Month: January 2025
The Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller is on sale for $98
If you’re in the market for a new controller, you’re in luck. Microsoft’s Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller is on sale for $98 at Amazon and Target, down from $130. That means its about $3 off its lowest price to date — a great opportunity to upgrade to something a little nicer.
We’ve recommended the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller before, and that’s mainly based on its ability to give you the best of the $180 Xbox Elite Series 2 controller for a more approachable price. That includes fits and finishes like a rubberized grip and sturdier, longer-lasting versions of a traditional controller’s triggers, joysticks and directional pad (it’s circular now). On top of that, it has up to 40 hours of battery life.
The Elite Series 2 Core also lets you adjust the tension of the joysticks and triggers to your liking, and remap the controller’s buttons in the Xbox Accessories app. That’s helpful if there’s specific settings your prefer for Call of Duty: Warzone versus something more relaxing, like Viva Piñata, or if you share your controller with someone else.
The main disadvantage with the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller, besides the limited color options you have purchasing it anywhere other than the Xbox Design Lab, are the lack of accessories. Included in the price for a normal Xbox Elite Series 2 controller is a variety of different joysticks, directional pads and back paddles you can attach when you want to experiment with a new setup. Those aren’t included at all with the Core controller. In fact, there’s awkward divots on the back of the controller where the paddles are supposed to be attached.
It’s a small annoyance in the grand scheme of things, and one that can be rectified by buying the accessories when you figure out that you actually need them down the road. Even without paddles, the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller should feel noticeably more pleasant to use, and when you’re trying to make your way through an extra-long RPG, that’s what really matters anyway.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-xbox-elite-series-2-core-controller-is-on-sale-for-98-222712100.html?src=rss
If you’re in the market for a new controller, you’re in luck. Microsoft’s Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller is on sale for $98 at Amazon and Target, down from $130. That means its about $3 off its lowest price to date — a great opportunity to upgrade to something a little nicer.
We’ve recommended the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller before, and that’s mainly based on its ability to give you the best of the $180 Xbox Elite Series 2 controller for a more approachable price. That includes fits and finishes like a rubberized grip and sturdier, longer-lasting versions of a traditional controller’s triggers, joysticks and directional pad (it’s circular now). On top of that, it has up to 40 hours of battery life.
The Elite Series 2 Core also lets you adjust the tension of the joysticks and triggers to your liking, and remap the controller’s buttons in the Xbox Accessories app. That’s helpful if there’s specific settings your prefer for Call of Duty: Warzone versus something more relaxing, like Viva Piñata, or if you share your controller with someone else.
The main disadvantage with the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller, besides the limited color options you have purchasing it anywhere other than the Xbox Design Lab, are the lack of accessories. Included in the price for a normal Xbox Elite Series 2 controller is a variety of different joysticks, directional pads and back paddles you can attach when you want to experiment with a new setup. Those aren’t included at all with the Core controller. In fact, there’s awkward divots on the back of the controller where the paddles are supposed to be attached.
It’s a small annoyance in the grand scheme of things, and one that can be rectified by buying the accessories when you figure out that you actually need them down the road. Even without paddles, the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller should feel noticeably more pleasant to use, and when you’re trying to make your way through an extra-long RPG, that’s what really matters anyway.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-xbox-elite-series-2-core-controller-is-on-sale-for-98-222712100.html?src=rss
Apple’s Annual Shareholders Meeting Will Take Place on February 25
Apple’s 2025 shareholders meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 25 at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time, according to an SEC filing that was released today.
Apple shareholders of record as of January 2, 2025 can attend, vote, and submit questions during the meeting by logging in to Apple’s virtual meeting website 15 minutes before it kicks off. A control number included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials that’s provided to shareholders is required to join.
At the meeting, shareholders will vote to re-elect the Board of Directors, approve executive compensation, and ratify Ernst & Young LLP as Apple’s public accounting firm. There will also be votes on shareholder proposals.
Most of Apple’s shareholder meetings are not of interest to the public. Tim Cook and other executives share little about Apple’s future plans at these meetings, but sometimes there are a few interesting tidbits. Last year, for example, Tim Cook spoke about the potential of artificial intelligence before Apple Intelligence features were highlighted in June 2024.This article, “Apple’s Annual Shareholders Meeting Will Take Place on February 25” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple’s 2025 shareholders meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 25 at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time, according to an SEC filing that was released today.
Apple shareholders of record as of January 2, 2025 can attend, vote, and submit questions during the meeting by logging in to Apple’s virtual meeting website 15 minutes before it kicks off. A control number included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials that’s provided to shareholders is required to join.
At the meeting, shareholders will vote to re-elect the Board of Directors, approve executive compensation, and ratify Ernst & Young LLP as Apple’s public accounting firm. There will also be votes on shareholder proposals.
Most of Apple’s shareholder meetings are not of interest to the public. Tim Cook and other executives share little about Apple’s future plans at these meetings, but sometimes there are a few interesting tidbits. Last year, for example, Tim Cook spoke about the potential of artificial intelligence before Apple Intelligence features were highlighted in June 2024.
This article, “Apple’s Annual Shareholders Meeting Will Take Place on February 25” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Apple Intelligence Isn’t Driving iPhone Upgrades
Apple Intelligence hasn’t convinced people to buy an iPhone 16, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. According to Kuo, a supply chain survey suggests Apple Intelligence is not pushing people to upgrade their devices.
The delay between the Apple Intelligence introduction in June 2024 and a launch even after iPhone 16 models came out was a contributing factor, and Apple Intelligence “appeal has significantly declined” compared to cloud-based services like ChatGPT.
There is also no indication that Apple Intelligence will drive Services revenue, as Apple CEO Tim Cook said in December that Apple has never discussed charging for Apple Intelligence. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said that Apple could start charging for Apple Intelligence in 2027 or beyond, but it remains to be seen if that will happen.
All in all, Kuo does not feel that Apple Intelligence is going to benefit Apple in terms of user upgrades or revenue, but there’s some hope for the long-term prospects.
I’m not bearish on Apple Intelligence’s long-term prospects; however, given the points discussed above, there is no evidence of Apple Intelligence’s ability to benefit hardware replacement cycles or service business. As such, it should be cautious of potential downside risks created by earlier market over-optimism.
Apple Intelligence was the main focus of iOS 18, but when the iPhone 16 models launched in September, there were no Apple Intelligence features available. Writing Tools and other capabilities came in the first update to iOS 18 in October, but Image Playground and Genmoji didn’t roll out until December.
There are still Apple Intelligence features that have not been implemented, including major changes to Siri that are rumored to be coming in April.
A December survey suggested that many iPhone users feel that Apple Intelligence has added little or no value to their iPhone experience, though that sentiment could change as Apple Intelligence matures.Tag: Apple Intelligence
This article, “Apple Intelligence Isn’t Driving iPhone Upgrades” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Intelligence hasn’t convinced people to buy an iPhone 16, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. According to Kuo, a supply chain survey suggests Apple Intelligence is not pushing people to upgrade their devices.
The delay between the Apple Intelligence introduction in June 2024 and a launch even after iPhone 16 models came out was a contributing factor, and Apple Intelligence “appeal has significantly declined” compared to cloud-based services like ChatGPT.
There is also no indication that Apple Intelligence will drive Services revenue, as Apple CEO Tim Cook said in December that Apple has never discussed charging for Apple Intelligence. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said that Apple could start charging for Apple Intelligence in 2027 or beyond, but it remains to be seen if that will happen.
All in all, Kuo does not feel that Apple Intelligence is going to benefit Apple in terms of user upgrades or revenue, but there’s some hope for the long-term prospects.
I’m not bearish on Apple Intelligence’s long-term prospects; however, given the points discussed above, there is no evidence of Apple Intelligence’s ability to benefit hardware replacement cycles or service business. As such, it should be cautious of potential downside risks created by earlier market over-optimism.
Apple Intelligence was the main focus of iOS 18, but when the iPhone 16 models launched in September, there were no Apple Intelligence features available. Writing Tools and other capabilities came in the first update to iOS 18 in October, but Image Playground and Genmoji didn’t roll out until December.
There are still Apple Intelligence features that have not been implemented, including major changes to Siri that are rumored to be coming in April.
A December survey suggested that many iPhone users feel that Apple Intelligence has added little or no value to their iPhone experience, though that sentiment could change as Apple Intelligence matures.
This article, “Apple Intelligence Isn’t Driving iPhone Upgrades” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Amazon to halt some of its DEI programs: Internal memo
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Media Companies Scrap Venu Sports Before It Ever Launches
ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery announced today that it will not launch the Venu live sports streaming service. “After careful consideration, we have collectively agreed to discontinue the Venu Sports joint venture and not launch the streaming service,” the companies said in a joint statement. “In an ever-changing marketplace, we determined that it was best to meet the evolving demands of sports fans by focusing on existing products and distribution channels. We are proud of the work that has been done on Venu to date and grateful to the Venu staff, whom we will support through this transition period.” The Verge reports: ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery first announced Venu last year, and it was supposed to launch in the fall of 2024. The service would’ve given viewers access to a swath of live games from the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA, and more from several linear channels, including ESPN, ABC, Fox, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, TNT, and others.
But then Venu hit a legal roadblock: an antitrust lawsuit from the live TV streaming service Fubo, accusing the trio of engaging in “a years-long campaign to block Fubo’s innovative sports-first streaming business” due to restrictive sports licensing agreements. Lawmakers also asked regulators to investigate Venu and its potential to become a monopoly in televised sports.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery announced today that it will not launch the Venu live sports streaming service. “After careful consideration, we have collectively agreed to discontinue the Venu Sports joint venture and not launch the streaming service,” the companies said in a joint statement. “In an ever-changing marketplace, we determined that it was best to meet the evolving demands of sports fans by focusing on existing products and distribution channels. We are proud of the work that has been done on Venu to date and grateful to the Venu staff, whom we will support through this transition period.” The Verge reports: ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery first announced Venu last year, and it was supposed to launch in the fall of 2024. The service would’ve given viewers access to a swath of live games from the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA, and more from several linear channels, including ESPN, ABC, Fox, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, TNT, and others.
But then Venu hit a legal roadblock: an antitrust lawsuit from the live TV streaming service Fubo, accusing the trio of engaging in “a years-long campaign to block Fubo’s innovative sports-first streaming business” due to restrictive sports licensing agreements. Lawmakers also asked regulators to investigate Venu and its potential to become a monopoly in televised sports.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Bench customers are now being forced to hand over their data or risk losing it, they say
After accounting startup Bench abruptly shut down on December 27 and was bought in a fire-sale by Employer.com, Bench customers are now learning they can’t easily just take their financial data and leave. And some are very unhappy about it, three customers told TechCrunch. To recap: When Bench, a startup based in Canada that raised
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
After accounting startup Bench abruptly shut down on December 27 and was bought in a fire-sale by Employer.com, Bench customers are now learning they can’t easily just take their financial data and leave. And some are very unhappy about it, three customers told TechCrunch. To recap: When Bench, a startup based in Canada that raised […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
TCL has 3 new smart glasses which are all in the running for the best of 2025 already
TCL announces three very different smart specs at CES to suit every type of smart glasses wearer.
TCL unveiled three new smart glasses at CES 2025
Two boast AR capabilties, the other is for AI and video capture
No precise price or release date details have been shared yet
As someone who has tested a lot of smart glasses I know first-hand how much variety there is in this sector of tech – despite being under the same umbrella, there’s as much similarity between the Halliday specs, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Xreal One Pro AR glasses, as there is between electric cars, bikes and scooters as ‘electric vehicles’ – so usually companies focus on one type at a time. TCL isn’t afraid to tackle smart glasses from all angles however, with it announcing three very different smart specs at CES to suit every type of smart glasses wearer.
The most impressive is the RayNeo X3 Pro. It boasts the same Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chipset as the Ray-Ban specs, but goes a step beyond its rival in other areas. The X3 Pro has a dual-camera setup – one for snapping pictures and for AI vision, while the other helps deliver AR features like hand-tracking – and full-color micro-LED screens built into the lenses.
This allows you to see apps and notifications in your field of view, and in my demo, I got to see how the RayNeo X3 Pros could help on my next trip thanks to their real-time translation. My demo with them was short but they seriously impressed me, and kinda put the standard Ray-Ban Meta specs to shame.
(Image credit: TCL)
Though if you want a simplified, display-less approach you’ll be after the RayNeo V3. They strip out the screens but come equipped with a 12MP Sony IMX681 sensor to facilitate first-person content capture and voice-guided insights – with those being relayed by on-device speakers and three in-built microphones.
What’s most impressive was how thin these glasses look – noticeably slimmer than Meta’s Ray-Bans – and how light they are – just 39g. I’d love to try wearing these for a whole day to verify my suspicions, but they could be the best smart glasses for comfort while still boasting useful tools.
Lastly, you have the entertainment-focused RayNeo Air 3 specs. Like other similar AR smart glasses you connect these to a compatible USB-C device via a cable to have the device’s screen appear as a massive floating window in front of you – a 201-inch virtual screen to be precise.
With in-built speakers to boot these specs are an upgrade on previous RayNeo Air smart specs which offer you a wearable home-cinema setup that is ideal for making your travels fly by. I’ll want to test them out further, but if I could I would have never left the demo and spent all day playing Mario Odyssey with them.
We’re still waiting on pricing details on all these glasses in the RayNeo CES 2025 lineup, but TCL says they’ll be revealed closer to their respective launches. The X3 Pro and Air 3 will drop first in “mid-2025” with the V3 landing “later in the year.”
We’re covering all of the latest CES news from the show as it happens. Stick with us for the big stories on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.
And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok for the latest from the CES show floor!
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