The second season of the smash hit sci-fi drama Severancefinally premieres on January 17. However, Apple just threw us a bone by dropping the first eight minutes of the season. It’s been nearly three years since season one completed its run, so this is a nice little holiday gift.
You can find the exclusive preview on the Apple TV+ app under the Bonus Content section of the Severance page. There will be no spoilers here, but the snippet does get into the fallout of the events of season one and may even touch on that surprising cliffhanger.
For the uninitiated, Severance is a sci-fi take on work/life balance in which certain employees at a shadowy corporation “sever” their work selves from their regular selves. This results in a harrowing, and occasionally hilarious, treatise about human identity and the lengths our corporate overlords will go to make a buck. It’s very good. Best of all? Newbies won’t have to wait three full years to watch season two.
Apple TV+ also just posted a bunch of images to social media that heavily imply its planning on a free weekend of sorts for non-subscribers, scheduled for January 4 and 5. The images are all tagged with slogans like “see for yourself” and “save the date.”
If true, this would be a mighty fine way to check out Apple’s impressive slate of sci-fi originals without ponying up for a subscription. The streamer has become the de facto home of sci-fi in recent years, airing standout programs like Severance, Silo, Foundation and For All Mankind, among many others.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/apple-just-dropped-the-first-eight-minutes-of-severance-season-two-181627223.html?src=rss
LG may have the earliest big press conference of CES, but the Korean electronics giant still can’t help announcing a bunch of products ahead of the show. As ever, the pile of news is a mixed bag with a few interesting additions. These plant lamps undoubtedly qualify as the latter. Details on the products — […]
Did you just unwrap a new pair of AirPods Pro this holiday season? If so, there are a surprising number of AirPods Pro features to make sure you’re taking advantage of. Here are some of my recommendations for new users.
Researchers at the University of Leeds recently demonstrated a framework for a quadruped robot with a design inspired by the biomechanics of four-legged animals. The versatile robot is able to navigate complex environments, maintain stability on uneven ground, and recover after a fall — all without the use of extra-perceptive sensors.
“It was concluded that most of the criteria provided for by law support the extradition request of the competent authorities of the United States of America,” a machine-translated version of Montenegro’s Ministry of Justice’s statement said. It doesn’t say when Montenegro plans on releasing Kwon to the US. As noted by Bloomberg, it’s also unclear whether this decision is final, since Montenegro ruled to extradite Kwon to South Korea in August.
In the latest Android Auto update, Google is widely rolling out a new music players for all apps including the likes of Spotify, Apple Music, and more.
I've lost count of the number of things we reviewed this year at Engadget. In 2024, the types of products we tested ranged from the typical phones, laptops and headphones to AI wearables, robotic lawnmowers and handheld gaming consoles, alongside games and shows. It can feel hard to keep track of it all, but thankfully, our scoring system helps us highlight the best (and the worst) devices each year.
Our team of reviewers and editors evaluate products based on their performance, value and how they hold up against the competition, and at least two people weigh in on every score before it's published. If something gets a result of 80 and up, it's considered a "Recommended" product, while those scoring 90 and more are awarded "Editors' Choice." The latter means they're the best in their class, beating out most of the competition.
Since we have to be very judicious about what we review (there's only so much time in the world), most of the gadgets we call in are from established companies with a track record of making things people will actually consider buying. That's the main reason most of our scores sit between 80 and 90, though we still test the occasional device that ends up getting a number below 70.
As we look back on the year in gadgets, here are the 12 highest-scored reviews we published. Unsurprisingly, they're mostly of Apple and Google products, with a smattering of cameras and drones. I'm also including some honorable mentions for good measure, as well as a pair of the lowest-rated devices all year. May we have only excellent gadgets to review next year, and may there be less e-waste all around.
Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL
I'm honestly shocked. For the first time in years, we've given a Google phone a higher score than an iPhone in the same year. Maybe it has something to do with Gemini AI launching earlier than Apple Intelligence, or the fun colors and solid build of the Pixel 9 Pro series. But as I discussed the scores with our reviewer Mat Smith, a few things added up. Arguably the biggest advantage Google has over Apple this year is battery life — the Pixel 9 Pros generally last about two days on a charge, while the iPhone 16 Pro series typically clocks just around 20 hours. We also love Google's cameras and the bright, smooth displays. The gorgeous palette of pastel color options is just icing on a satisfying cake, with Gemini AI bringing a tasty side treat.
DJI Avata 2
Though there is looming concern over DJI's longevity in the US, the company has otherwise had a relatively successful 2024. This year saw many DJI products scoring more than 90 in our database, which makes sense as they are arguably the best drone maker around. Steve was most impressed by the Avata 2, though, thanks to its great video quality and maneuverability for a lower price than its predecessor. It even has better battery life, to boot.
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
Apple Intelligence wasn't available when the iPhone 16 series launched and only recently rolled out, so our review score might still change, But as it is, and after months of using the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max in my daily life, I stand by my evaluation. Though there's a lot to like about Apple's latest flagships, I was just so disappointed by the relatively poor battery life that I could not score it higher than the Pixel 9 Pro series. This is more noticeable on the iPhone 16 Pro, though, as the Pro Max generally lasts a few more hours than its smaller counterpart. I also wish the generative-AI features were ready for the public at the time of my review, but now that I've spent more time with Genmoji, Image Playground and notification summaries, I'm pretty sure my verdict remains the same. These Apple Intelligence features are fun, but not game-changing, and with or without them the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are still the best options for anyone on iOS.
Canon EOS R5 II
We've got a slew of reviews by Steve on this list, mostly for products in cameras and drones that ranked well in their categories. As a Canon girl myself, I was happy to see the EOS R5 II get such a good rating, especially since competition has been heating up. Sadly, the EOS R5 II also heats up when shooting high-res video, but on pretty much every other aspect, it performs respectably. According to Steve, this camera "puts Sony on notice," and I'm glad to see it.
Sony A9 III
Reviewed much earlier in the year, the Sony A9 III caught Steve's attention for its speedy global shutter, which brought fast and accurate autofocus. It also delivered smooth, high-quality video in a body with excellent handling thanks to Sony's comfortable new grip. Steve also loved the viewfinder, and though it's very expensive at $6,000, the A9 III is a solid product that holds the title of "fastest full-frame camera" — at least, until something faster comes along.
DJI Air 3S and DJI Neo
What lightweight $200 drone shoots good 1080p video but also screams like a banshee? That would be the DJI Neo, which, despite Steve's evocative description, is something I'm considering buying for myself. Not only is it reasonably priced, but it also promises to capture smooth aerial footage at a respectable resolution. Steve also found it beginner-friendly, which is important for a lousy pilot like me. And sure, maybe I'll scare some wildlife or neighbors with its loud screeching, but maybe that's part of the fun?
If you want something that can avoid people or obstacles and deliver cinematic shots, the DJI Air 3S is a solid option thanks to its LiDAR and larger camera sensor, both of which improve performance and obstacle-detection in low light. You'll have to pay about five times the Neo's cost, of course, but aspiring Spielbergs might find that price worthwhile.
MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2024) and MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2024)
I'm not surprised that the only laptops to make it to this list are this year's M4 MacBook Pros. Apple has demonstrated over the last few years that its M-series processors deliver excellent performance and battery life, and it's continued to prove its point in 2024. This year's model features brighter screens and improved webcams, as well as slight bumps in RAM and storage. I'm a Windows user, but even I have to admit that what Apple is doing with the MacBooks is something that Microsoft and all its partners on the PC side have struggled to fully replicate.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)
What PC makers do excel at is power and creativity. When it's not experimenting with dual-screen laptops, ASUS is pushing out capable gaming laptops in its Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand. This year, our reviewer Sam Rutherford's top-scored product is the ROG Zephyrus G14, which he declared "the 14-inch gaming laptop to beat." Sam hasn't given out a higher score at all this year, so it stands to reason we have yet to see a gaming notebook steal that crown. The Zephyrus G14 won Sam over with its beautiful OLED screen, attractive yet subtle design and generous array of ports. Though he's not a fan of its soldered-in RAM and ASUS' Armoury Crate app, Sam still found plenty to like, calling it "both pound for pound and dollar for dollar the best choice around."
But I wanted to shout out Daniel Cooper's review of the reMarkable Paper Pro. It's a gadget that's brought back waves of nostalgia and sentimentality in a time when we're all tired of constantly being wired in. It's one of the highest-rated products of its kind, not only because it's a capable writing tablet, but also because it is a color e-paper tablet that has a bigger screen and faster performance than its monochrome predecessor. At $580 to start, it's certainly a significant investment, but one that might free us from feeling chained to our laptops and phones.
Worst products we reviewed this year: Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1
In all my 8-plus years at Engadget, I can only remember one other time we've awarded anything a sub-60 score, and that was when Fisher-Price's Sproutling wearable baby monitor gave our editor's baby an eczema outbreak. The Sproutling got an appropriately all-time low score of 41, and this year, the Rabbit R1 broke that bottom when Devindra decided it deserved only 40 points.
The Rabbit R1 first made waves at CES 2024, when it showed up out of nowhere and enticed many of us with its cute looks and bright orange color. Its Teenage Engineering heritage was even more alluring, and we all wanted to try out the Playdate-esque scroll wheel for ourselves. The square device also came with an onboard camera, two microphones, rotating camera and a 2.88-inch display. But its biggest promise was, as with everything in 2024, all about AI.
And with many things in 2024, the AI promise fell flat. Rabbit made bold claims about its "large action model," but in actuality, at the time of our review, the R1 could barely execute tasks to completion. Instead of letting you easily make orders via DoorDash, for example, it would "often deliver the weather when I asked for traffic," according to Devindra's review. Worse, "sometimes it would hear my request and simply do nothing."
Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget
I had a similarly frustrating experience when testing the much-hyped Humane AI Pin. It was a shiny chrome square that you could attach to your clothes and interact with either by voice, touch or via a futuristic-looking projector that beamed a display onto your palm. You were supposed to be able to simply talk to the Humane AI assistant to get it to remember things for and about you, eventually coming to rely on it like a second brain.
Instead, we got a hot mess. Quite literally. The Humane AI Pin would frequently run so hot that it would stop working, with the device saying it needed to cool down for a bit before you could use it again. When it did work, it was barely smart enough to answer questions, and though the projector was cool visually, using it to do anything was frustrating and just led to sore arms and crossed eyes. Not only did it not do enough to justify the effort involved in using it, the Humane AI Pin also cost $700 — way too much for a product this finicky.
It gets worse (or better, depending on how you're reading this). Shortly after it was widely criticized by reviewers in April, leaked internal documents showed that people appeared to be returning the AI Pins faster than the company was selling them. In October, Humane had to issue a recall for its charging case due to overheating, with the Consumer Product Safety Commission saying it posed "a fire hazard."
I gave the Humane AI Pin a score of 50 in my review, in large part due to the intriguing projector display. Right now, though, it seems these AI gadgets are, at best, struggling to take hold. At worst, they're on fire.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-12-best-gadgets-we-reviewed-this-year-173024990.html?src=rss
Beats updated its high-end flagship wireless headphones last year, bringing a slew of upgrades over the Studio 3 Wireless, the model it replaced. The Beats Studio Pro has better sound, active noise cancellation (ANC), Spatial Audio and more. But at $350, it didn’t necessarily stand out among stiff competition from Sony and Bose. Well, today at Amazon, the premium headphones have a new draw that those rivals don’t: They’re on sale for a mere $170. That’s 51 percent off and only $10 more than the record low.
Although the Beats Studio Pro doesn’t look starkly different from the Studio 3 Wireless it replaced, it adds subtle aesthetic touches like new colors, a tone-on-tone finish and UltraPlush memory foam (wrapped in leather) earpads. Of course, you still get the brand’s iconic lower-case “b” logo on each earpiece.
But the biggest changes are on the inside. Using Beats’ second-gen audio chip and new 40mm drivers with a two-layer diaphragm, micro vents and acoustic mesh, they have improved clarity and a more balanced profile than the Studio 3 Wireless. Although Beats was once known for overpowering bass at the expense of mids, highs and clarity, that’s no longer the case. Engadget’s audio guru, Billy Steele, found that the cans produced even-handed tuning and attention to precision once unheard of in the brand’s pre-Apple days.
The Studio Pro also has Spatial Audio, familiar to anyone who’s used Apple’s recent AirPods. (Bose also added its equivalent in its Ultra line.) The technology simulates 64 speakers around you, creating a more distinct separation between instruments and voices. You can choose between head-tracked and fixed modes, too. However, the digital trickery’s effectiveness can vary depending on the track, ranging from breathing new life into old tracks to hardly providing a noticeable difference in some other genres.
The headphones also let you listen to high-resolution and lossless music via USB-C wired listening — up to 24-bit / 48kHz. They also have a transparency mode, up to 40 hours of listening with ANC off (or around 24 hours with ANC or transparency mode on) and a fast-fuel feature that gives you four hours of playback after just a 10-minute charge.
If ANC isn’t your priority, you may want to look at the cheaper Beats Solo 4, also on sale. Offering better sound quality and longer battery life over the Solo 3, this 2024 model is on sale at Amazon for $100 — half off.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-beats-studio-pro-headphones-are-half-off-right-now-172541818.html?src=rss
Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and other members of President-elect Donald Trump’s Silicon Valley coalition are clashing with the MAGA movement’s hardline anti-immigrant faction, and it’s allegedly resulted in Musk stripping far-right critics’ verification badges on X.
The conflict centers on Musk and Ramaswamy’s recent praise for foreign tech workers, beginning soon after Indian immigrant Sriram Krishnan joined the team of Trump’s AI and crypto czar David Sacks. It’s pitted Trump’s tech mogul donor class against his older network of far-right influencers like activist and Trump companion Laura Loomer while escalating into racist rhetoric against Indian Americans in particular. The ugly, extremely online fight between the American far-right influence network parallels the immigration debate currently being hashed out more quietly in Washington.
Anti-immigrant rhetoric was a cornerstone of Trump’s pitch to voters; on top of promoting false, racist rumors about immigrants and promising mass deportations that could destabilize the American economy, he’s expected to revive an H-1B visa crackdown that he imposed during his first term. At the same time, Trump is leaning heavily on...
The Beats Fit Pro offer built-in wing tips and excellent noise cancellation, making them a great pair of gym-friendly earbuds. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
If you need help shedding pounds from all the junk food you indulged in over Christmas, music is a great activity motivator — which is why wireless earbuds are a useful investment. Luckily, today the Beats Fit Pro — our favorite pair of earbuds for working out — are matching their all-time low price of about $149 ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.
The Beats Fit Pro offer a wide range of features that’ll help you keep motivated while working out. They sport excellent noise cancellation and a transparency mode that sounds natural, so you can tune distractions out and allow outside sound in when needed. They’re also designed for vigorous workouts, with built-in wing tips to keep them firmly in place and IPX4 rating for water resistance.
Even more conveniently, the wireless earbuds offer a host of Apple-centric features typically reserved for AirPods, like support for head tracking spatial audio, Find My, and automatic device switching. They also work well with Android devices, though you won’t be able to take advantage of native Android features like Fast Pairing that are found in newer models like the Studio Buds Plus. All in all, these are a fantastic pair of fitness-friendly earbuds that most people will find helpful, even if they do lack a wireless charging case.
Epicka’s Universal Travel Adapter has returned to its all-time low price of $19.99 ($5 off) at Amazon. The all-in-one adapter features four USB-A ports, a single USB-C port, and one AC socket, allowing you to simultaneously charge smartphones, laptops, tablets, and other gadgets. The adapter also works in over 150 countries, ranging from the UK and Canada to Japan, China, Australia, Argentina, and more.
Target is still selling the green Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Instant Camera Gift Set for $79.99 ($10 off) and throwing in a $5 gift card. The instant camera is my top pick for most people, as it’s easy for all ages to use and prints relatively true to life photos. The bundle also includes a pack of ten sheets, a photo album, camera case, and stickers, making it an excellent value all around even if you just plan on gifting it to yourself.
Joining the ongoing Samsung New Year’s Savings sale and the $200 price drops on Galaxy Tab S10+/Ultra configurations, today we are highlighting your last chance at the major Google Pixel offers. The end of year sale is soon to wrap up and there is still up to $300 in savings at the ready on Google Pixel 9/Pro/Fold devices alongside deals on Pixel Tablet, Pixel Watch 3, and more. From there we move over to a new all-time low on Dell’s new XPS 13 Copilot+ PC with Intel’s Lunar Lake Ultra 7 chip and one of the best prices ever on LG’s brilliant 55-inch C4 OLED smart TV at $1,047 ($750 under the 2024 launch price). Everything else awaits down below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.
Bill Lawrence has been behind three of the most successful Apple TV+ shows to date. He’s co-creator of Ted Lasso, Shrinking, and Bad Monkey. In a new interview with The Los Angeles Times, Lawrence has spilled new details on the upcoming Ted Lasso season 4 and Shrinking season 3.
Alongside a sweet ongoing Amazon all-time low on the 16GB/512GB M4 Mac mini as well as up to $300 off M4 Pro MacBook Pro models, we have a fresh batch of deals today. Best Buy has now launched a giant New Year sale with up to $400 off M3 MacBooks, iPad offers, and more, but Amazon also landed today with the return of all-time low prices on select M2 iPad Air configurations at up to $149 off alongside a SanDisk storage sale and all five colors of the 2024 Beats Pill at Black Friday pricing. But perhaps most notable of all, Nomad is giving folks one last chance to save on some of the best accessories for all of the Apple gear you might have just scored for the holidays – all of the details you need are right here and everything else is down below.
