Engadget

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Gadget news and reviews

The new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is $30 off for Black Friday

21 November 2024 @ 9:00 am

Amazon only rolled out the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite las

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are back on sale for $229 for Black Friday

21 November 2024 @ 8:30 am

It's been over a year since Bose released its QuietC

Amazon's Echo Dot drops to only $23 for Black Friday

21 November 2024 @ 8:01 am

Yes, Black Friday is basically here and, though we're not sure where this year went, all the sales are softening the blow. Amazon, sure to be the home of a lot of shopping this year, has already marked down some of its most wanted products. Included in the sales is our choice for best smart speaker under $50, the

The best robot vacuums on a budget for 2024

21 November 2024 @ 8:01 am

If vacuuming is your least favorite chore, employing a robot vacuum can save you time and stress while also making sure your home stays clean. While once most robo-vacs landed on the higher end of the price spectrum, that’s not the case anymore. Sure, you could pick up a $1,000 cleaning behemoth with mopping features, but it would be incorrect to assume that you need to spend that much money to get a good machine. Now, you can get an autonomous dirt-sucker with serious cleaning chops for $500 — sometimes even $300 or less. But you get what you pay for in this space; don’t expect affordable robot vacuum cleaners to have all of the bells and whistles that premium machines do, like self-emptying capabilities or advanced dirt detection. After testing dozens of robot vacuums at various price points, I’ve narrowed down our top picks for the best budget robot vacuums you can buy right now. Table of contents

The NBA will air a Christmas Day game with Disney characters

20 November 2024 @ 10:49 pm

If you can’t get your kids to sit through one of the five NBA games airing on Christmas Day, tune into Disney+, ESPN+ or ESPN2 for a special Disney-fied version. ESPN announced that it will air a “Dunk the Halls” broadcast of the San Antonio Spurs versus the New York Knicks featuring animated Disney characters. The broadcast starts at 12PM eastern. If you just want to watch the game played by regular, boring humans, that will also air on Disney+ and ESPN+ as well as ABC and ESPN. “Dunk the Halls” will use Sony’s Beyond Sports technology to turn Madison Square Garden into Main Street USA from the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. The game will also feature appe

The best laptop power banks for 2024

20 November 2024 @ 9:01 pm

Smaller battery packs are great for refiling phones and tablets, but if you need to keep a laptop juiced up while you’re far from an outlet, you’ll need something larger. For this guide, we tested portable chargers with at least a 20,000mAh (74Wh) capacity, but kept the upper limit below 27,000mAh (99Wh), since that’s about the maximum size allowed by the TSA in carry-on luggage. Some laptop power banks sport extra features like wireless charging or an AC plug so you can power small devices such as a travel printer or an LED lamp. But what all of them have in common is a larger size and higher price tag than standard battery packs. So if you d

The 15 best gifts for dads

20 November 2024 @ 9:00 pm

The holidays are approaching, and you may be scrambling to figure out what you should get dad for the occasion. If you’re shopping for a father who’s into consumer tech, though, we can help. Below, we’ve consulted our many hours of gadget testing and put together a list of standout gift ideas, from VR headsets to pizza ovens to meat thermometers. Best gifts for dads in 2024 Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-dads-170014057.html?src=rss

Meta's latest features for Messenger Calling include AI backgrounds

20 November 2024 @ 8:00 pm

If you’re one of the people out there making calls with Meta’s Messenger app, its latest update adds a bunch of new features for making video and audio calls, according to the official Meta blog. When you make a video call, you can add an AI-generated background to your screen by tapping on the effects icon in the sidebar and selecting “Backgrounds.” So instead of showing your friends and family your grungy apartment or your car that you haven’t cleaned out since you bought it, you can replace the background with a field of sunflowers or an alien landscape as one of its suns is setting. That’s something we’ve seen from basically every other video calling platform, so it’s not a big surprise to see Meta add it here. Meta also added some new features for video cal

Threads rolls out its custom feeds tool after a quick testing phase

20 November 2024 @ 7:50 pm

The battle over who will get all of X’s users now that it’s an utter cesspool continues. Threads just began rolling out its own custom feeds feature to compete with rival Bluesky. Custom feeds have long been a hallmark of Bluesky and now Threads users can get in on the action. Meta announced it was testing custom feeds just last week, so those tests must have been successful. It’s either that or they want to stall Bluesky’s continuing momentum. Simply put,

The PlayStation Black Friday deals will cut 25 to 30 percent off PS Plus subscriptions

20 November 2024 @ 7:38 pm

Sony offered a sneak peek at its PlayStation Black Friday deals, which start on Friday. In addition to some (currently nebulous) deals on hardware and games, the sale will include up to 30 percent off PlayStation Plus memberships. The deals will run from November 22 through December 2. PlayStation Plus subscriptions will be “up to” 30 percent off for a 12-month membership. If you’re already a PS Plus Essential Memb

Crucial.com

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RAM Memory Upgrade: Dell, Mac, Apple, HP, Compaq. USB drives, flash cards, SSD
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Cheap Laptops, Hard Drives, LCD Monitors, TVs, Televisions, Hard Drive and more at Ebuyer.com

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UK: DVDs, Music CDs, MP3s, Video Games, Books, Electronics & Gadgets – Free Delivery.

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All Reviews all the time at TestFreaks UK

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Lights for Film and Video
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Computer Hardware

CNET Reviews

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Product reviews – Electronics reviews, computer reviews & more

Sling TV Review: The Best Budget Live TV Streaming Service

1 August 2024 @ 4:00 am

Sling TV Blue offers cord-cutters a wealth of live channels for an affordable price, but you may need to bring your own antenna.

2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup Review: One-Trick Pony

2 January 2023 @ 10:00 am

After the allure of the Hummer's physics-defying acceleration wears off, there isn't a whole lot left to love.

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite Review: Capable Streamer, Cheap Price

19 December 2022 @ 6:01 pm

The first ultrabudget streamer with a voice remote talks circles around Roku.

2023 Land Rover Range Rover Review: Running Out of Room for Improvement

14 December 2022 @ 10:00 am

The latest generation of the ubiquitous luxury SUV is damn near perfect.

Roku Streambar Review: Instant Sound and 4K Streaming Upgrade

4 December 2022 @ 11:00 am

Editor's Choice: This tiny bar adds great 4K HDR streaming, and solid sound, to any TV.

Anker Nebula Mars II Pro Review: Petite Portable Projector Performs Proficiently

1 December 2022 @ 3:31 pm

Editor's Choice: This tiny, battery-powered entertainment machine does a lot of things right.

BenQ HT2050A Review: Great (Big) Picture for the Money

1 December 2022 @ 12:00 am

Editor's Choice: Excellent contrast, accurate color and solid features make it our favorite sub-$1,000 projector for 2020.

Epson Home Cinema 5050UB: Big, Bold and Beautiful

30 November 2022 @ 6:21 pm

Editor's Choice: A higher-end projector worthy of the "home cinema" moniker.

2023 BMW iX M60 Review: Electric Excess, Not Necessarily the Best

24 November 2022 @ 11:00 am

The more powerful spec of BMW's iX electric SUV is certainly quicker than the base model, but that extra oomph comes at too high a cost.

LG C2 OLED TV Review: Best High-End TV for the Money

15 November 2022 @ 3:53 pm

The C2 sets the pace for 2022 with superb picture quality, numerous sizes and a track record of success.

AnandTech

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hardware analysis and news

End of the Road: An AnandTech Farewell

30 August 2024 @ 12:00 pm

It is with great sadness that I find myself penning the hardest news post I’ve ever needed to write here at AnandTech. After over 27 years of covering the wide – and wild – world of computing hardware, today is AnandTech’s final day of publication. For better or worse, we’ve reached the end of a long journey – one that started with a review of an AMD processor, and has ended with the review of an AMD processor. It’s fittingly poetic, but it is also a testament to the fact that we’ve spent the last 27 years doing what we love, covering the chips that are the lifeblood of the computing industry. A lot of things have changed in the last quarter-century – in 1997 NVIDIA had yet to even coin the term “GPU” – and we’ve been fortunate t

The Corsair iCUE LINK TITAN 360 RX RGB AIO Cooler Review: Meticulous, But Pricey

29 August 2024 @ 5:00 pm

Corsair, a longstanding and esteemed manufacturer in the PC components industry, initially built its reputation on memory-related products. However, nearly two decades ago, Corsair began diversifying its product line. This expansion started cautiously, with a limited number of products, but quickly proved to be highly successful, propelling Corsair into the industry powerhouse it is today. One of Corsair's most triumphant product categories is all-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers. This success is particularly notable given that their initial foray into liquid cooling in 2003 did not meet expectations. However, Corsair didn’t throw in the towel. Undeterred, they re-entered the market years later, leveraging the growing popularity of user-friendly, maintenance-free AIO designs. This gamble paid off handsomely, as AIO coolers are now one of Corsair’s flagship product lines, boasting a wide array of models. In this review, we focus on the latest addition

The iBUYPOWER AW4 360 AIO Cooler Review: A Good First Effort

29 August 2024 @ 12:00 pm

iBUYPOWER is a U.S.-based company known for its custom-built gaming PCs and peripherals. Established in 1999, the company offers a wide range of self-branded products, including pre-built desktop computers, laptops, and gaming accessories. These products are designed to cater to various performance needs, from casual gaming to high-end competitive gaming. iBUYPOWER is particularly recognized for its customizable gaming PCs, allowing users to choose specific components according to their preferences. The company's self-branded peripherals, like keyboards, mice, and headsets, are designed to complement their gaming systems, providing a cohesive experience for gamers. iBUYPOWER also offers a selection of cooling-related products, including air and liquid cooling solutions, tailored to ensure optimal thermal performance and custom aesthetics for their gaming systems. Most of these products are from other manufacturers, but the company is also branching out into selling thei

The Cougar Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB AIO Cooler Review: Bright Lights, Average Cooling

28 August 2024 @ 12:00 pm

Cougar, established in 2008, has become a notable name in the PC hardware market, particularly among gamers and enthusiasts. While Cougar might appear to be a relatively recent addition to the industry, it is backed by HEC/Compucase, a veteran in the PC market known primarily for its OEM products. Cougar was created as a subsidiary to focus on developing and marketing high-performance products tailored to the needs of gamers and PC enthusiasts. Initially, Cougar focused primarily on PC cases, gradually expanding its product lineup as the brand gained recognition. Over the years, Cougar has successfully diversified its offerings to include a wide range of products, from gaming chairs to mechanical keyboards. This strategic expansion has allowed Cougar to establish a strong presence in the gaming hardware market. In this review, we are focusing on Cougar's latest entry into the liquid cooling market, the Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB cooler. The Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB

Sabrent Rocket nano V2 External SSD Review: Phison U18 in a Solid Offering

27 August 2024 @ 3:30 pm

Sabrent's lineup of internal and external SSDs is popular among enthusiasts. The primary reason is the company's tendency to be among the first to market with products based on the latest controllers, while also delivering an excellent value proposition. The company has a long-standing relationship with Phison and adopts its controllers for many of their products. The company's 2 GBps-class portable SSD - the Rocket nano V2 - is based on Phison's U18 native controller. Read on for a detailed look at the Rocket nano V2 External SSD, including an analysis of its performance consistency, power consumption, and thermal profile.

The Endorfy Fortis 5 Dual Fan CPU Cooler Review: Towering Value

27 August 2024 @ 12:00 pm

Standard CPU coolers, while adequate for managing basic thermal loads, often fall short in terms of noise reduction and superior cooling efficiency. This limitation drives advanced users and system builders to seek aftermarket solutions tailored to their specific needs. The high-end aftermarket cooler market is highly competitive, with manufacturers striving to offer products with exceptional performance. Endorfy, previously known as SilentiumPC, is a Polish manufacturer that has undergone a significant transformation to expand its presence in global markets. The brand is known for delivering high-performance cooling solutions with a strong focus on balancing efficiency and affordability. By rebranding as Endorfy, the company aims to enter premium market segments while continuing to offer reliable, high-quality cooling products. SilentiumPC became very popular in the value/mainstream segments of the PC market with their products, the spearhead of which probably was

ACEMAGIC F2A 125H SFF PC Review: Mid-Range Meteor Lake at 65W

26 August 2024 @ 12:00 pm

Intel's Meteor Lake series of processors was launched in September 2023 with a focus on mobile platforms. Multiple mini-PC vendors have utilized these processors to market offerings in the SFF / UCFF desktop market. ACEMAGIC is an Asian manufacturer with products in multiple categories including micro-PCs, UCFF (ultra-compact form-factor) and SFF (small form-factor) PCs, and notebooks. They were one of the first to market with Meteor Lake-based desktop systems. The ACEMAGIC F2A 125H is the entry-level version of the F2A line, equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor. It is a bit larger than the traditional NUCs, slotting it in the SFF category. However, that allows for the processor to be operated at 65W (compared to the 28 - 40W adopted in the UCFF systems). Read on for a comprehensive look at the performance and features of the ACEMAGIC F2A 125H, including some comments on the pros and cons of the higher operating power as well as other design decisions.

MediaTek to Add NVIDIA G-Sync Support to Monitor Scalers, Make G-Sync Displays More Accessible

20 August 2024 @ 9:30 pm

NVIDIA on Tuesday said that future monitor scalers from MediaTek will support its G-Sync technologies. NVIDIA is partnering with MediaTek to integrate its full range of G-Sync technologies into future monitors without requiring a standalone G-Sync module, which makes advanced gaming features more accessible across a broader range of displays. Traditionally, G-Sync technology relied on a dedicated G-sync module – based on an Altera FPGA – to handle syncing display refresh rates with the GPU in order to reduce screen tearing, stutter, and input lag. As a more basic solution, in 2019 NVIDIA introduced G-Sync Compatible certification and branding, which leveraged the industry-standard VESA AdaptiveSync technology to handl

Qualcomm Adds Snapdragon 7s Gen 3: Mid-Tier Snapdragon Gets Cortex-A720 Treatment

20 August 2024 @ 1:00 pm

Qualcomm this morning is taking the wraps off of a new smartphone SoC for the mid-range market, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. The second of Qualcomm’s down-market ‘S’ tier Snapdragon 7 parts, the 7s series is functionally the entry-level tier for the Snapdragon 7 family – and really, most Qualcomm-powered handsets in North America. With three tiers of Snapdragon 7 chips, the 7s can easily be lost in the noise that comes with more powerful chips. But the latest iteration of the 7s is a bit more interesting than usual, as rather than reusing an existing die, Qualcomm has seemingly minted a whole new die for this part. As a result, the company has upgraded the 7s family to use Arm’s current Armv9 CPU

CXL Gathers Momentum at FMS 2024

19 August 2024 @ 12:00 pm

The CXL consortium has had a regular presence at FMS (which rechristened itself from 'Flash Memory Summit' to the 'Future of Memory and Storage' this year). Back at FMS 2022, the company had announced v3.0 of the CXL specifications. This was followed by CXL 3.1's introduction at Supercomputing 2023. Having started off as a host to device interconnect standard, it had slowly subsumed other competing standards such as OpenCAPI and Gen-Z. As a result, the specif

TomsHardware.co.uk

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Hardware News, Tests and Reviews

Microsoft only planned for 200,000 users for Flight Simulator launch, admits drastic underestimate led to database being overwhelmed

20 November 2024 @ 9:02 pm

In a YouTube video, Microsoft revealed that only stress-tested the MSFS 2024 database with 200,000 virtual users. This drastic underestimate led to the database being overwhelmed and crashing on launch day.

D-Link has another security flaw with older equipment that won't be repaired — D-Link told users to replace outdated NAS last week

20 November 2024 @ 8:42 pm

D-Link says it will not fix a security flaw found in routers due to end-of-life concerns and instead suggests users buy new routers. This comes on the heels of the company refusing to fix a security flaw in NAS devices just last week.

Stalker 2 PC performance testing and settings analysis — another demanding game that uses frame generation and upscaling as a crutch

20 November 2024 @ 7:58 pm

Stalker 2 arrives with steep PC system requirements and an assumption that everyone should be using some form of frame generation, or at least that seems to be the takeaway from the benchmarks we've conducted. The game looks good, but Unreal Engine 5 proves to be very demanding yet again.

Lenovo warns of potential RTX 5050 mobile GPU price hike — budget mobile Blackwell GPU rumored to co-exist with the RTX 4050

20 November 2024 @ 7:12 pm

Lenovo's Project Manager at Weibo says that RTX 4050 sales will continue alongside the RTX 5050 - suggesting a higher price tag for the latter.

Nvidia's Blackwell AI GPU overheating issues are seemingly overhyped — semiconductor analysts reveal cooling issues have been mostly addressed

20 November 2024 @ 6:44 pm

Analysis report that Nvidia's Blackwell overheating problems are over-exaggerated. Overheating issues have been purportedly largely addressed already.

Jaguar Shores is the successor to Intel's Falcon Shores AI accelerators — Gaudi ASICs and Xe-HPC GPUs united in a single lineup

20 November 2024 @ 5:29 pm

Intel has revealed the codename for the successor of its Falcon Shores AI accelerators - termed Jaguar Shores - poised for a 2026 launch.

China's chipmaking champion soars amid country's push for self-reliance — SMIC's stock jumps 120% as semiconductor trade war intensifies

20 November 2024 @ 5:18 pm

SMIC's stock price have doubled over the past two month over the expectation of increasing local demand.

Cerebras video shows AI writing code 75x faster than world's fastest AI GPU cloud — world's largest chip beats AWS's fastest in head-to-head comparison

20 November 2024 @ 5:13 pm

Llama 3.1 405B runs at nearly a thousand tokens a second on Cerebras Inference, and took a quarter of a second to get the first token.

Rebootless updates come to Windows 11 Enterprise and 365 for security updates — Microsoft releases hotpatching for Windows 11 Enterprise 24H2 and Windows 365 Preview Editions

20 November 2024 @ 4:21 pm

Microsoft began rolling out the much-anticipated hotpatch update for security updates in Windows 11 Enterprise 24H2 and Microsoft 365 Preview Builds.

Bjorn is a Raspberry Pi-powered Tamagotchi-like network pen-testing tool

20 November 2024 @ 4:18 pm

Infinition has created a Tamagotchi-like network pen testing tool that runs on a Raspberry Pi using eink display HATs.