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Hardware season is in full swing. Apple launched the iPhone 16, AirPods 4 and Apple Watch Series 10 on Monday this week. On the same day, at the very same time, the review embargo for the Pixel Watch 3 lifted, and we managed to get most of our piece up then. Not only that, we also saw Sony announce the PlayStation 5 Pro this week, plus in the last two weeks there has been plenty of news out of the IFA conference in Berlin. There were things like Huawei’s tri-fold phone, reMarkable’s Paper Pro tablet, DJI’s $200 Neo drone, a new GoPro as well as more concept Lenovo laptops.
As you can imagine, it’s been a hectic couple of weeks for those of us who cover consumer tech, and the events are far from over. Reviews of all the big products announced recently will also be coming soon, if they haven’t already, and I am once again back to help you catch up on all the reviews we published in the last two weeks. I will also explain why there are some products we haven’t written up, like the OnePlus Pad 2.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Two reviewers, one comprehensive analysis
by Cherlynn Low and Sam Rutherford

Since our foldables expert Sam Rutherford is on parental leave, the task of reviewing the Pixel 9 Pro Fold became mine. But Sam, being the responsible and helpful reviewer that he is, took time out to share his thoughts and impressions with me. He even took the review photos for our piece, and I especially appreciate his using mahjong tiles as an interesting backdrop for his pictures. While I focused my testing on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold as a viable smartphone alternative and its use as a multimedia consumption device, Sam provided his insight by comparing Google’s foldable to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6. 
Our review brings together those two perspectives, making for a fairly comprehensive analysis, if I do say so myself. We’ve got camera comparisons between Google and Samsung’s offerings, with evaluation of both their software, battery performance, build, shape and more. 
I was also able to shoot a video encompassing all our reviews of the Pixel 9 family of phones, which covers the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL as well as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The footage goes into some extra detail around things like the Add Me and Made You Look camera updates, as well as what Emergency SOS via Satellite looks like on a Pixel phone. Check it out at the top of this article!
Pixel Watch 3 review: Fighting against Apple 
by Cherlynn Low

Google didn’t make our lives very easy with its Monday embargo on September 9th, especially with Apple’s iPhone 16 launch event happening the same day. But the good news is, our review units had arrived about two weeks prior, so we had enough time with the Pixel Watch 3 to get a better sense for it in the real world. I spent my time with the smaller 41mm model while Sam was able to share some testing insight of the new larger 45mm variant.
Within a couple of days, Sam and I were trading notes about how impressed we were with the Pixel Watch 3’s battery life. Since I hate wearing watches to sleep, Sam graciously filled me in on the watch’s sleep-tracking and auto bedtime features. Once again, teamwork made the dream work here (quite literally for me, as I would not have been able to fall asleep otherwise). 
On my end, I focused on workouts and activity-tracking, double-wristing the Pixel Watch 3 with my Apple Watch Series 9 everywhere I went for two weeks. I was stoked that the Google smartwatch was better at automatically detecting my every walk, run and bike ride, but found it a little too thick compared to the competition. I also enjoyed the new customizable run workouts that let me set sprint and rest segments during my treadmill sessions.
I know that a day and a half sounds just about average in terms of battery life for modern smartwatches, but considering older models could barely last 24 hours, the improvements to runtime feel huge. Together with some Google and Pixel integrations, the Pixel Watch 3 finally feels like it’s ready to take on the likes of Samsung and Apple’s flagship wearables. 
Ultimate Ears Everboom: A floatable speaker that’s more loud than good
by Billy Steele 

In this review, Billy once again shows us what to look for when getting gear for a party outside. Judging by the beautiful pictures accompanying his review, it’s clear that when he’s not testing headphones or grilling meats in his backyard, Mr. Grilly Steele spends ample time at the beach for (work-sanctioned) speaker testing. I support it.
With the UE Everboom, Billy makes clear that the sound quality isn’t stellar, and music lacks in the mid range. But if it’s volume that you want, the Everboom delivers, beaming sound out in 360 degrees. Plus, it does so in a rugged, waterproof body that can also survive a toss into the pool, since, like the company’s other speakers, it floats!
However, with a score of just 75, the Everboom didn’t quite make the cut to be one of the products we award the Recommended title. You’ll likely find a better device for your needs from competing brands like Marshall and Beats. 
We didn’t review: OnePlus Pad 2
With everything that’s been happening in the industry and in our own lives lately, we have yet to review the OnePlus Pad 2. Or the 2024 Moto Razrs or Galaxy Watch Ultra, either, for that matter. We continue to test our review units so that experience can inform our evaluation of other products we write up. But time is a resource we never have enough of, and with companies constantly launching new products, it’s hard to keep up. 
Our lead tablet reviewer (and deputy editor) Nathan Ingraham has been spending time with the OnePlus Pad 2, and he does have some thoughts to share. He’s a fan of its build and display, finding it light and well-balanced despite being fairly large with a 12.1-inch screen. Speaking of, he also likes the display, appreciating its 301ppi pixel density. In fact, he called this “one of the nicest tablet screens I’ve seen outside of the iPad.” 
I’ll have to get Nate to look at a Samsung Galaxy Tab with a nice AMOLED panel before we make that official, but there are other things that set the OnePlus Pad 2 apart. If you own a OnePlus phone, Nate noted that “there are some smart software features” that could make this tablet a better option than an iPad or Galaxy Tab. But, as Nate points out, “the Android software situation, as always, is a rather unimpressive mixed bag.” He called out multitasking and a lack of apps that make good use of larger screens as two areas that need improvement.
Still, for $550 (and currently going for $499 direct from OnePlus), Nate thinks the Pad 2 is a fair value. “I still can’t recommend it over an iPad, but at least it doesn’t break the bank.”
Upcoming/on the horizon
Like I said at the start of this recap, there are plenty of gadgets hiding in our homes, ready to be tested. There’s plenty more to come, including new Copilot+ PCs with AMD and Intel chips, as well as cameras, earbuds and more. If anyone watching this week’s news were so inclined, they could probably make a very educated guess as to what we’re getting ready to publish reviews of, especially given established timelines from previous years. That’s all I’ll say for now. 
I did want to say how thankful we are for your patience as we make it through this intensely hectic time of year, and you may see reviews go up this month that are updated after publish with additional details. This might be done in an effort to get articles up in a timely manner while still being able to provide comprehensive insight on our experiences over time. For instance, my Pixel Watch 3 review went up on Monday, but I was able to update it on Wednesday morning with a whole section on the Wear OS and Fitbit app experience. 
It’s not anything that was new or that impacted my score, but was simply extra detail that I didn’t have the time to write up while concurrently preparing for the iPhone event. With the packed tech launch calendar coming up, you may see us adopt a similar approach on reviews that might have tight deadlines. 
As always, we appreciate all your time reading and watching our work. Have a wonderful weekend.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-foldable-wearable-floatable-140035783.html?src=rss

Hardware season is in full swing. Apple launched the iPhone 16, AirPods 4 and Apple Watch Series 10 on Monday this week. On the same day, at the very same time, the review embargo for the Pixel Watch 3 lifted, and we managed to get most of our piece up then. Not only that, we also saw Sony announce the PlayStation 5 Pro this week, plus in the last two weeks there has been plenty of news out of the IFA conference in Berlin. There were things like Huawei’s tri-fold phone, reMarkable’s Paper Pro tablet, DJI’s $200 Neo drone, a new GoPro as well as more concept Lenovo laptops.

As you can imagine, it’s been a hectic couple of weeks for those of us who cover consumer tech, and the events are far from over. Reviews of all the big products announced recently will also be coming soon, if they haven’t already, and I am once again back to help you catch up on all the reviews we published in the last two weeks. I will also explain why there are some products we haven’t written up, like the OnePlus Pad 2.

Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Two reviewers, one comprehensive analysis

by Cherlynn Low and Sam Rutherford

Since our foldables expert Sam Rutherford is on parental leave, the task of reviewing the Pixel 9 Pro Fold became mine. But Sam, being the responsible and helpful reviewer that he is, took time out to share his thoughts and impressions with me. He even took the review photos for our piece, and I especially appreciate his using mahjong tiles as an interesting backdrop for his pictures. While I focused my testing on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold as a viable smartphone alternative and its use as a multimedia consumption device, Sam provided his insight by comparing Google’s foldable to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6. 

Our review brings together those two perspectives, making for a fairly comprehensive analysis, if I do say so myself. We’ve got camera comparisons between Google and Samsung’s offerings, with evaluation of both their software, battery performance, build, shape and more. 

I was also able to shoot a video encompassing all our reviews of the Pixel 9 family of phones, which covers the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL as well as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The footage goes into some extra detail around things like the Add Me and Made You Look camera updates, as well as what Emergency SOS via Satellite looks like on a Pixel phone. Check it out at the top of this article!

Pixel Watch 3 review: Fighting against Apple 

by Cherlynn Low

Google didn’t make our lives very easy with its Monday embargo on September 9th, especially with Apple’s iPhone 16 launch event happening the same day. But the good news is, our review units had arrived about two weeks prior, so we had enough time with the Pixel Watch 3 to get a better sense for it in the real world. I spent my time with the smaller 41mm model while Sam was able to share some testing insight of the new larger 45mm variant.

Within a couple of days, Sam and I were trading notes about how impressed we were with the Pixel Watch 3’s battery life. Since I hate wearing watches to sleep, Sam graciously filled me in on the watch’s sleep-tracking and auto bedtime features. Once again, teamwork made the dream work here (quite literally for me, as I would not have been able to fall asleep otherwise). 

On my end, I focused on workouts and activity-tracking, double-wristing the Pixel Watch 3 with my Apple Watch Series 9 everywhere I went for two weeks. I was stoked that the Google smartwatch was better at automatically detecting my every walk, run and bike ride, but found it a little too thick compared to the competition. I also enjoyed the new customizable run workouts that let me set sprint and rest segments during my treadmill sessions.

I know that a day and a half sounds just about average in terms of battery life for modern smartwatches, but considering older models could barely last 24 hours, the improvements to runtime feel huge. Together with some Google and Pixel integrations, the Pixel Watch 3 finally feels like it’s ready to take on the likes of Samsung and Apple’s flagship wearables. 

Ultimate Ears Everboom: A floatable speaker that’s more loud than good

by Billy Steele 

In this review, Billy once again shows us what to look for when getting gear for a party outside. Judging by the beautiful pictures accompanying his review, it’s clear that when he’s not testing headphones or grilling meats in his backyard, Mr. Grilly Steele spends ample time at the beach for (work-sanctioned) speaker testing. I support it.

With the UE Everboom, Billy makes clear that the sound quality isn’t stellar, and music lacks in the mid range. But if it’s volume that you want, the Everboom delivers, beaming sound out in 360 degrees. Plus, it does so in a rugged, waterproof body that can also survive a toss into the pool, since, like the company’s other speakers, it floats!

However, with a score of just 75, the Everboom didn’t quite make the cut to be one of the products we award the Recommended title. You’ll likely find a better device for your needs from competing brands like Marshall and Beats. 

We didn’t review: OnePlus Pad 2

With everything that’s been happening in the industry and in our own lives lately, we have yet to review the OnePlus Pad 2. Or the 2024 Moto Razrs or Galaxy Watch Ultra, either, for that matter. We continue to test our review units so that experience can inform our evaluation of other products we write up. But time is a resource we never have enough of, and with companies constantly launching new products, it’s hard to keep up. 

Our lead tablet reviewer (and deputy editor) Nathan Ingraham has been spending time with the OnePlus Pad 2, and he does have some thoughts to share. He’s a fan of its build and display, finding it light and well-balanced despite being fairly large with a 12.1-inch screen. Speaking of, he also likes the display, appreciating its 301ppi pixel density. In fact, he called this “one of the nicest tablet screens I’ve seen outside of the iPad.” 

I’ll have to get Nate to look at a Samsung Galaxy Tab with a nice AMOLED panel before we make that official, but there are other things that set the OnePlus Pad 2 apart. If you own a OnePlus phone, Nate noted that “there are some smart software features” that could make this tablet a better option than an iPad or Galaxy Tab. But, as Nate points out, “the Android software situation, as always, is a rather unimpressive mixed bag.” He called out multitasking and a lack of apps that make good use of larger screens as two areas that need improvement.

Still, for $550 (and currently going for $499 direct from OnePlus), Nate thinks the Pad 2 is a fair value. “I still can’t recommend it over an iPad, but at least it doesn’t break the bank.”

Upcoming/on the horizon

Like I said at the start of this recap, there are plenty of gadgets hiding in our homes, ready to be tested. There’s plenty more to come, including new Copilot+ PCs with AMD and Intel chips, as well as cameras, earbuds and more. If anyone watching this week’s news were so inclined, they could probably make a very educated guess as to what we’re getting ready to publish reviews of, especially given established timelines from previous years. That’s all I’ll say for now. 

I did want to say how thankful we are for your patience as we make it through this intensely hectic time of year, and you may see reviews go up this month that are updated after publish with additional details. This might be done in an effort to get articles up in a timely manner while still being able to provide comprehensive insight on our experiences over time. For instance, my Pixel Watch 3 review went up on Monday, but I was able to update it on Wednesday morning with a whole section on the Wear OS and Fitbit app experience. 

It’s not anything that was new or that impacted my score, but was simply extra detail that I didn’t have the time to write up while concurrently preparing for the iPhone event. With the packed tech launch calendar coming up, you may see us adopt a similar approach on reviews that might have tight deadlines. 

As always, we appreciate all your time reading and watching our work. Have a wonderful weekend.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-foldable-wearable-floatable-140035783.html?src=rss

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Sam Altman has told OpenAI staff members during their weekly meeting that the company is changing its rather convoluted non-profit corporate structure next year, according to Fortune. The CEO said OpenAI will move away from being controlled by a non-profit entity and will transition into a more traditional for-profit organization. He didn’t delve into the specifics of how the company will achieve that goal and what OpenAI’s corporate structure will look like exactly. A spokesperson only told Fortune that it remains “focused on building AI that benefits everyone” and that non-profit is “core to [its] mission and will continue to exist.”
OpenAI started as a non-profit organization in 2015 that relied on money from donors. In a page explaining its structure, it said that it only raised $130.5 million in total donations over the years, which it says made it clear that “donations alone would not scale with the cost of computational power and talent required to push [its] core research forward.” The then-purely non-profit organization created a for-profit subsidiary in order to solve that problem. As Fortune explains, OpenAI’s non-profit entity currently controls its for-profit arm, which in turn controls a holding company that takes investments from companies like Microsoft. 
Under this structure, the profit that can be allocated to investors, including Microsoft, has a cap. Anything OpenAI makes beyond the cap will go to its non-profit division. And the company’s revenue is booming, according to a report by The Information published in June. OpenAI reportedly doubled its annualized revenue in the first half of the year, thanks to the subscription version of ChatGPT.
The company’s complex structure also allowed OpenAI’s non-profit board of directors to oust Altman in 2023, because they “no longer [have] confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.” Five days later, however, the board was disbanded and replaced, while Altman was reinstated as CEO. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-is-reportedly-moving-away-from-its-complicated-non-profit-structure-next-year-130014948.html?src=rss

Sam Altman has told OpenAI staff members during their weekly meeting that the company is changing its rather convoluted non-profit corporate structure next year, according to Fortune. The CEO said OpenAI will move away from being controlled by a non-profit entity and will transition into a more traditional for-profit organization. He didn’t delve into the specifics of how the company will achieve that goal and what OpenAI’s corporate structure will look like exactly. A spokesperson only told Fortune that it remains “focused on building AI that benefits everyone” and that non-profit is “core to [its] mission and will continue to exist.”

OpenAI started as a non-profit organization in 2015 that relied on money from donors. In a page explaining its structure, it said that it only raised $130.5 million in total donations over the years, which it says made it clear that “donations alone would not scale with the cost of computational power and talent required to push [its] core research forward.” The then-purely non-profit organization created a for-profit subsidiary in order to solve that problem. As Fortune explains, OpenAI’s non-profit entity currently controls its for-profit arm, which in turn controls a holding company that takes investments from companies like Microsoft. 

Under this structure, the profit that can be allocated to investors, including Microsoft, has a cap. Anything OpenAI makes beyond the cap will go to its non-profit division. And the company’s revenue is booming, according to a report by The Information published in June. OpenAI reportedly doubled its annualized revenue in the first half of the year, thanks to the subscription version of ChatGPT.

The company’s complex structure also allowed OpenAI’s non-profit board of directors to oust Altman in 2023, because they “no longer [have] confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.” Five days later, however, the board was disbanded and replaced, while Altman was reinstated as CEO. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-is-reportedly-moving-away-from-its-complicated-non-profit-structure-next-year-130014948.html?src=rss

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It used to go by at least two different names — Oculus Connect and then Facebook Connect — but whatever the moniker, Meta’s fall event is still a big showcase for the company’s latest and greatest achievements in the virtual reality and mixed reality space. Much like last year, we can likely predict the biggest news coming out of Meta Connect 2024 with just two acronyms: AI and AR. 
Like every other big tech firm this year, Meta will be desperate to demonstrate how it plans to stay relevant in a future powered by AI. And now that we’re seven months beyond the launch of Apple’s Vision Pro, which arrived alongside a short-lived spike in interest in augmented reality (AR), Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is likely eager to show off his own plans to make AR a reality.
While Zuckerberg isn’t as hot on the metaverse as he was when he renamed his company, the union of AI and AR is one way he can still make the dream of persistent virtual worlds come true. It might look less like Ready Player One, but if AR glasses actually take off, they could still let Meta control another piece of our digital world. And to help get them there, delivering an updated inexpensive VR headset couldn’t hurt.
With all of that in mind, here are a few things we expect to see at Meta Connect 2024, which kicks off virtually on September 25 and runs for two days.

Orion AR glasses
After reportedly killing a pricey next-generation mixed reality headset, which was meant to compete with the Apple Vision Pro, Meta is instead focusing on a pair of augmented reality glasses, codenamed Orion, as its next innovation. As seen in the background of one Mark Zuckerberg photo (above) , and later somewhat confirmed by him, Orion resembles a pair of chunky hipster frames.
Unlike the Quest 3, which fully consumes your vision and uses cameras to show you a low-quality view of the world, Orion could let you see the real world like a normal pair of glasses. But, like Magic Leap and Microsoft’s HoloLens before it, Meta’s glasses could layer holographic imagery on top of your reality. The key difference, of course, is that it appears to be far less cumbersome than those devices.
“The glasses are, I think, going to be a big deal,” Zuckerberg said in an interview on the Blueprint Podcast (via RoadtoVR). “We’re almost ready to start showing the prototype version of the full holographic glasses. We’re not going to be selling it broadly; we’re focused on building the full consumer version rather than selling the prototype.”
Back at Meta Connect 2022, Zuckerberg showed off how the company was thinking of AR glasses, together with an intriguing wrist-based controller:

“It’s probably our most exciting prototype that we’ve had to date,” Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth told The Verge last year. “I might get myself in trouble for saying this: I think it might be the most advanced piece of technology on the planet in its domain. In the domain of consumer electronics, it might be the most advanced thing that we’ve ever produced as a species.”
According to a leaked Meta roadmap, the company plans to release a new pair of Ray-Ban smart glasses next year which would add a small built-in screen alongside its existing camera, speaker and microphone. That would be followed by Meta’s first pair of consumer AR glasses in 2027. It makes sense that we’ll see some sort of concept device this year. Much like Apple’s Vision Pro was effectively that company’s version of an AR/VR concept car to introduce developers to its notion of “spatial computing,” Meta will need to give developers a way to use its platform so they can build their own AR experiences.
Meta via Gary_the_mememachine/Reddit
A cheaper Quest 3 variant
Instead of an upgraded headset, all signs point to Meta releasing a stripped-down version of the Quest 3 called the Quest 3S, reports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Recent leaked images from Meta’s own Quest Link application has confirmed the headset’s existence. According to Gurman, the company is aiming to make it much cheaper than the current version, reportedly considering price points of $300 or $400, while still delivering an experience close to the Quest 3. It could potentially replace the Quest 2, which remains in the product line priced at $299 long after its 2020 release.
So why would Meta do this? There’s a huge performance gap between the Quest 3 and Quest 2, which makes life difficult for developers. With a cheaper device that’s similar to the Quest 3, potentially using the same processor, it would be easier to build games that can scale across two price points. According to Bloomberg’s Gurman, Meta has also considered releasing some models of the new headset without any bundled controllers, which would push the price down even further.

More AI, of course
Expect Meta to show off even more ways it’s taking advantage of AI across its Quest headsets and the Ray-Ban smart glasses. The company rolled out multi-modal AI search capabilities on those glasses in January, which allowed you to ask the Meta AI about objects or landmarks you were looking at, or for a quick translation. Based on our testing, though, those features were surprisingly half-baked.
Meta will likely discuss ways it’s improving those existing features by implementing its Llama 3.1 large language model (LLM), which it’s positioning as an open source competitor to Google and OpenAI’s LLMs. In particular, the company notes that Llama 3.1 offers dramatically improved translation, math and general knowledge capabilities. There’s certainly room for Meta to introduce new AI capabilities powered by Llama 3.1 in the Ray-Ban smart glasses, but given their limited processing power and battery life, we’ll probably have to wait for an updated model before we see anything truly groundbreaking.
Karissa Bell contributed to this report.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/everything-to-expect-at-meta-connect-2024-ar-ai-and-the-cheaper-quest-3s-130011959.html?src=rss

It used to go by at least two different names — Oculus Connect and then Facebook Connect — but whatever the moniker, Meta’s fall event is still a big showcase for the company’s latest and greatest achievements in the virtual reality and mixed reality space. Much like last year, we can likely predict the biggest news coming out of Meta Connect 2024 with just two acronyms: AI and AR. 

Like every other big tech firm this year, Meta will be desperate to demonstrate how it plans to stay relevant in a future powered by AI. And now that we’re seven months beyond the launch of Apple’s Vision Pro, which arrived alongside a short-lived spike in interest in augmented reality (AR), Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is likely eager to show off his own plans to make AR a reality.

While Zuckerberg isn’t as hot on the metaverse as he was when he renamed his company, the union of AI and AR is one way he can still make the dream of persistent virtual worlds come true. It might look less like Ready Player One, but if AR glasses actually take off, they could still let Meta control another piece of our digital world. And to help get them there, delivering an updated inexpensive VR headset couldn’t hurt.

With all of that in mind, here are a few things we expect to see at Meta Connect 2024, which kicks off virtually on September 25 and runs for two days.

Orion AR glasses

After reportedly killing a pricey next-generation mixed reality headset, which was meant to compete with the Apple Vision Pro, Meta is instead focusing on a pair of augmented reality glasses, codenamed Orion, as its next innovation. As seen in the background of one Mark Zuckerberg photo (above) , and later somewhat confirmed by him, Orion resembles a pair of chunky hipster frames.

Unlike the Quest 3, which fully consumes your vision and uses cameras to show you a low-quality view of the world, Orion could let you see the real world like a normal pair of glasses. But, like Magic Leap and Microsoft’s HoloLens before it, Meta’s glasses could layer holographic imagery on top of your reality. The key difference, of course, is that it appears to be far less cumbersome than those devices.

“The glasses are, I think, going to be a big deal,” Zuckerberg said in an interview on the Blueprint Podcast (via RoadtoVR). “We’re almost ready to start showing the prototype version of the full holographic glasses. We’re not going to be selling it broadly; we’re focused on building the full consumer version rather than selling the prototype.”

Back at Meta Connect 2022, Zuckerberg showed off how the company was thinking of AR glasses, together with an intriguing wrist-based controller:

“It’s probably our most exciting prototype that we’ve had to date,” Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth told The Verge last year. “I might get myself in trouble for saying this: I think it might be the most advanced piece of technology on the planet in its domain. In the domain of consumer electronics, it might be the most advanced thing that we’ve ever produced as a species.”

According to a leaked Meta roadmap, the company plans to release a new pair of Ray-Ban smart glasses next year which would add a small built-in screen alongside its existing camera, speaker and microphone. That would be followed by Meta’s first pair of consumer AR glasses in 2027. It makes sense that we’ll see some sort of concept device this year. Much like Apple’s Vision Pro was effectively that company’s version of an AR/VR concept car to introduce developers to its notion of “spatial computing,” Meta will need to give developers a way to use its platform so they can build their own AR experiences.

A cheaper Quest 3 variant

Instead of an upgraded headset, all signs point to Meta releasing a stripped-down version of the Quest 3 called the Quest 3S, reports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Recent leaked images from Meta’s own Quest Link application has confirmed the headset’s existence. According to Gurman, the company is aiming to make it much cheaper than the current version, reportedly considering price points of $300 or $400, while still delivering an experience close to the Quest 3. It could potentially replace the Quest 2, which remains in the product line priced at $299 long after its 2020 release.

So why would Meta do this? There’s a huge performance gap between the Quest 3 and Quest 2, which makes life difficult for developers. With a cheaper device that’s similar to the Quest 3, potentially using the same processor, it would be easier to build games that can scale across two price points. According to Bloomberg’s Gurman, Meta has also considered releasing some models of the new headset without any bundled controllers, which would push the price down even further.

More AI, of course

Expect Meta to show off even more ways it’s taking advantage of AI across its Quest headsets and the Ray-Ban smart glasses. The company rolled out multi-modal AI search capabilities on those glasses in January, which allowed you to ask the Meta AI about objects or landmarks you were looking at, or for a quick translation. Based on our testing, though, those features were surprisingly half-baked.

Meta will likely discuss ways it’s improving those existing features by implementing its Llama 3.1 large language model (LLM), which it’s positioning as an open source competitor to Google and OpenAI’s LLMs. In particular, the company notes that Llama 3.1 offers dramatically improved translation, math and general knowledge capabilities. There’s certainly room for Meta to introduce new AI capabilities powered by Llama 3.1 in the Ray-Ban smart glasses, but given their limited processing power and battery life, we’ll probably have to wait for an updated model before we see anything truly groundbreaking.

Karissa Bell contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/everything-to-expect-at-meta-connect-2024-ar-ai-and-the-cheaper-quest-3s-130011959.html?src=rss

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Apple has revealed it will allow iPad users in the EU to install third-party app stores on their tablets (without having to sideload them) starting on September 16. You’ll need to install iPadOS 18, which will be available broadly on Monday, to do so.
Back in April, the European Commission designated iPadOS as a “core platform service,” meaning that like iOS, the App Store and Safari, the operating system is subject to stricter rules under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act. As TechCrunch notes, Apple had six months to update iPadOS so that it complied with the DMA, which included opening up the platform to third-party app marketplaces.
Epic Games has already pledged to bring its app marketplace to iPadOS, meaning that folks in the EU should be able to play Fortnite and Fall Guys natively on compatible iPads in the near future. Several other third-party app stores have arrived on iOS in the EU since Apple added official support in March.
While the likes of AltStore PAL and the Epic Games Store aren’t subject to Apple’s usual app review policies, the company notarizes them for security purposes. The developers of third-party app marketplaces also need to pay a Core Technology Fee to Apple once they meet certain thresholds (the EU opened an investigation into this fee in March).
One other key change coming to iPads with the rollout of iPadOS 18 is under the surface, but one that may ultimately change how EU users browse the web on their iPads. Apple will allow third-party browsers to use their own engines on iPadOS instead of having to employ its own WebKit. This means that the likes of Mozilla and Google will be able to offer iPad versions of Firefox and Chrome that run on their own tech.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipads-will-support-third-party-app-stores-in-europe-starting-september-16-180414833.html?src=rss

Apple has revealed it will allow iPad users in the EU to install third-party app stores on their tablets (without having to sideload them) starting on September 16. You’ll need to install iPadOS 18, which will be available broadly on Monday, to do so.

Back in April, the European Commission designated iPadOS as a “core platform service,” meaning that like iOS, the App Store and Safari, the operating system is subject to stricter rules under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act. As TechCrunch notes, Apple had six months to update iPadOS so that it complied with the DMA, which included opening up the platform to third-party app marketplaces.

Epic Games has already pledged to bring its app marketplace to iPadOS, meaning that folks in the EU should be able to play Fortnite and Fall Guys natively on compatible iPads in the near future. Several other third-party app stores have arrived on iOS in the EU since Apple added official support in March.

While the likes of AltStore PAL and the Epic Games Store aren’t subject to Apple’s usual app review policies, the company notarizes them for security purposes. The developers of third-party app marketplaces also need to pay a Core Technology Fee to Apple once they meet certain thresholds (the EU opened an investigation into this fee in March).

One other key change coming to iPads with the rollout of iPadOS 18 is under the surface, but one that may ultimately change how EU users browse the web on their iPads. Apple will allow third-party browsers to use their own engines on iPadOS instead of having to employ its own WebKit. This means that the likes of Mozilla and Google will be able to offer iPad versions of Firefox and Chrome that run on their own tech.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipads-will-support-third-party-app-stores-in-europe-starting-september-16-180414833.html?src=rss

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End-of-summer and back-to-school sales have mostly expired and, while we know Amazon will have another Prime Day sale in October, we don’t know when just yet. That makes this just another week of our team hunting and searching for deals all across the world wide web. We actually found quite a few worth considering, with discounts on products pulled from our extensive and growing list of buyer’s guides and reviews. 
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 (in its original color) is $110 off and the LCD Steam Deck is seeing a rare discount. One of our favorite power banks from Baseus is on sale with a 40 percent coupon. And an Amazon Fire Tablet that makes a great communal device for casual use is just over half off. Here are the best deals from this week that you can still get today.  
Discounts on Apple gear
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
The iPhone 16 launch event revealed four new iPhones, one new Apple Watch and a new pair of AirPods. iPhones don’t tend to get standalone discounts, but Apple is offering healthy trade-in deals, including up to $650 credit towards a new handset (if you happen to be done with your iPhone 15 Pro Max). A new Apple Watch Ultra 3 was not announced, but a new black color for the Ultra 2 was. If you’re happy with the original titanium, you can grab a $100 discount on that model. The new AirPods 4 aren’t discounted yet, but the AirPods Pro 2 are currently $60 off. That’s about $20 more than their all-time low, but could still be worthwhile considering the useful upgrades a software update will enable in a month or so.   

Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $689 ($110 off): The high-end performance smartwatch is down to $689 at Amazon, which is less than it went for during Amazon Prime Day in July. That’s a savings of $110, which is one of the best discounts we’ve seen yet.
Apple M3 MacBook Pro for $1,300 ($200 off): The laptop we named the best MacBook for creatives is on sale at Amazon — also for less than it went for last Prime Day. The 14-inch base model comes with 512GB of storage and 8GB of RAM and usually goes for $1,500.
Apple black Magic Mouse for $85 ($15 off): The white version of Apple’s popular accessory is still cheaper at $68, but the black colorway rarely goes on sale. Both mice pair quickly and are relatively light with responsive touch gestures. 
Apple iPad (10th gen) for $299 ($50 off): The base model iPad didn’t get a refresh in Apple’s latest iPad release but it did get a permanent price drop from $449 to $349. It’s selling for a further $50 below that at Amazon right now. That’s a price it has hit often recently, but is still the cheapest we’ve seen on our favorite budget iPad.  
Apple Pencil (1st gen) for $69 ($30 off): The 10th generation iPad is the only tablet in Apple’s current lineup thats compatible with the first-generation stylus. Many of the older slabs still work with it too. We’ve seen this discount for a couple of weeks now, but it’s still $10 below the average sale price. It’s also discounted at Walmart.

Streaming subscription deals

I have at least three subscriptions that I need to cancel right now — yet I’m somehow tempted by the half off Paramount+ deal. Go figure. If you too are in the market for another monthly service plan, here are a few discounts to peruse.

Disney+ Basic plan (with ads) for $2 per month: New and returning customers can take advantage of the sale price for three months. That tier is usually $8 per month and includes all Disney+ content, but with commercial breaks. The plan will automatically renew — and the regular price increases to $10 per month starting on October 17.
Paramount+ annual subscriptions for 50 percent : The Essential plan (with ads) is only $30 for your first year, while the upgraded plan with access to Showtime, your local CBS station, and fewer ads costs just $60 for the year. The plans will automatically renew at the full price.
Fubo Pro live TV subscription for $50 ($30 off) for one month: The service we named the best live TV streaming service for sports content is offering $30 off all three plans of the service for the first month. The Elite with Sports Plus plan is down from $100 to $70 for the first month and the top-level Deluxe package is $80 as opposed to the usual $110.

Gaming gear discounts
Engadget
The big news in gaming hardware this week was Sony’s announcement of the PS5 Pro coming in November with pre-orders starting on September 26. There’s not likely to be any sort of discount on the hefty $700 price tag for a while. But here are three bits of recommended gaming gear that is on sale — including a rare discount on a Steam Deck. 

Valve Steam Deck (LCD, 512GB) for $337 ($82 off): Our recommendation for the best handheld PC gaming system is seeing a rare sale on Steam. The entry level model with the older LCD screen and 64GB of storage is 15 percent off. You can take 25 percent off the 512GB model. The sale runs through September 26 while supplies last.
ASTRO Gaming A40 TR wired gaming headset for $100 ($30 off): Our pick for the best gaming headset is $30 off (though overall we recommend going with headphones and an external mic). This a price it’s hit a number of times over the past year and isn’t an all-time low. We found these to be comfortable with better sound than many headsets, but the mic performance is only OK. 
8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard for $60 ($100 off): The Fami Edition retro keyboard, inspired by the Famicom console Nintendo released in Japan during the ’80s is on sale at Woot. We recommend it in our retro gaming gift guide — both for the unique aesthetics and the utility of the accessory itself.

Discounts on tablets
Valentina Palladino / Engadget
If you don’t want an iPad, you have options. And two of them are on sale right now. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $170 ($50 off): Our favorite budget Android tablet with 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM is 23 percent off on both Samsung’s store front and from Amazon.
Amazon’s Fire HD 8 tablet for $60 ($70 off): In our review, we pegged Amazon’s 8-inch tablet as a n affordable option that makes a great communal device. And right now it’s more than half off, along with a few other Amazon slabs.  

Headphone and earbud deals
Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Three of the personal audio devices we recommend are seeing some good discounts this week. Could be a good time to make sure you have a good burner pair for the gym (the Jlab Go), a pair you won’t stress too much about leaving on the bus (the Anker buds) or a quality set of buds that’ll encourage you through your next run (the Beats). 

Anker Soundcore Space A40 wireless earbuds for $48 ($32 off): Our pick for the best budget wireless earbuds are now 40 percent off, which beats the record-low price by a dollar.  
Beats Fit Pro Earbuds for $160 ($40 off): Our overall favorite pair of earbuds for running are on sale at Best Buy for $40 off. They’ve hit this price point often over the past few months, but it’s a decent discount on buds we found to be comfortable with a secure fit and great audio quality. 
JLab Go Air Sport for $20 ($10 off): Engadget’s favorite pair of budget running headphones are 33 percent off at Best Buy and direct from JLab, that’s the same price it went for at Amazon during Prime Day. These buds surprised us with a combination of affordability, good sound quality and long battery life.

Tech accessory deals
Logitech
All the small things that boost the big ticket devices are the unsung heroes of the tech world. This week we found savings on some extra storage, a better webcam, and a charging station that can power up your phone, buds and watch at once. 

Logitech Brio 500 Full HD Webcam for $93 ($37 off): The model that came out on top in our testing for the best webcams you can buy is seeing a 29 percent discount at Amazon. That’s not an all-time low, but is the best price we’ve seen over the past few months. It has a wide field of view, auto-light correction and shoots 1080p video. 
Anker Docking Station 575 for $140 ($30 off): This budget option got an honorable mention in our guide to the best docking stations and could make a good pick for use with Windows laptops. It didn’t perform well when using a MacBook Pro. It’s also fairly lightweight so might not stand up straight with heavy or a lot of cables attached. 
Lexar Play microSD card (1TB) for $66.49 ($63.50 off): This high-capacity microSD card is nearly half off right now. It’s compatible with the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck and other systems, making it a great option for additional storage.
Samsung Pro Plus microSD card for $100 ($20 off): Samsung just released this 1TB variant a few months ago and now it’s going for its lowest price yet. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards. You can get the discount at Samsung.com, B&H and Amazon. 
Anker 3-in-1 MagSafe foldable charging station for $88 ($22 off): This is a record low price and matches the price we saw on Amazon’s Prime Day. It’s one of our recommendations in our guide to the best Apple Watch accessories and can not only charge your wearable, but your iPhone and AirPods too. 
Anker 100W USB-C (GaN II) fast charger for $40 ($35 off): If you need a wall charger that can keep up with your fast-charging devices, you might appreciate the 100 watts of power this Anker brick can deliver (just make sure you’re pairing it with an cable that’s up to the task).

Power bank deals
Amy Skorheim for Engadget
You’re far less likely to end up with a dead phone if you buy (and remember to bring) a power bank. Here are two from our guide that are on sale this week.  

Anker 6,600 mAh folding Qi2-certified power bank for $30 ($40 off): This folding bank from Anker is more than half price with a discount and a clickable $10 coupon. It should give most smartphones a full charge, plus a little extra. The design lets you use/watch your Mag-Safe iPhone in landscape orientation as it wirelessly charges. 
Baseus 30W/10000mAh MagSafe power bank for $28 ($18 off): Clip the coupon for a record low price on a power bank that earned a place in our guide to the best power banks you can buy. It quickly refills MagSafe-compatible phones and has a handy built-in cable. 

Smart home deals
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
We checked yet again this week — there’s still no all-in-one housekeeper/butler robot that can manage your home for you. While we wait on this to happen, there are devices that can help you manage your lights, boost your Wi-Fi and keep your floors clean. 

iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ Robot Vacuum for $780 ($620 off): The high-end hybrid vacuum/mop is on sale at Wellbots if you use the code ENGAD620 at checkout. We called this the “ideal robot vacuum and mop” in our official review. 
Kasa Smart Plug EP25 (4-pack) for $34 ($16 off): These are the best smart plugs you can buy, according to our guide on the subject. They work with all four smart home ecosystems, are easy to set up and stay reliably connected. This price is close to an all-time low and the cheapest we’ve seen this year. 
TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender for $23 ($27 off): The best budget Wi-Fi extender from our guide is more than half off at Amazon. It’s basically sold for that price over the past few months, but it’s nevertheless an all-time low and a good deal on a simple way to help eliminate dead zones in your home’s wireless coverage. 
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $40 ($20 off): As it has been for most of the past year, Amazon’s most powerful streaming stick is back down to $40. We like it as a retro gaming emulator and it even lets you play current games through XBox Game Pass cloud gaming. You could also use it for its original intention and stream shows. 

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/one-of-our-top-magsafe-compatible-power-banks-is-40-percent-off-plus-the-rest-of-this-weeks-best-tech-deals-173038865.html?src=rss

End-of-summer and back-to-school sales have mostly expired and, while we know Amazon will have another Prime Day sale in October, we don’t know when just yet. That makes this just another week of our team hunting and searching for deals all across the world wide web. We actually found quite a few worth considering, with discounts on products pulled from our extensive and growing list of buyer’s guides and reviews. 

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 (in its original color) is $110 off and the LCD Steam Deck is seeing a rare discount. One of our favorite power banks from Baseus is on sale with a 40 percent coupon. And an Amazon Fire Tablet that makes a great communal device for casual use is just over half off. Here are the best deals from this week that you can still get today.  

Discounts on Apple gear

The iPhone 16 launch event revealed four new iPhones, one new Apple Watch and a new pair of AirPods. iPhones don’t tend to get standalone discounts, but Apple is offering healthy trade-in deals, including up to $650 credit towards a new handset (if you happen to be done with your iPhone 15 Pro Max). A new Apple Watch Ultra 3 was not announced, but a new black color for the Ultra 2 was. If you’re happy with the original titanium, you can grab a $100 discount on that model. The new AirPods 4 aren’t discounted yet, but the AirPods Pro 2 are currently $60 off. That’s about $20 more than their all-time low, but could still be worthwhile considering the useful upgrades a software update will enable in a month or so.   

Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $689 ($110 off): The high-end performance smartwatch is down to $689 at Amazon, which is less than it went for during Amazon Prime Day in July. That’s a savings of $110, which is one of the best discounts we’ve seen yet.

Apple M3 MacBook Pro for $1,300 ($200 off): The laptop we named the best MacBook for creatives is on sale at Amazon — also for less than it went for last Prime Day. The 14-inch base model comes with 512GB of storage and 8GB of RAM and usually goes for $1,500.

Apple black Magic Mouse for $85 ($15 off): The white version of Apple’s popular accessory is still cheaper at $68, but the black colorway rarely goes on sale. Both mice pair quickly and are relatively light with responsive touch gestures. 

Apple iPad (10th gen) for $299 ($50 off): The base model iPad didn’t get a refresh in Apple’s latest iPad release but it did get a permanent price drop from $449 to $349. It’s selling for a further $50 below that at Amazon right now. That’s a price it has hit often recently, but is still the cheapest we’ve seen on our favorite budget iPad.  

Apple Pencil (1st gen) for $69 ($30 off): The 10th generation iPad is the only tablet in Apple’s current lineup thats compatible with the first-generation stylus. Many of the older slabs still work with it too. We’ve seen this discount for a couple of weeks now, but it’s still $10 below the average sale price. It’s also discounted at Walmart.

Streaming subscription deals

I have at least three subscriptions that I need to cancel right now — yet I’m somehow tempted by the half off Paramount+ deal. Go figure. If you too are in the market for another monthly service plan, here are a few discounts to peruse.

Disney+ Basic plan (with ads) for $2 per month: New and returning customers can take advantage of the sale price for three months. That tier is usually $8 per month and includes all Disney+ content, but with commercial breaks. The plan will automatically renew — and the regular price increases to $10 per month starting on October 17.

Paramount+ annual subscriptions for 50 percent : The Essential plan (with ads) is only $30 for your first year, while the upgraded plan with access to Showtime, your local CBS station, and fewer ads costs just $60 for the year. The plans will automatically renew at the full price.

Fubo Pro live TV subscription for $50 ($30 off) for one month: The service we named the best live TV streaming service for sports content is offering $30 off all three plans of the service for the first month. The Elite with Sports Plus plan is down from $100 to $70 for the first month and the top-level Deluxe package is $80 as opposed to the usual $110.

Gaming gear discounts

The big news in gaming hardware this week was Sony’s announcement of the PS5 Pro coming in November with pre-orders starting on September 26. There’s not likely to be any sort of discount on the hefty $700 price tag for a while. But here are three bits of recommended gaming gear that is on sale — including a rare discount on a Steam Deck. 

Valve Steam Deck (LCD, 512GB) for $337 ($82 off): Our recommendation for the best handheld PC gaming system is seeing a rare sale on Steam. The entry level model with the older LCD screen and 64GB of storage is 15 percent off. You can take 25 percent off the 512GB model. The sale runs through September 26 while supplies last.

ASTRO Gaming A40 TR wired gaming headset for $100 ($30 off): Our pick for the best gaming headset is $30 off (though overall we recommend going with headphones and an external mic). This a price it’s hit a number of times over the past year and isn’t an all-time low. We found these to be comfortable with better sound than many headsets, but the mic performance is only OK. 

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard for $60 ($100 off): The Fami Edition retro keyboard, inspired by the Famicom console Nintendo released in Japan during the ’80s is on sale at Woot. We recommend it in our retro gaming gift guide — both for the unique aesthetics and the utility of the accessory itself.

Discounts on tablets

If you don’t want an iPad, you have options. And two of them are on sale right now. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $170 ($50 off): Our favorite budget Android tablet with 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM is 23 percent off on both Samsung’s store front and from Amazon.

Amazon’s Fire HD 8 tablet for $60 ($70 off): In our review, we pegged Amazon’s 8-inch tablet as a n affordable option that makes a great communal device. And right now it’s more than half off, along with a few other Amazon slabs.  

Headphone and earbud deals

Three of the personal audio devices we recommend are seeing some good discounts this week. Could be a good time to make sure you have a good burner pair for the gym (the Jlab Go), a pair you won’t stress too much about leaving on the bus (the Anker buds) or a quality set of buds that’ll encourage you through your next run (the Beats). 

Anker Soundcore Space A40 wireless earbuds for $48 ($32 off): Our pick for the best budget wireless earbuds are now 40 percent off, which beats the record-low price by a dollar.  

Beats Fit Pro Earbuds for $160 ($40 off): Our overall favorite pair of earbuds for running are on sale at Best Buy for $40 off. They’ve hit this price point often over the past few months, but it’s a decent discount on buds we found to be comfortable with a secure fit and great audio quality. 

JLab Go Air Sport for $20 ($10 off): Engadget’s favorite pair of budget running headphones are 33 percent off at Best Buy and direct from JLab, that’s the same price it went for at Amazon during Prime Day. These buds surprised us with a combination of affordability, good sound quality and long battery life.

Tech accessory deals

All the small things that boost the big ticket devices are the unsung heroes of the tech world. This week we found savings on some extra storage, a better webcam, and a charging station that can power up your phone, buds and watch at once. 

Logitech Brio 500 Full HD Webcam for $93 ($37 off): The model that came out on top in our testing for the best webcams you can buy is seeing a 29 percent discount at Amazon. That’s not an all-time low, but is the best price we’ve seen over the past few months. It has a wide field of view, auto-light correction and shoots 1080p video. 

Anker Docking Station 575 for $140 ($30 off): This budget option got an honorable mention in our guide to the best docking stations and could make a good pick for use with Windows laptops. It didn’t perform well when using a MacBook Pro. It’s also fairly lightweight so might not stand up straight with heavy or a lot of cables attached. 

Lexar Play microSD card (1TB) for $66.49 ($63.50 off): This high-capacity microSD card is nearly half off right now. It’s compatible with the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck and other systems, making it a great option for additional storage.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card for $100 ($20 off): Samsung just released this 1TB variant a few months ago and now it’s going for its lowest price yet. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards. You can get the discount at Samsung.com, B&H and Amazon. 

Anker 3-in-1 MagSafe foldable charging station for $88 ($22 off): This is a record low price and matches the price we saw on Amazon’s Prime Day. It’s one of our recommendations in our guide to the best Apple Watch accessories and can not only charge your wearable, but your iPhone and AirPods too. 

Anker 100W USB-C (GaN II) fast charger for $40 ($35 off): If you need a wall charger that can keep up with your fast-charging devices, you might appreciate the 100 watts of power this Anker brick can deliver (just make sure you’re pairing it with an cable that’s up to the task).

Power bank deals

You’re far less likely to end up with a dead phone if you buy (and remember to bring) a power bank. Here are two from our guide that are on sale this week.  

Anker 6,600 mAh folding Qi2-certified power bank for $30 ($40 off): This folding bank from Anker is more than half price with a discount and a clickable $10 coupon. It should give most smartphones a full charge, plus a little extra. The design lets you use/watch your Mag-Safe iPhone in landscape orientation as it wirelessly charges. 

Baseus 30W/10000mAh MagSafe power bank for $28 ($18 off): Clip the coupon for a record low price on a power bank that earned a place in our guide to the best power banks you can buy. It quickly refills MagSafe-compatible phones and has a handy built-in cable. 

Smart home deals

We checked yet again this week — there’s still no all-in-one housekeeper/butler robot that can manage your home for you. While we wait on this to happen, there are devices that can help you manage your lights, boost your Wi-Fi and keep your floors clean. 

iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ Robot Vacuum for $780 ($620 off): The high-end hybrid vacuum/mop is on sale at Wellbots if you use the code ENGAD620 at checkout. We called this the “ideal robot vacuum and mop” in our official review. 

Kasa Smart Plug EP25 (4-pack) for $34 ($16 off): These are the best smart plugs you can buy, according to our guide on the subject. They work with all four smart home ecosystems, are easy to set up and stay reliably connected. This price is close to an all-time low and the cheapest we’ve seen this year. 

TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender for $23 ($27 off): The best budget Wi-Fi extender from our guide is more than half off at Amazon. It’s basically sold for that price over the past few months, but it’s nevertheless an all-time low and a good deal on a simple way to help eliminate dead zones in your home’s wireless coverage. 

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $40 ($20 off): As it has been for most of the past year, Amazon’s most powerful streaming stick is back down to $40. We like it as a retro gaming emulator and it even lets you play current games through XBox Game Pass cloud gaming. You could also use it for its original intention and stream shows. 

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/one-of-our-top-magsafe-compatible-power-banks-is-40-percent-off-plus-the-rest-of-this-weeks-best-tech-deals-173038865.html?src=rss

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Tales of the Shire, a cozy life sim set in the world of Lord of the Rings, has been delayed until 2025. It was previously set for a release sometime this year. Developer Weta Workshop, who assisted with the effects in all of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth films, says the delay was necessary to ensure that players experience a fully realized version of its original vision.
This is a cozy life sim in the vein of Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley and a million others, but this one is set in In Tolkien’s Middle-earth between the events of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Mixing the cozy sim formula with a pre-established IP tends to work. Just ask fans of Disney Dreamlight Valley.

If there’s one aspect of Tolkien’s world that fits this genre, it’s the Hobbits and their Shire. The forthcoming game looks to prioritize meal prep, as we all know Hobbits love a good feast, and will let players design the look of their own personal Hobbit hole. There’s fishing and farming, of course, but also a robust-seeming character interaction system. We aren’t sure if romance is on the table but, come on, that Hobbit population isn’t going to replenish itself.
The developer is holding a live showcase event on September 22 at 10:30AM ET to discuss some new aspects of the game and to go over various mechanics. It will also use the stream to drop an actual release date which, again, will be sometime in 2025. Maybe we’ll also get an update on Hobbit-based romance during the showcase.
🏡 A #HOBBITDAY SHOWCASE 🏡Join us September 22nd for an inside look at #TalesoftheShire! Here is just a smattering of what’s in store…🥘 Sharing home-cooked meals🐉 Visiting The Green Dragon🚪 Furnishing your Hobbit hole pic.twitter.com/9AB55H6vyh— Tales of the Shire (@talesoftheshire) September 10, 2024

This makes me wonder what other culturally significant IPs could benefit from the cozy life sim experience. They were always trying to farm in The Walking Dead, but the presence of zombies would be less cozy and more an endless nightmare. I could see farming or building up a society in some outer rim planet in the Star Wars universe, or maybe Knowhere as seen in the MCU films.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/tales-of-the-shire-a-cozy-life-sim-with-hobbits-has-been-delayed-until-2025-171031409.html?src=rss

Tales of the Shire, a cozy life sim set in the world of Lord of the Rings, has been delayed until 2025. It was previously set for a release sometime this year. Developer Weta Workshop, who assisted with the effects in all of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth films, says the delay was necessary to ensure that players experience a fully realized version of its original vision.

This is a cozy life sim in the vein of Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley and a million others, but this one is set in In Tolkien’s Middle-earth between the events of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Mixing the cozy sim formula with a pre-established IP tends to work. Just ask fans of Disney Dreamlight Valley.

If there’s one aspect of Tolkien’s world that fits this genre, it’s the Hobbits and their Shire. The forthcoming game looks to prioritize meal prep, as we all know Hobbits love a good feast, and will let players design the look of their own personal Hobbit hole. There’s fishing and farming, of course, but also a robust-seeming character interaction system. We aren’t sure if romance is on the table but, come on, that Hobbit population isn’t going to replenish itself.

The developer is holding a live showcase event on September 22 at 10:30AM ET to discuss some new aspects of the game and to go over various mechanics. It will also use the stream to drop an actual release date which, again, will be sometime in 2025. Maybe we’ll also get an update on Hobbit-based romance during the showcase.

This makes me wonder what other culturally significant IPs could benefit from the cozy life sim experience. They were always trying to farm in The Walking Dead, but the presence of zombies would be less cozy and more an endless nightmare. I could see farming or building up a society in some outer rim planet in the Star Wars universe, or maybe Knowhere as seen in the MCU films.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/tales-of-the-shire-a-cozy-life-sim-with-hobbits-has-been-delayed-until-2025-171031409.html?src=rss

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NASA confirmed on Friday that it’s developing a new lunar time system for the Moon. The White House published a policy memo in April, directing NASA to create the new standard by 2026. Over five months later (government time, y’all), the space agency’s confirmation states it will work with “U.S. government stakeholders, partners, and international standards organizations” to establish a Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC).
To understand why the Moon needs its own time zone, look no further than Einstein. His theories of relativity say that because time changes relative to speed and gravity, time moves slightly faster on our celestial neighbor (because of its weaker gravity). So, an Earth clock on the Moon would gain about 56 microseconds a day — enough to throw off calculations that could put future missions requiring precision in danger.
“For something traveling at the speed of light, 56 microseconds is enough time to travel the distance of approximately 168 football fields,” said Cheryl Gramling, NASA timing and standards leader, in a press release. “If someone is orbiting the Moon, an observer on Earth who isn’t compensating for the effects of relativity over a day would think that the orbiting astronaut is approximately 168 football fields away from where the astronaut really is.”
NASA
April’s White House memo directed NASA to work with the Departments of Commerce, Defense, State and Transportation to plot the course for LTC’s introduction by the end of 2026. Global stakeholders, particularly Artemis Accords signees, will play a role. Established in 2020, the agreements include a growing collection of 43 countries committed to norms expected to be honored in space. Notably, China and Russia have refused to join.
NASA’s Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) program will lead the initiative. One of LTC’s goals is to be scalable to other celestial bodies in the future, including Mars. The time standard will be determined by a weighted average of atomic clocks on the Moon, although their locations are still up for debate. Such a weighted average is similar to how scientists calculate Earth’s Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
NASA plans to send crewed missions back to the Moon through its Artemis program. Artemis 2, scheduled for September 2025, plans to send four people on a pass around the Moon. A year later, Artemis 3 aims to land astronauts near the Moon’s South Pole.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-confirms-its-developing-the-moons-new-time-zone-165345568.html?src=rss

NASA confirmed on Friday that it’s developing a new lunar time system for the Moon. The White House published a policy memo in April, directing NASA to create the new standard by 2026. Over five months later (government time, y’all), the space agency’s confirmation states it will work with “U.S. government stakeholders, partners, and international standards organizations” to establish a Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC).

To understand why the Moon needs its own time zone, look no further than Einstein. His theories of relativity say that because time changes relative to speed and gravity, time moves slightly faster on our celestial neighbor (because of its weaker gravity). So, an Earth clock on the Moon would gain about 56 microseconds a day — enough to throw off calculations that could put future missions requiring precision in danger.

“For something traveling at the speed of light, 56 microseconds is enough time to travel the distance of approximately 168 football fields,” said Cheryl Gramling, NASA timing and standards leader, in a press release. “If someone is orbiting the Moon, an observer on Earth who isn’t compensating for the effects of relativity over a day would think that the orbiting astronaut is approximately 168 football fields away from where the astronaut really is.”

April’s White House memo directed NASA to work with the Departments of Commerce, Defense, State and Transportation to plot the course for LTC’s introduction by the end of 2026. Global stakeholders, particularly Artemis Accords signees, will play a role. Established in 2020, the agreements include a growing collection of 43 countries committed to norms expected to be honored in space. Notably, China and Russia have refused to join.

NASA’s Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) program will lead the initiative. One of LTC’s goals is to be scalable to other celestial bodies in the future, including Mars. The time standard will be determined by a weighted average of atomic clocks on the Moon, although their locations are still up for debate. Such a weighted average is similar to how scientists calculate Earth’s Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

NASA plans to send crewed missions back to the Moon through its Artemis program. Artemis 2, scheduled for September 2025, plans to send four people on a pass around the Moon. A year later, Artemis 3 aims to land astronauts near the Moon’s South Pole.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-confirms-its-developing-the-moons-new-time-zone-165345568.html?src=rss

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In Hollowbody, an early 2000s-style third-person survival horror game by Nathan Hamley (the solo developer behind Headware Games), the true terror comes not from its hideous monsters, but from inhabiting a world where regular people are failed by the system and left to die.
Hollowbody is an homage to the PlayStation 2-era classics that helped define the genre. It also adds a “tech-noir” spin; think the first few Silent Hill games, namely Silent Hill 2, and a touch of Blade Runner. It goes heavy on atmosphere, relying almost entirely on tension-building rather than action to create a sense of palpable unease. And while the game resurrects PS2 graphics, it does not subject you to tank controls (unless you want them, then there’s a toggle for that, sickos).

It’s set in the not-too-distant future in a ruined city somewhere in the British Isles, decades after the region was struck by a supposed biological attack and later bombed while under quarantine. A brief introduction alludes to corruption and conspiracy around the true events of the catastrophe. The initial attacks targeted cities “plagued by economic hardship and depravity,” and the affected areas were walled off to contain the spread of any contagions — but not before people deemed to be “high value” citizens were allowed to escape to an artificial island with a suspiciously utopic name (Aeonis).
The game opens with a group of researcher-activists who have convened at an entry site to one of the exclusion zones, where they plan to go in search of answers. After one of them, Sasha, goes missing, her partner Mica sets out in a hover car to find her at any cost.
It’s in this early sequence that we really see the tech-noir part of Hollowbody’s description come through: Mica staring out the huge glass window of an apartment overlooking a densely packed city à la Blade Runner 2049; zipping between skyscrapers in a flying passenger vehicle; having a cheeky conversation with an intelligent navigation system. Naturally, Mica crashes on the ride in, loses contact with the one person who can help her and has to make her way toward Sasha on foot.
Headware Games
From then on, the tech-noir bit slips mostly out of focus until it swings back around at the end of the game, and Hollowbody takes on the more traditional survival horror mold of ‘science experiment turned local extinction event.’ There are some touches of that distinct tech-infused vision — at one point, Mica passes a broken-down mech the size of an apartment building, and there’s a glowing children’s toy in one room that looks vaguely robotic — but it’s not exactly pervasive. Mica’s personal gadgetry and the styling of the inventory menu serve as the only real reminders of that angle for most of the game.
There are a number of puzzles to solve as you explore derelict buildings and the city’s parks trying to figure out how to get the hell out of there. The solutions to most of these are fairly obvious once you’ve come across the clues sprinkled around each location, so the fun is more in the exploration.
There was an occasional head-scratcher that would send me in circles though. It didn’t help that the surfaces I was able to interact with would sometimes continue to display indicators like “Pick up” or “Seek” even after I took everything that could be used from them. In cluttered rooms, I found myself rechecking some spots over and over thinking I’d missed something. These prompts will also appear in some places just for the sake of having Mica make inconsequential observations, like commenting on the dirty dishes or sheets that have gone years unwashed, and she’ll say the same remarks repeatedly as she encounters the same setups in different apartments.
Thankfully, that doesn’t detract much from how unnerving the setting is. The music is haunting, and it combines with heightened environmental noises like rain, radio static and Mica’s echoing footsteps to create a really visceral soundscape. If ever Mica’s inside a building or underground structure, you can be sure it’ll be dark and labyrinthine. It always felt like a monster was going to jump out at any second, despite that not usually being the case. (It was sometimes, though.) Outside, Mica is exposed, and it doesn’t take long for monsters to notice her and start congregating around her.
Headware Games
The monsters themselves are wonderfully disgusting. There are bipedal abominations, some emaciated while others are top-heavy and headless, with gross tendrils flailing out from their upper halves. Hollowbody has some demon dogs, too, plus a few scuttling insectoid creatures that seemingly pose no threat beyond creeping you out. Cat-sized worm critters will slither right past you, and their hilariously clunky animation just might be the most PS2 thing about the entire game.
It’s not very combat-oriented — often, you can just run past the enemies — but there are guns to come by, and a few makeshift melee weapons. Using the latter felt somewhat stiff and slow at times, particularly when facing a group of beasts, but I was still able to make do favoring bludgeoning tools to conserve ammunition. And I delighted in the gushy thwack of my street sign ax connecting with monster flesh. I also loved that Mica can grab an electric guitar off the wall and use it as a weapon. It may not be the most pragmatic approach considering the heaviness, but the clang when it makes contact with its target is very satisfying.
There are bodies in various states of decay at every turn, and Mica’s scanner will give you an instant read on the deceased to get a sense of who they were and how they died. In many instances, the cause is nothing paranormal: dehydration, starvation, murder, etc. A backstory forms through documents and audio flashbacks that are activated at certain sites, telling of financial struggles and gentrification in the city long before the biological disaster, and the eventual desolation endured by the people in the quarantined area afterward, who could only survive as long as their dwindling resources allowed.
Mica finds a notice of impending rent hikes, a letter that mentions the disruption of construction going on at all hours of the night and a past due notice for unpaid utilities bills showing monthly prices had quadrupled. She comes across a note left behind by a dying man, wishing for a better future for his family and humanity. In one post-quarantine recording, starving civilians pleading to leave the city are gunned down by armed forces. It is all incredibly bleak, and I didn’t have to suspend my disbelief very much to envision a reality in which things would pan out like this.
Headware Games
But an explanation as to why there are horrid, fleshy humanoid monsters roaming the streets never fully reveals itself in a straightforward way. (At least, not with the ending I reached and all the materials I collected.) The most substantial hint on that front came from a single newspaper clipping, the contents of which I’d rather not spoil here. The article plants the seed of an idea, but it’s largely up to the player to fill in the blanks beyond that.
There are touching snippets of Mica and Sasha’s story as well, but the duo’s connection to this place and apparent significance within its present goings-on never quite got the neat wrap-up I was hoping for. While the ending was a beautiful, emotional scene that felt like it brought the story full circle thematically, it also left me with the feeling of, Wait, what just happened? It seems like there are other endings, though, which may prove more conclusive on subsequent playthroughs. Beating the game also unlocks a harder difficulty option and a first-person dungeon crawler mode, which immediately made everything feel scarier when I switched it on.
Even with its shortcomings, Hollowbody is a solid survival horror title that feels especially impressive when you take into account the fact that it was made by a solo indie developer. Vibes are part of what made its predecessors unforgettable, and Hollowbody’s oppressive mood hits all the right notes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/hollowbody-fills-the-void-left-by-ps2-survival-horror-games-160030810.html?src=rss

In Hollowbody, an early 2000s-style third-person survival horror game by Nathan Hamley (the solo developer behind Headware Games), the true terror comes not from its hideous monsters, but from inhabiting a world where regular people are failed by the system and left to die.

Hollowbody is an homage to the PlayStation 2-era classics that helped define the genre. It also adds a “tech-noir” spin; think the first few Silent Hill games, namely Silent Hill 2, and a touch of Blade Runner. It goes heavy on atmosphere, relying almost entirely on tension-building rather than action to create a sense of palpable unease. And while the game resurrects PS2 graphics, it does not subject you to tank controls (unless you want them, then there’s a toggle for that, sickos).

It’s set in the not-too-distant future in a ruined city somewhere in the British Isles, decades after the region was struck by a supposed biological attack and later bombed while under quarantine. A brief introduction alludes to corruption and conspiracy around the true events of the catastrophe. The initial attacks targeted cities “plagued by economic hardship and depravity,” and the affected areas were walled off to contain the spread of any contagions — but not before people deemed to be “high value” citizens were allowed to escape to an artificial island with a suspiciously utopic name (Aeonis).

The game opens with a group of researcher-activists who have convened at an entry site to one of the exclusion zones, where they plan to go in search of answers. After one of them, Sasha, goes missing, her partner Mica sets out in a hover car to find her at any cost.

It’s in this early sequence that we really see the tech-noir part of Hollowbody’s description come through: Mica staring out the huge glass window of an apartment overlooking a densely packed city à la Blade Runner 2049; zipping between skyscrapers in a flying passenger vehicle; having a cheeky conversation with an intelligent navigation system. Naturally, Mica crashes on the ride in, loses contact with the one person who can help her and has to make her way toward Sasha on foot.

From then on, the tech-noir bit slips mostly out of focus until it swings back around at the end of the game, and Hollowbody takes on the more traditional survival horror mold of ‘science experiment turned local extinction event.’ There are some touches of that distinct tech-infused vision — at one point, Mica passes a broken-down mech the size of an apartment building, and there’s a glowing children’s toy in one room that looks vaguely robotic — but it’s not exactly pervasive. Mica’s personal gadgetry and the styling of the inventory menu serve as the only real reminders of that angle for most of the game.

There are a number of puzzles to solve as you explore derelict buildings and the city’s parks trying to figure out how to get the hell out of there. The solutions to most of these are fairly obvious once you’ve come across the clues sprinkled around each location, so the fun is more in the exploration.

There was an occasional head-scratcher that would send me in circles though. It didn’t help that the surfaces I was able to interact with would sometimes continue to display indicators like “Pick up” or “Seek” even after I took everything that could be used from them. In cluttered rooms, I found myself rechecking some spots over and over thinking I’d missed something. These prompts will also appear in some places just for the sake of having Mica make inconsequential observations, like commenting on the dirty dishes or sheets that have gone years unwashed, and she’ll say the same remarks repeatedly as she encounters the same setups in different apartments.

Thankfully, that doesn’t detract much from how unnerving the setting is. The music is haunting, and it combines with heightened environmental noises like rain, radio static and Mica’s echoing footsteps to create a really visceral soundscape. If ever Mica’s inside a building or underground structure, you can be sure it’ll be dark and labyrinthine. It always felt like a monster was going to jump out at any second, despite that not usually being the case. (It was sometimes, though.) Outside, Mica is exposed, and it doesn’t take long for monsters to notice her and start congregating around her.

The monsters themselves are wonderfully disgusting. There are bipedal abominations, some emaciated while others are top-heavy and headless, with gross tendrils flailing out from their upper halves. Hollowbody has some demon dogs, too, plus a few scuttling insectoid creatures that seemingly pose no threat beyond creeping you out. Cat-sized worm critters will slither right past you, and their hilariously clunky animation just might be the most PS2 thing about the entire game.

It’s not very combat-oriented — often, you can just run past the enemies — but there are guns to come by, and a few makeshift melee weapons. Using the latter felt somewhat stiff and slow at times, particularly when facing a group of beasts, but I was still able to make do favoring bludgeoning tools to conserve ammunition. And I delighted in the gushy thwack of my street sign ax connecting with monster flesh. I also loved that Mica can grab an electric guitar off the wall and use it as a weapon. It may not be the most pragmatic approach considering the heaviness, but the clang when it makes contact with its target is very satisfying.

There are bodies in various states of decay at every turn, and Mica’s scanner will give you an instant read on the deceased to get a sense of who they were and how they died. In many instances, the cause is nothing paranormal: dehydration, starvation, murder, etc. A backstory forms through documents and audio flashbacks that are activated at certain sites, telling of financial struggles and gentrification in the city long before the biological disaster, and the eventual desolation endured by the people in the quarantined area afterward, who could only survive as long as their dwindling resources allowed.

Mica finds a notice of impending rent hikes, a letter that mentions the disruption of construction going on at all hours of the night and a past due notice for unpaid utilities bills showing monthly prices had quadrupled. She comes across a note left behind by a dying man, wishing for a better future for his family and humanity. In one post-quarantine recording, starving civilians pleading to leave the city are gunned down by armed forces. It is all incredibly bleak, and I didn’t have to suspend my disbelief very much to envision a reality in which things would pan out like this.

But an explanation as to why there are horrid, fleshy humanoid monsters roaming the streets never fully reveals itself in a straightforward way. (At least, not with the ending I reached and all the materials I collected.) The most substantial hint on that front came from a single newspaper clipping, the contents of which I’d rather not spoil here. The article plants the seed of an idea, but it’s largely up to the player to fill in the blanks beyond that.

There are touching snippets of Mica and Sasha’s story as well, but the duo’s connection to this place and apparent significance within its present goings-on never quite got the neat wrap-up I was hoping for. While the ending was a beautiful, emotional scene that felt like it brought the story full circle thematically, it also left me with the feeling of, Wait, what just happened? It seems like there are other endings, though, which may prove more conclusive on subsequent playthroughs. Beating the game also unlocks a harder difficulty option and a first-person dungeon crawler mode, which immediately made everything feel scarier when I switched it on.

Even with its shortcomings, Hollowbody is a solid survival horror title that feels especially impressive when you take into account the fact that it was made by a solo indie developer. Vibes are part of what made its predecessors unforgettable, and Hollowbody’s oppressive mood hits all the right notes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/hollowbody-fills-the-void-left-by-ps2-survival-horror-games-160030810.html?src=rss

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Waymo and Uber are planning to bring their robotaxi service to more locales in the near future. Waymo One will arrive in Austin and Atlanta by early 2025. Folks in the two cities will be able to take a ride in Waymo’s autonomous, electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles via the Uber app.
Waymo employees in Austin are already using the service. The company will open up access to a limited number of public riders via the Waymo One app before moving the service to Uber early next year. The Atlanta public can start taking rides in the robotaxis in early 2025, and the companies plan to gradually expand Waymo One in that city.
The Austin operations have been a long time coming. Waymo first revealed plans to expand to the Texas state capital back in 2023, and it initially planned to do so that fall.
Waymo One riders currently take more than 100,000 trips each week across San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles. Waymo said in May it was facilitating 50,000 paid trips every week.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/waymo-and-uber-are-bringing-their-robotaxi-service-to-austin-and-atlanta-by-early-2025-154417860.html?src=rss

Waymo and Uber are planning to bring their robotaxi service to more locales in the near future. Waymo One will arrive in Austin and Atlanta by early 2025. Folks in the two cities will be able to take a ride in Waymo’s autonomous, electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles via the Uber app.

Waymo employees in Austin are already using the service. The company will open up access to a limited number of public riders via the Waymo One app before moving the service to Uber early next year. The Atlanta public can start taking rides in the robotaxis in early 2025, and the companies plan to gradually expand Waymo One in that city.

The Austin operations have been a long time coming. Waymo first revealed plans to expand to the Texas state capital back in 2023, and it initially planned to do so that fall.

Waymo One riders currently take more than 100,000 trips each week across San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles. Waymo said in May it was facilitating 50,000 paid trips every week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/waymo-and-uber-are-bringing-their-robotaxi-service-to-austin-and-atlanta-by-early-2025-154417860.html?src=rss

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Anker’s 3-in-1 MagSafe foldable charging station has dropped to $88, which is a record low price. We haven’t seen it go this low since Amazon Prime Day. This is a discount of 20 percent.
As the name suggests, this is a 3-in-1 charging station that can simultaneously accommodate an iPhone, an Apple Watch and AirPods. It boasts 15W charging and is Qi2-certified, so you can expect things to move quickly. For instance, the company says it can get an Apple Watch Series 9 to 47 percent in just 30 minutes. It’s easy to see why this thing made our list of the best Apple Watch accessories.

It’s actually quite portable for a charging station. It only weighs 6.9 ounces and the whole thing folds up to around the size of a deck of cards. It also ships with the charger’s cable and a 40W power brick, so you’ll have everything you need to get those top charging speeds without having to splurge on anything extra.
While this is a great charger, especially for frequent travelers, the price has long been a sticking point for many. It’s tough to recommend any accessory like this at more than $100. The sale price of $88 makes things a bit more palatable.

October Prime Day 2024 is around the corner, serving as Amazon’s (un)official kickoff to the holiday shopping season. If you’re eager to snag some early holiday deals for those on your list (or yourself), here’s what we know so far about the next Prime Day shopping event.
When is October Prime Day 2024?
Amazon has not announced the dates of fall Prime Day 2024 yet, but we do know it will be returning sometime in October.
What is October Prime Day?
October Prime Day is an extension of the regular Prime Day sale held annually in July. It features exclusive deals on Amazon for Prime members, although not quite on as big of a scale as the main summer Prime Day.
How long is October Prime Day?
In years past, October Prime Day has been two days long, just like Prime Day in July.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ankers-3-in-1-magsafe-foldable-charging-station-drops-back-down-to-its-prime-day-price-151850336.html?src=rss

Anker’s 3-in-1 MagSafe foldable charging station has dropped to $88, which is a record low price. We haven’t seen it go this low since Amazon Prime Day. This is a discount of 20 percent.

As the name suggests, this is a 3-in-1 charging station that can simultaneously accommodate an iPhone, an Apple Watch and AirPods. It boasts 15W charging and is Qi2-certified, so you can expect things to move quickly. For instance, the company says it can get an Apple Watch Series 9 to 47 percent in just 30 minutes. It’s easy to see why this thing made our list of the best Apple Watch accessories.

It’s actually quite portable for a charging station. It only weighs 6.9 ounces and the whole thing folds up to around the size of a deck of cards. It also ships with the charger’s cable and a 40W power brick, so you’ll have everything you need to get those top charging speeds without having to splurge on anything extra.

While this is a great charger, especially for frequent travelers, the price has long been a sticking point for many. It’s tough to recommend any accessory like this at more than $100. The sale price of $88 makes things a bit more palatable.

October Prime Day 2024 is around the corner, serving as Amazon’s (un)official kickoff to the holiday shopping season. If you’re eager to snag some early holiday deals for those on your list (or yourself), here’s what we know so far about the next Prime Day shopping event.

When is October Prime Day 2024?

Amazon has not announced the dates of fall Prime Day 2024 yet, but we do know it will be returning sometime in October.

What is October Prime Day?

October Prime Day is an extension of the regular Prime Day sale held annually in July. It features exclusive deals on Amazon for Prime members, although not quite on as big of a scale as the main summer Prime Day.

How long is October Prime Day?

In years past, October Prime Day has been two days long, just like Prime Day in July.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ankers-3-in-1-magsafe-foldable-charging-station-drops-back-down-to-its-prime-day-price-151850336.html?src=rss

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