individuals. China has long been accused of alleged human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in the country.

OpenAI began publishing threat reports in February 2024, raising awareness of state-affiliated actors using large language models to debug malicious code, develop phishing scams and more. The company's latest blog post serves as a roundup of notable threats and banned accounts over the last quarter.

The company also caught Russian-, Korean- and Chinese-speaking developers using ChatGPT to refine malware, as well as entire networks in Cambodia, Myanmar and Nigeria using the chatbot to help create scams in an attempt to defraud people. According to OpenAI's own estimates, ChatGPT is being used to detect scams three times as often as it is to create them. .

This summer, OpenAI disrupted operations in Iran, Russia and China that were using ChatGPT to create posts, comments and to drive engagement and division as part of online influence campaigns. The AI-generated content was used on various social media platforms in both the originating nations and internationally.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-has-disrupted-more-chinese-accounts-using-chatgpt-to-create-social-media-surveillance-tools-142538093.html?src=rss

Vampire Survivors will soon offer online co-op

It’s been nearly four years since Vampire Survivors debuted in early access and developer Poncle is still adding new features to the hit game. A fall update will introduce an online co-op mode to the PC and console versions. The studio brought couch co-op to the auto-shooting roguelike back in 2023, and soon you and your buddies will be able to lay waste to thousands of enemies together without needing to be in the same room.

Online co-op will use a system where you create a lobby and share a code with friends so they can join, or vice-versa. You can go monster hunting with up to three of your buds, or even let them take care of the dirty work while you roam the map in search of secrets.

Poncle says there are four more announcements to come over the next several weeks. The studio teased that, next week, it “might finally answer a burning question that has been asked thousands of times.” My money is on that being “will you ever add vampires?”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/vampire-survivors-will-soon-offer-online-co-op-141430146.html?src=rss

Nintendo just released a mysterious animated short

Most of what Nintendo uploads to its Nintendo Today app is fairly predictable; think a screenshot or trailer for an upcoming game or the latest soundtrack being agonisingly drip-fed onto Nintendo Music. But today’s surprise drop is more mysterious than usual. If you opened up the app this morning, you’ll have been met with a decidedly Pixar-like animated short, with virtually no context.

Titled "Close to you," the almost four-minute video focuses on a baby playing with what appears to be an enchanted pacifier. In the child’s attempt to catch the flying soother, they start to walk for what seems to be the first time, given the reaction of the mother when she walks into the room. The whole thing is accompanied by some typically pleasant piano music, but ends without Nintendo telling us what any of it means.

Could this be a teaser for the recently-announced The Super Mario Galaxy Movie? Is the child in the short a young Rosalina, perhaps? They certainly seem to have a relationship with magic. There's also already some speculation that Nintendo could be teasing a Pikmin film. Anyway, the short is now all over Nintendo’s various social media platforms too, so hopefully we’ll find out more soon. For now, it's a perfectly nice (albeit unexpected) way to spend a few minutes.

Prime Day Apple deals include a four-pack of AirTags for a record-low price

Prime Day Apple deals can be hard to come by, but right now you can save on one of Apple's smallest (and arguably one if its most useful) gadgets. A four-pack of Apple AirTags is down to $65 right now, which is 34 percent off its usual price. That brings each AirTag in the bundle down to $16.25 each. If you're an Apple user, then the AirTag is the best Bluetooth tracker on the market for you.

You can put these little discs in your wallet, in a backpack or in your luggage while you're traveling. Your AirTag's location will show up in your Find My app, powered by the vast network of iPhones, iPads and other compatible devices that receive the AirTag's Bluetooth signal. Keep in mind these only work when close enough to participating devices to be located.

You can attach AirTags to just about anything thanks to an abundance of available accessories. Their built-in speakers can play a tone, triggered from your iPhone, to help you find them when the object they're affixed to is lost. On iPhone 11 and newer models, you can take advantage of the AirTag's Ultra Wideband capability and have your phone lead you right to your AirTag, complete with directional arrows on your iPhone screen.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-apple-deals-include-a-four-pack-of-airtags-for-a-record-low-price-143112775.html?src=rss

Prime Day Apple deals include the AirPods 4 for only $90

Those on a tight budget and those who prefer open-ear AirPods will want to check out the latest discount on the AirPods 4. Apple's entry-level wireless earbuds are down to $90 for October Prime Day, or 30 percent off their normal rate. That's also the lowest we've seen them, and one of the best Prime Day Apple deals you can get.

When Apple updated its standard AirPods in 2024, it released two models: one with active noise cancellation (ANC) and one without. We consider the non-ANC models to be the best budget AirPods you can get, so they're an even better buy at this sale price. The ANC versions are also discounted at the moment, so you can pick them up for $120 instead of the usual $180.

The AirPods' H2 chip brings a bunch of Pro-adjacent features to the standard model. That list includes Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Transparency, Personalized Spatial Audio and wireless charging. For calls, it supports Voice Isolation, which helps filter out background noise and make it easier for you to be heard. And if that call is via FaceTime, it supports Apple's 48kHz "cinema-quality" audio.

Sound is improved over the AirPods 3. "There's more low-end tone than the previous model right out of the gate, and the punchier treble opens the sound stage so it's wider and more immersive," Engadget's Billy Steele wrote. "The improved frequency response is on full display with Dolby Atmos content (movies, music, and TV), but the AirPods 4 are also more sonically adept with non-spatial tunes and video."

You can expect around five hours of battery life on a single charge. With the ANC model, that estimate drops to around four hours with the marquee feature activated. With either version, you can drop them in the charging case to extend their total time to around 30 hours. And hey, it's good to give your ears a rest now and then anyway. There are plenty of other Apple deals to be had this Prime Day, and there are a few more worthy AirPods deals we've collected below.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-apple-deals-include-the-airpods-4-for-only-90-130033004.html?src=rss

DJI's tiny but powerful Neo drone drops to just $159 for Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day is a great time to look for expensive tech on sale. While we consider the DJI Neo drone to be the best budget drone, period, it's still a little pricey at $200. But for Prime Day, you can get it for the best price we've seen. It's on sale for $159 right now for Prime members. Snag it, and you'll get a drone that's very friendly for beginners thanks to features like palm takeoff, but also powerful with subject tracking and even support for FPV flying. It's also available with two extra batteries and a charger for $229, or 21 percent off — a deal I'd recommend if you plan to fly a lot.

The Neo is tiny at just 135 grams so it's exempt from any drone license requirements and small enough to slide into a jacket pocket. At the same time, it's safe around people thanks to the protective propeller guards. Beginners can launch it directly from their palm either by pressing a button or giving a voice command, and it will fly one of six preprogrammed smart shots like Follow, Dronie or Rocket. 

The Neo can also be controlled using a smartphone via Wi-Fi or DJI controller, including the RC Motion 3 and even the DJI Goggles 3 for acrobatic FPV flying. It has a very respectable 6.2-mile line-of-sight range and can fly at up to 18 mph, or 36 mph with a special controller. Video quality is very good for such a cheap drone, with up to 4K 30 fps video via the 1/2-inch 12-megapixel sensor and software-based Rocksteady stabilization. 

The main drawbacks are the lack of obstacle detection, relatively short 17-minute battery life and banshee-like noise. However, this is a great first drone for creators and other users, particularly at the Prime Day sale price of $159. As mentioned, you can also get it with three batteries and a charger for $229. There are plenty of other camera and drone deals to consider for Prime Day, too.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/the-dji-neo-drone-drops-to-only-159-for-prime-day-075559142.html?src=rss

Supreme Court denies Google's request to pause Play Store changes while it appeals Epic case

Google has failed to convince the Supreme Court to block the injunction requiring the company to make major changes to the Play Store after it lost its case with Epic Games. The Verge and Reuters have reported that the Supreme Court has denied the company's request for a partial stay on the injunction while it prepares to appeal. In a tweet, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said that developers "will be legally entitled to steer US Google Play users to out-of-app payments without fees, scare screens and friction" starting on October 22. 

If you'll recall, Epic accused Google of having an illegal monopoly on app distribution and in-app billing services for Android devices in its lawsuit. A federal jury sided with Epic Games in December 2023 and concluded that it had been negatively affected by Google's policies. Google tried to get the court's decision overturned, but the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decided to uphold the court's original ruling in July this year. The company intends to file an appeal to the Supreme Court on October 27 and had petitioned it for a partial stay of the permanent injunction. 

Since the Supreme Court didn't grant Google's request, it now has to allow developers to use payment methods other than its own billing system without fees by the end of the month. The company has to allow developers to steer their customers to those payment systems and to link to ways on how to download their apps outside the Play Store. Google can no longer strike deals with carriers or manufacturers to ensure Google Play exclusivity and the preinstallation of the app store either. By July 2026, the company has to allow users to download other app stores within Google Play and to make Play's catalog available to its competitors, as well. 

“Android provides more choice for users and developers than any mobile OS, and the changes ordered by the US District Court will jeopardize users’ ability to safely download apps," Google spokesperson Dan Jackson told The Verge. "While we’re disappointed the order isn’t stayed, we will continue our appeal."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/supreme-court-denies-googles-request-to-pause-play-store-changes-while-it-appeals-epic-case-121502132.html?src=rss

The Morning After: The best Amazon Prime Day deals so far

If you’re a Prime member — or have a friend or family member who takes the hit for everyone else’s benefit — it’s time to grab a deal. Several of our most highly recommended products are now on sale for Prime Day and while most of these deals are exclusively for Prime members, there are always a few that anyone with an Amazon account can get.

There are the usual suspects, of course: Roku TV sticks, AirTags and pretty much anything Amazon makes all have some heavy discounts. We’ve highlighted the most notable discounts, but there are also significant savings on favorites, such as the Dyson V15 Detect stick vacuum (which I love), a random Lego Star Wars advent calendar — a term that didn't exist 10 years ago — and Apple’s AirPods 4.

Based on previous Prime Days, more deals are likely to be announced during the morning, so keep your eyes on our main hub right here.

Something that’s tempting me? A $159 DJI drone.

— Mat Smith

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The AI boom introduced several kinds of wastefulness.

AI data centers are causing massive strains on local resources, driving up water shortages and power demands. Why is that? The reliance on powerful, energy-hungry GPUs (graphics processing units) generates significantly more heat than traditional CPUs. It’s less the processing and more the cooling that requires intensive water-guzzling evaporative systems. This has led to US data centers using more than double the amount of energy since 2018, with AI water consumption projected to hit 124 billion liters by 2028. There are some solutions, but the AI industry’s energy demands continue to grow. Daniel Cooper examines what can be done.

Continue reading.

Still the budget EV to beat.

Engadget

The third-gen Leaf is a pretty great upgrade, with the bigger miracle being how it’s stuck to the same $30,000 starting price as its predecessors. In his test drive, Devindra Hardawar loved the expansive infotainment screens as well as the solid driving performance and long range. It also has a more futuristic redesign.

Continue reading.

A billboard in your kitchen!

Engadget

Not everything from Amazon’s new hardware showcase or current sale bonanza is worth the investment. Take the Echo Show (the old one, not the two new devices teased last week). Amy Skorheim explains how her Show is now interrupting photo carousels with jarring advertising with increasing frequency. And there’s no way to turn it off.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-the-best-amazon-prime-day-deals-so-far-111603431.html?src=rss

One of our favorite slim Anker MagSafe power banks is down to a record low for Prime Day

Carrying around charging cables, adapters or even a bulky power bank defeats the purpose of traveling light. But now there are plenty of options for those who want a power bank as svelte as their phone — even those who are investing in an iPhone Air. One of Anker's latest fits the bill: the Anker Nano 5K MagGo Slim power bank.

Now, both Anker and Amazon are running sales on it for Amazon Prime Day, dropping the price from $55 to $40. The 27 percent discount a new low for the power bank and available in the black and white models. It's just about a third of an inch thick and attaches right to your iPhone. On that note, it works with any MagSafe compatible phone with a magnetic case. 

Anker's Nano 5K MagGo Slim is our pick for best, well, slim MagSafe power bank. It took two and a half hours to charge an iPhone 15 from 5 percent to 90 percent. However, it could boost the battery to 40 percent in just under an hour. Overall, though, the minimalist design and easy to grip matte texture, really sold it to us.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-slim-anker-magsafe-power-banks-is-down-to-a-record-low-for-prime-day-121512227.html?src=rss

Anker's latest Prime charging devices are up to 27 percent off for Prime Day

Anker has a bunch of new Prime charging devices available and some of them are already getting solid discounts. The lineup includes a laptop-compatible Prime Power Bank (26,250mAh, 300W). Prime members can currently get $60 off the portable battery, bringing it down to $170.

This portable charger delivers a whopping 300W of total output between its two USB-C ports and single USB-A port. Anker says that, thanks to its 140W output (and if you're using a 5A cable), you can top up the battery of an M4 Pro MacBook Pro to 50 percent in 27 minutes and an iPhone 17 Pro Max to 50 percent in 22 minutes. You can keep tabs on what's happening on each port using the display.

This is also the first Anker power bank that supports up to 250W of input recharging by using both USB-C ports simultaneously. This faster charging can top up the powerbank's own battery to 50 percent in just 13 minutes, according to Anker.

This model has a capacity of 26,250mAh (99.75Wh), which is very close to the FAA's limit of 100W. It's TSA-approved, so you'll be able to take it on flights. It's capable of taking an M4 MacBook Pro from fully dead to an 80 percent charge. The power bank weighs 1.3 lbs — the same as about three iPhones, Anker says.

Other Anker Prime devices are on sale too. A new 3-in-1 MagSafe charger — which can top up the batteries of your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods with wireless charging case simultaneously — also has a $58 discount to $172 . While there are certainly less expensive 3-in-1 MagSafe options out there, this one includes Qi2 25W support for faster charging, as well as TEC active cooling. Anker suggests this can help speed up charging times and help guard against iPhone battery degradation over time.

A three-port GaN Prime Charger that plugs into an outlet is $40 off too, now down to $110. Anker says it's as compact as an AirPods Pro 3 case and can provide a total output of 160W, with up to 140W via a single USB-C cable. The charger is said to offer smart power distribution, and you can monitor what's happening and adjust modes via an onboard display and controls.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ankers-latest-prime-charging-devices-are-up-to-27-percent-off-for-prime-day-152040343.html?src=rss

Get 40 percent off this Roomba robot vacuum for Prime Day

The iRobot Roomba 104 robot vacuum is on sale for $150 for October's Prime Day. That's a nice little discount of 40 percent, which represents a savings of $100.

This is a newer version of the unit that topped our list of the best budget robot vacuums. It's an entry-level robovac that gets the job done. The cleaning motor is fairly powerful and it ships with a multi-surface brush and an edge-sweeping brush. The vacuum uses LiDAR to map a home and to help it avoid obstacles when cleaning.

It's also been equipped with specialized sensors to prevent falling down stairs. Steps are the natural enemy of all robot vacuums, except maybe this one. The Roomba 104 integrates with the company's proprietary app, which allows for custom cleaning schedules and the like. The robot can also be controlled via voice assistant and boasts compatibility with Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant.

The vacuum will automatically head to the charger for some juice when running low, which is nice. The battery lasts around 200 minutes per charge, which is a decent enough metric for a budget-friendly robovac. The only downside here? This is just a vacuum. It doesn't mop and it doesn't come with a dedicated debris canister.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-40-percent-off-this-roomba-robot-vacuum-for-prime-day-164953827.html?src=rss

The 6 best air fryers for 2025, tested and reviewed

You’ve probably been tempted to jump on the air-fryer bandwagon in recent months and, if you have not yet taken the plunge, we’re here to help. Like the ubiquitous Instant Pot that came before it, air fryers have surged in popularity as of late, promising extra crispy foods of all kinds without the mess and danger of a big vat of hot oil. These small appliances come in all shapes and sizes now and they can be a versatile addition to your kitchen, so long as you know what they are (and aren’t) capable of. For those who are still deciding on which kind of air fryer is right for them, our guide can demystify the space for you and highlight some of the best air fryers you can get right now. Our current favorite is the Instant Vortex Plus air fryer, but there are a number of others we like that may better suit your lifestyle.

• What does an air fryer do?

• Best air fryers for 2025

• Buying guide for air fryers

• Air fryer pros and cons

• Best air fryer accessories

• How to clean an air fryer

• How to find air fryer recipes

• How we test air fryers

Let’s clear one thing up first: it’s not frying. Not really. Air fryers are more like smaller convection bake ovens, ones that are often pod-shaped. Most work by combining a heating element and fan, which means the hot air can usually better crisp the outside of food than other methods. They often reach higher top temperatures than toaster ovens – which is part of the appeal.

For most recipes, a thin layer of oil (usually sprayed) helps to replicate that fried look and feel better. However, it will rarely taste precisely like the deep-fried or pan frying version when it comes out of the air fryer basket. Don’t let that put you off, though, because the air fryer, in its many forms, combines some of the best parts of other cooking processes and brings them together into an energy-efficient way of air fryer cooking dinner. Or breakfast. Or lunch.

Read more: We’ve also rounded up the best pizza ovens and the best sous vide machines.

Convection ovens

You can separate most of these machines into two types of air fryers, and each has different pros and cons. Convection ovens are usually ovens with air fryer functions and features. They might have higher temperature settings to ensure that food crisps and cooks more like actually fried food. Most convection ovens are larger than dedicated air fryers, defeating some of the purpose of those looking to shrink cooking appliance surface area. Still, they are often more versatile with multiple cooking functions, and most have finer controls for temperatures, timings and even fan speed.

You may never need a built-in oven if you have a decent convection oven. They often have the volume to handle roasts, entire chickens or tray bakes, and simply cook more, capacity-wise, making them more versatile than the pod-shaped competition.

The flip side of that is that you’ll need counter space in the kitchen to house them. It also means you can use traditional oven accessories, like baking trays or cake tins, that you might already own.

Pod-shaped air fryers

Pod-shaped air fryers are what you imagine when you think “air fryer.” They look like a cool, space-age kitchen gadget, bigger than a kettle but smaller than a toaster oven. Many use a drawer to hold ingredients while cooking, usually a mesh sheet or a more solid, non-stick tray with holes to allow the hot air to circulate. With a few exceptions, most require you to open the drawer while things cook and flip or shake half-cooked items to ensure the even distribution of heat and airflow to everything.

That’s one of a few caveats. This type of air fryer typically doesn't have a window to see how things are cooking (with only a few exceptions), so you’ll need to closely scrutinize things as they cook, opening the device to check progress. Basket-style air fryers also generally use less energy – there’s less space to heat – and many have parts that can be put directly into a dishwasher.

Some of the larger pod-shaped air fryers offer two separate compartments, which is especially useful for anyone planning to cook an entire meal with the appliance. You could cook a couple of tasty chicken wings or tenders while simultaneously rustling up enough frozen fries or veggies for everyone. Naturally, those options take up more space, and they’re usually heavy enough to stop you from storing them in cupboards or shelves elsewhere.

As mentioned earlier, you might have to buy extra things to make these pod fryers work the way you want them to. Some of the bigger manufacturers, like Philips and Ninja, offer convenient additions, but you’ll have to pay for them.

Beyond the strengths and weaknesses of individual models, air fryers are pretty easy to use from the outset. Most models come with a convenient cooking time booklet covering most of the major foods you’ll be air frying, so even beginners can master these machines.

One of the early selling points is the ability to cook fries, wings, frozen foods and other delights with less fat than other methods like deep frying, which gets foods the crispiest. As air fryers work by circulating heated air, the trays and cooking plates have holes that can also let oil and fat drain out of meats, meaning less fat and crisper food when you finally plate things up. For most cooking situations, you will likely need to lightly spray food with vegetable oil. If you don’t, there’s the chance that things will burn or char. The oil will keep things moist on the surface, and we advise refreshing things with a dash of oil spray when you turn items during cooking.

Most air fryers are easy to clean – especially in comparison to a shallow or deep fryer. We’ll get into cleaning guidance a little later.

With a smaller space to heat, air fryers are generally more energy-efficient for cooking food than larger appliances like ovens. And if you don’t have an oven, air fryers are much more affordable – especially the pod options.

There are, however, some drawbacks. While air fryers are easy enough to use, they take time to master. You will adjust cooking times for even the simplest types of food – like chicken nuggets, frozen French fries or brussels sprouts. If you’re the kind of person that loves to find inspiration from the internet, in our experience, you can pretty much throw their timings out of the window. There are a lot of air fryer options, and factors like how fast they heat and how well distributed that heat is can – and will – affect cooking.

There’s also a space limitation to air fryers. This is not a TARDIS – there’s simply less space than most traditional ovens and many deep fat fryers. If you have a bigger family, you’ll probably want to go for a large capacity air fryer – possibly one that has multiple cooking areas. You also might want to consider a different kitchen appliance, like a multicooker, sous vide or slow cooker to meet your specific cooking needs.

You may also struggle to cook many items through as the heat settings will cook the surface of dishes long before it’s cooked right through. If you’re planning to cook a whole chicken or a roast, please get a meat thermometer!

Beyond official accessories from the manufacturer, try to pick up silicone-tipped tools. Tongs are ideal, as is a silicon spatula to gently loosen food that might get stuck on the sides of the air fryer. These silicone mats will also help stop things from sticking to the wire racks on some air fryers. They have holes to ensure the heated air is still able to circulate around the food.

Silicone trivets are also useful for resting any cooked food on while you sort out the rest of the meal. And if you find yourself needing oil spray, but don’t feel like repeatedly buying tiny bottles, you can decant your favorite vegetable oil into a permanent mister like this.

We’re keeping clean up simple here. Yes, you could use power cleaners from the grocery store, they could damage the surface of your air fryer. Likewise, metal scourers or brushes could strip away the non-stick coating. Remember to unplug the device and let it cool completely.

Remove the trays, baskets and everything else from inside. If the manufacturer says the parts are dishwasher safe – and you have a dishwasher – the job is pretty much done.

Otherwise, hand wash each part in a mixture of warm water, with a splash of Dawn or another strong dish soap. Use a soft-bristled brush to pull away any crumbs, greasy deposits or bits of food stuck to any surfaces. Remember to rinse everything. Otherwise, your next batch of wings could have a mild Dawn aftertaste. Trust us.

Take a microfiber cloth and tackle the outer parts and handles that might also get a little messy after repeated uses. This is especially useful for oven-style air fryers – use the cloth to wipe down the inner sides.

If Dawn isn’t shifting oily stains, try mixing a small amount of baking soda with enough water to make a paste, and apply that so that it doesn’t seep into any electrical parts or the heating element. Leave it to work for a few seconds before using a damp cloth to pull any greasy spots away. Rinse out the cloth and wipe everything down again, and you should be ready for the next time you need to air fry.

Beyond fries, nuggets and – a revelation – frozen gyoza, there are a few ways to find recipes for air-fried foods. First, we found that the air fryer instruction manuals often have cooking guides and recipe suggestions for you to test out in your new kitchen gadget. The good thing with these is that they were made for your air fryer model, meaning success should be all but guaranteed. They are often a little unimaginative, however.

Many of the top recipe sites and portals have no shortage of air fryer recipes, and there’s no harm in googling your favorite cuisine and adding the words “air fryer” on the end of the search string. We’ve picked up some reliable options from Delish, which also has a handy air fryer time converter for changing oven and traditional fryer recipes. BBC Good Food is also worth browsing for some simple ideas, as is NYT Cooking, with the ability to directly search for air fryer suggestions. Aside from that, you can also grab plenty of cookbooks from your local bookshop with lots of recipes that you can use in your favorite air fryer.

And if you have a killer recipe or unique use for your air fryer, let us know in the comments. What’s the air fryer equivalent of the Instant Pot cheesecake? We’re ready to try it.

We put each air fryer we test through its paces by cooking a variety of foods in it including raw proteins like fish and chicken, raw vegetables like potatoes and cauliflower and frozen snacks like mozzarella sticks. We attempt to use each cooking method that the machine has pre-programmed, and when possible, follow a couple of recipes in any provided recipe booklets that come with the air fryer. We also clean the cooking basket and all other removable components as many times as possible, and will put those components into a dishwasher if they claim to be dishwasher-safe. We also make note of how loud the machine is when using different cooking settings and how warm the surrounding area becomes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/best-air-fryers-133047180.html?src=rss

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