Welcome to your weekend! Now that Apple's new laptop is here, it's time to tear it apart and look inside. Disney is responding to Simpsons fans, and Amazon has a new high-quality Echo speaker. Finally, there's a new episode of the Engadget Podcast and we'll look back at some highlights from this week like our hands-on with Motorola's new foldable RAZR.
Naturally, the teardown team at iFixit was bound to get their hands on the 16-inch MacBook Pro and see exactly how its keyboard works. Just as expected, the new keyboard is nearly identical to the one in the 2015 MacBook Pro as well as Apple's external Bluetooth Magic Keyboard.
In a repeat of an issue that occurred when FXX started playing old Simpsons episodes a few years ago, someone decided to crop and zoom older content so it fills out an HD widescreen frame. In a statement, a Disney spokesperson said that "in early 2020" it will offer a toggle for the first 19 seasons of episodes so people can choose to view them in their original format -- important for many visual gags that extend to the top or bottom of the frame.
After months of thinking, curating, photographing and more thinking, we've come up with a holiday gift guide that covers all the bases (and budgets), from laptops and mobile devices, to toys, to the smart home, to book and media recommendations (only on nerdy subjects, of course). All told, there are more than 150 items in our guide, spanning 13 categories, with advice from 25 of our writers and editors. You know, the people testing and reviewing this stuff all year long.
To get the most out of this Echo Studio, Billy Steele writes that you'll want to consider a high-res streaming plan like Amazon Music HD. The 3D audio options are a bit limited for now, but even regular Spotify sounds great on this thing. It's by far the best-sounding Echo yet, and probably will be for the foreseeable future.
This is the second time this year the company has raised its rate on live television streaming. In February, there was a $5/month hike to $45.99 -- up from the $39.99 price when the service debuted in 2017. Now it's going up to $54.99, as of December 18th.
Even in pre-production form, Roberto Baldwin reports the Taycan Turbo S EV feels solid and ready for everything from cruising around town to tackling the track.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Welcome to your weekend! Now that Apple's new laptop is here, it's time to tear it apart and look inside. Disney is responding to Simpsons fans, and Amazon has a new high-quality Echo speaker. Finally, there's a new episode of the Engadget Podcast and we'll look back at some highlights from this week like our hands-on with Motorola's new foldable RAZR.
Naturally, the teardown team at iFixit was bound to get their hands on the 16-inch MacBook Pro and see exactly how its keyboard works. Just as expected, the new keyboard is nearly identical to the one in the 2015 MacBook Pro as well as Apple's external Bluetooth Magic Keyboard.
In a repeat of an issue that occurred when FXX started playing old Simpsons episodes a few years ago, someone decided to crop and zoom older content so it fills out an HD widescreen frame. In a statement, a Disney spokesperson said that "in early 2020" it will offer a toggle for the first 19 seasons of episodes so people can choose to view them in their original format -- important for many visual gags that extend to the top or bottom of the frame.
After months of thinking, curating, photographing and more thinking, we've come up with a holiday gift guide that covers all the bases (and budgets), from laptops and mobile devices, to toys, to the smart home, to book and media recommendations (only on nerdy subjects, of course). All told, there are more than 150 items in our guide, spanning 13 categories, with advice from 25 of our writers and editors. You know, the people testing and reviewing this stuff all year long.
To get the most out of this Echo Studio, Billy Steele writes that you'll want to consider a high-res streaming plan like Amazon Music HD. The 3D audio options are a bit limited for now, but even regular Spotify sounds great on this thing. It's by far the best-sounding Echo yet, and probably will be for the foreseeable future.
This is the second time this year the company has raised its rate on live television streaming. In February, there was a $5/month hike to $45.99 -- up from the $39.99 price when the service debuted in 2017. Now it's going up to $54.99, as of December 18th.
Even in pre-production form, Roberto Baldwin reports the Taycan Turbo S EV feels solid and ready for everything from cruising around town to tackling the track.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
It used to be that Black Friday deals were only available on Friday, but now it's turned into a month-long event that seems to get bigger and bigger each year. While some of the best deals may only be available on Black Friday, and door buster offerings may start as early as the evening of Thanksgiving Day, that doesn't mean that you can't already score some pretty wild deals right this very minute.
Source: Android Central
Retailers are trying to maximize exposure during this time of the year, which means that select items are going on sale ahead of the big day. You may be wondering if the prices will drop lower on Black Friday, or if it's worth shopping early, so let's answer some of your questions, and show you some of the best deals. We are currently just 14 days away from Black Friday, so it's time to get serious here.
Best Black Friday deals available right now!
Product or Service
Deal Price
Meross Smart Garage Opener
$29 at Amazon
Gravity Blanket: The Weighted Blanket for Sleep
$162 at Amazon
IPVanish VPN Subscription
$3.25 per month at IPVanish
Echo Dot w/ Clock + Smart Plg
$45 at Amazon
Amazon Music Unlimited
$1 at Amazon
Mint Mobile
$15 per month at Mint Mobile
AirPods Pro
$235 at Amazon
Amazon Echo Show 8
$100 at Amazon
Roborock S5 Robotic Vacuum
$370 at Amazon
Kindle Unlimited 6-month Subscription
$29.97 at Amazon
SiriusXM Essential 1-Month Subscription
Free at SiriusXM
That's right, some of the advertised Black Friday pricing is available starting right now. You can save pretty big chunks of change on a variety of products. Let's take a look at some of the best deals that you can buy today so you skip the lines later this month.
Meross Smart Garage Door Opener
If you haven't thought of making your garage door smarter yet, now is the best time to do it. Clipping the $20 off on-page coupon makes this Meross Smart Garage Opener kit the lowest price we've ever seen it go for. You can install it in just minutes and once it's all set up you can get alerts of the garage door status right to your phone, and even open and close it from anywhere in the world without worrying.
This open adds smarts to just about any and every garage door opener system that was installed after 1993. It gives you controls and alerts right from your phone, which is awesome.
Gravity Weighted Blanket
There are lots of benefits to weighted blankets, from keeping you warm to helping reducee some stress and make it easier to fall asleep. The Gravity Blanket is one of the best weighted blankets out there, but it comes with a hefty price tag in comparison to some of the other options. Today's one-day discount brings it down to the lowest price we have ever seen, and saves you nearly $90 on the purchase.
It may still be a bit on the pricey side, but this is one of the only times this has ever been discounted, and it's quite a big saving so don't miss out.
IPVanish VPN Subscription
Things are not what they used to be, and unfortunately not everyone can be trusted. Whether you're browsing from home or at a cafe, doing it on an unsecured connection can be dangerous. VPNs have become more popular in the recent years, and there's a good reason for it. IPVanish is one of our favorite services, and thanks to its Black Friday pricing you can get protected for as little as $3.25 a month when you redeem coupon code CYBERDEAL19.
A VPN is a smart choice these days, and you don't need to go broke to add the protection you deserve. Be sure to use coupon code CYBERDEAL19 to get the lowered monthly cost.
Amazon Echo Dot w/Clock + Smart Plug
This updated Dot was only released a few weeks ago but you can already make a killer saving on it. Amazon is offering a bundle with a free smart plug, or you can grab it with a smart bulb instead for just $5 more. This looks just like the 3rd-gen Echo Dot did, with the exception of the built-in LED clock that shows you the time. It's great for night stands, desks, and more.
This is the newest Echo Dot from Amazon, and it's already down to its best price yet. There's a minor shipping delay, so get your order in now!
Amazon Music Unlimited
Ahead of the big Black Friday push, Amazon has discounted its own Music Unlimited streaming service. You can get four months of access, which includes millions of songs that you can access anywhere using an app on your phone or tablet, for just $1. This saves you about $39 compared to the regular price, and makes it a no-brainer choice. It's 25 cents a month, how can you pass that up?
It's four months of access for just $1. It includes millions of songs, hands-free listening with Alexa, and more.
Mint Mobile
Mint Mobile has already kicked off its Black Friday promotion, and it's one of the best carrier deals we will see this month. The carrier is offering 12GB of data for just $15 a month, but you need to prepay for 3 months. That means you pay $45 to get three months of service, after which it renews at regular pricing.
This promo scores you the biggest data allotment that Mint offers at the lowest price we've seen. Don't miss out.
Apple AirPods Pro
Black Friday is sure to bring lots of deals to the AirPods lineup, but one of the best is here right now. The recently-released AirPods Pro are already discounted at Amazon, which is a bit rare. We don't see many discounts on new Apple products, but that's not stopping these from being on sale. There is a shipping delay to make note of, though it's likely that Amazon will have stock available earlier than what's advertised.
These are the newest addition to the AirPods lineup, and you can already save $14 on the purchase. There is a shipping delay, but the savings may be worth it.
Amazon Echo Show 8
Though only released a little over a month ago, Amazon's all-new Echo Show 8 instantly became the best Echo Show of the bunch. Sitting between the Echo Show 5 and the original Echo Show in both size and price, today the decision of which to pick is even easier than usual thanks to a $30 discount on the Echo Show 8 bringing its cost down to just $99.99. This is the first discount to reach this new device, and there's no telling how long it might stick around. It normally sells for $130.
The all-new Echo Show 8 is equipped with an 8-inch HD display and Amazon Alexa's voice assistant which will keep you up to date on the latest news and weather announcements. You can even control other smart home devices, watch TV, and more.
Roborock S5 Robotic Vacuum
The holidays are busy enough, so why not outsource a bit of your cleaning to something else? This robot vacuum uses smart navigation to map our your home and intelligently plan routes to ensure it cleans it all. You can use the free Roborock smartphone app to monitor its progress, set schedules, and much more for it. Be sure to apply coupon code ROBOROCKBF to get the full savings here.
You'll need to use coupon code ROBOROCKBF to get the savings here. It's currently selling for $130 less than its regular price, so don't miss out.
Kindle Unlimited
Kindle Unlimited gives you access to over a million titles, spanning from technical documents to cookbooks to fantasy novels to nonfiction. Even some audiobooks are included. Need a self-help book? Want to re-read the Harry Potter books for the seventeenth time? It's all there, and it's all free with your membership. You don't need a Kindle or Fire tablet to read, either. Amazon makes it easy to read thanks to its free Kindle reading apps for iOS, Android, PC, and Mac.
For a limited time, you can score a six-month membership to Kindle Unlimited at 50% off. Unlike previous deals, you don't have to be a Prime member to take advantage of this offer, and it's open to returning customers as well.
SiriusXM Essential 1-Month Subscription
This one doesn't cost you anything, which makes it the best kind of deal. Right now, Sirius is offering a one-month free trial of its Essential Streaming Package, which allows you to listen to its service on your phone, PC, and more. Normally, it's $8 a month, and after the one free month that's how much it will renew at. You get access to 300 channels, which have a mix of music, comedy, talk radio, and more.
Sign up now to get a free 30-day trial of the service. It renews at $8 per month and includes over 300 channels.
Should you shop pre-Black Friday deals?
The answer here is not cut and dry, but in most cases we would say yes. You should absolutely already be shopping sales, and picking up things as you see them on sale. Many retailers have already dropped the Black Friday sale ads, so you can easily compare the pricing listed there to what it's available for right now. If the prices match, click buy now. There is no benefit to waiting for Black Friday and risking the item selling out or forgetting to purchase it, and being stuck then paying full price.
Will Black Friday bring lower prices?
You may or may not find lower pricing than you see right now on Black Friday itself. Retailers don't show off every single item that will be available at a discount and list the price ahead of the event, unfortunately, which means you have to take a risk. You'll need to weigh your options when shopping for some stuff, but keep in mind that making the purchase now is likely less stressful, and you won't have to worry about it selling out before you complete the transaction or missing out on the price you see.
Where should you look for Black Friday deals?
When it comes to Black Friday, just about everyone under the sun will be offering discounts. If you want to keep your searches under control, we'd recommend keeping an eye on Amazon's Black Friday offerings, along with deals at Best Buy and don't forget to check out Walmart during your pricing comparisons. These retailers offer a wide variety of product assortment, and will honestly all probably be price matching eachother during the lead up to Black Friday and on the big day.
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Microsoft has revealed that it’s planning to kill off its Cortana app for iOS and Android in January. The software maker has posted a new support article for Cortana users in the UK, Canada, and Australia that reveals Cortana for iOS and Android is disappearing in at least those markets. “To make your personal digital assistant as helpful as possible, we’re integrating Cortana into your Microsoft 365 productivity apps,” reads a support note in the UK. “As part of this evolution, on January 31st, 2020, we’re ending support for the Cortana app on Android and iOS in your market.”
It’s not clear if the Cortana for iOS and Android app will continue to operate in the US after January 31st, and we’ve reached out to Microsoft for clarification as there’s no such support article on Microsoft’s US site. The full support note also reveals that Cortana will be disappearing from Microsoft’s Android Launcher app after January 31st in the UK, Canada, and Australia.
Microsoft’s Cortana app is also used to configure settings and update the firmware for devices like the company’s Surface Headphones. Microsoft has not mentioned how Surface Headphones owners in the UK and elsewhere will continue to get access to these features.
Microsoft originally launched Cortana for iOS and Android back in December 2015, and it was originally designed to connect Windows 10 PCs and mobile phones. Despite a big redesign, Microsoft has failed to compete with other digital assistants on phone and elsewhere. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed earlier this year that the company no longer sees Cortana as a competitor to Alexa and Google Assistant.
Here’s the full support note from Microsoft’s UK site:
To make your personal digital assistant as helpful as possible, we’re integrating Cortana into your Microsoft 365 productivity apps. As part of this evolution, on January 31st, 2020, we’re ending support for the Cortana app on Android and iOS in your market. At that point, the Cortana content you created–such as reminders and lists–will no longer function in the Cortana mobile app or Microsoft Launcher, but can still be accessed through Cortana on Windows. Also, Cortana reminders, lists, and tasks are automatically synced to the Microsoft To Do app, which you can download to your phone for free.
After January 31st, 2020, the Cortana mobile app on your phone will no longer be supported and there will be an updated version of Microsoft Launcher with Cortana removed.
Wednesday’s Stadia AMAconfirmed that you’d need to use the Chromecast Ultra included with Founder’s Edition on day one. Stadia Controller pairing this evening looks to already be available on existing streaming dongles.
According to Google this week, the bundled version of the Chromecast Ultra featured the “latest firmware” to play Stadia. That said, the company hopes to update existing devices “soon after launch” to let you play on any connected TV.
That appears to already be underway with several Chromecast Ultra owners (via Reddit) running version 1.42.172094 — the current stable — reporting that a Stadia Controller linking code is appearing on screen. It takes the form of a pill-shaped bubble that says “Stadia Controller” followed by various button presses.
For those that don’t use Stadia, the code can be disabled from the Google Home app under Ambient Mode settings. Until Stadia launches on Tuesday, it’s unclear whether game streaming already works with current Ultras or whether another firmware update is required.
Google this week fully detailed the on-screen and in-app process for linking a Stadia Controller:
If you already have your Stadia account set up on your Chromecast Ultra, use the Stadia Controller to choose the Stadia account you want to log in with.
If you have not yet your Stadia account set up with your Chromecast Ultra, continue through the rest of these steps.
Use your controller to select “+” on the screen.
On your mobile device, tap your avatar in the top right corner of the Stadia app.
Tap Add account to Chromecast [your stadia account] Allow.
Tap Done to finish setup, or tap Add a security pin to add a pin to your Stadia account.
More about Google Stadia:
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Apple is this morning removing all vaping apps from the App Store following yesterday’s CDC report that says that 42 people in the US have died from lung disease associated with e-cigarette use.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that there were a further 2,172 cases of severe respiratory illnesses among those who vaped either nicotine or cannabis products…
Amid growing health concerns over e-cigarettes, Apple will remove all 181 vaping-related apps from its mobile App Store this morning, Axios has learned […]
The company has never allowed the sale of vape cartridges directly from apps. But there were apps that let people control the temperature and lighting of their vape pens, and others provided vaping-related news, social networks and games.
Apple has been headed in this direction since June, when it stopped accepting new apps that promote vaping. Those who already have a vaping-related app on their iPhone will be able to continue using the app and install it on new devices […]
Apple in a statement to Axios: “We take great care to curate the App Store as a trusted place for customers, particularly youth, to download apps. We’re constantly evaluating apps, and consulting the latest evidence, to determine risks to users’ health and well-being.
Recently, experts ranging from the CDC to the American Heart Association have attributed a variety of lung injuries and fatalities to e-cigarette and vaping products, going so far as to call the spread of these devices a public health crisis and a youth epidemic.
We agree, and we’ve updated our App Store Review Guidelines to reflect that apps encouraging or facilitating the use of these products are not permitted. As of today, these apps are no longer available to download.”
The CDC report says that more work is needed to determine the specific causes and that people should consider refraining from all usage of e-cigarette or vaping products.
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Google left thousands of machines in businesses with broken Chrome browsers this week, following a silent experimental change. Business users accessing Chrome through virtual machine environments like Citrix kept seeing white screens on open Chrome tabs, blocking access to the browser and leaving it totally unresponsive. It left many IT admins confused over the problem, as businesses typically manage and control Chrome updates.
After complaints, Google was forced to reveal it had launched an “experiment” on stable versions of Chrome that had changed the browser’s behavior. The experiment was made silently, without IT admins or users being warned about Google’s changes. Google had simply flipped the switch on a flag to enable a new WebContents Occlusion feature that’s designed to suspend Chrome tabs when you move other apps on top of them and reduce resource usage when the browser isn’t in use.
“The experiment / flag has been on in beta for ~5 months,” explained David Bienvenu, a software engineer at Google, in a Chromium bug thread. “It was turned on for stable (e.g., m77, m78) via an experiment that was pushed to released Chrome Tuesday morning. Prior to that, it had been on for about one percent of M77 and M78 users for a month with no reports of issues, unfortunately.”
Google rolled back the change late on Thursday night, following multiple reports from businesses with thousands of users affected. “I’ll rollback the launch of this experiment and try to figure out how to deal with Citrix,” noted Bienvenu in the bug thread.
“This has had a huge impact for all our Call Center agents and not being able to chat with our members,” explained a Costco IT admin in the Chromium thread. “We spent the last day and a half trying to figure this out.”
One IT admin that alerted The Verge to the issue said “we felt that this is a shady thing that Google can update Chrome silently without announcing anything and can impact 100,000+ people on a whim.” Those concerns are mirrored by hundreds of replies on Google’s support forum, the bug tracker thread, and on Twitter and Reddit.
It has left IT admins angry that they’ve wasted valuable resources and time on trying to fix issues in their environment, and questions over why Google decided to make a silent change to Chrome in the first place. “I am stunned by your response,” said one IT admin in response to Bienvenu’s confirmation on the issues. “Do you see the impact you created for thousands of us without any warning or explanation? We are not your test subjects. We are running professional services for multi million dollar programs.”
We’ve reached out to Google for comment on the Chrome issues, and we’ll update you accordingly.
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[your stadia account] 
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