Hasta La Gadget!

If you’re looking for an excellent midrange smartphone for yourself or a loved one among all the early Black Friday deals, your search may be over. Google’s Pixel 8a is on sale. It has dropped by $100 to $399.

That’s not quite the lowest price we’ve seen for the handset. It fell to $380 at one point. But this is still a good deal if you’re looking for a great phone that won’t break the bank. This price is for a configuration with 128GB of storage, but 256GB models are also $100 off at $459.

The Pixel 8a is our pick for the best midrange smartphone overall. We gave it a score of 90 in our review.

Thanks to Google’s inclusion of the Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a supports many of the same AI features that you’ll find on flagship Pixel devices. We feel that the cameras are excellent, while that 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED display sure looks pretty.

The Pixel 8a has great battery life too. It lasted for 20 hours and 29 minutes in our video rundown test, actually beating out the Pixel 8 by 13 minutes. On the downside, wireless charging is pretty slow as it maxes out at 7.5W.

The bezels are a little thicker than you might like too, but otherwise the design is fairly slick. Another plus point is that the Pixel 8a is IP67-rated for dust and water resistance, so it should be somewhat durable.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-google-pixel-8a-drops-to-399-ahead-of-black-friday-180827185.html?src=rss

LG Display has introduced a pioneering stretchable display capable of expanding by 50%, marking the highest elongation rate in the display industry. The prototype, presented on November 8 at LG Science Park in Seoul, features a 12-inch screen that stretches up to 18 inches while maintaining a high resolution of 100 pixels per inch and vibrant RGB color. The showcase involved over 100 representatives from South Korean industry, academia, and research sectors engaged in the national stretchable display project.

Stretchable displays are valued for their versatility, allowing them to bend, fold, and twist freely, adapting to irregular surfaces such as clothing and skin. LG Display’s new panel, which doubles the stretch rate of the initial prototype introduced in 2022, holds promise for applications in wearable tech, fashion, and automotive interfaces. The enhanced stretchability and durability allow the display to withstand over 10,000 stretches while maintaining image clarity, even in extreme conditions.

The breakthrough stems from advanced materials and design improvements, including a special silicon substrate inspired by contact lenses and a new wiring structure. Additionally, a micro-LED light source measuring up to 40 micrometers ensures durability and flexibility. This innovation aligns with LG Display’s commitment to develop core technologies for next-generation displays in collaboration with South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE).

As the project leader since 2020, LG Display has collaborated with 19 local industry and research entities. By advancing this technology, LG Display aims to foster a sustainable display ecosystem and establish an R&D infrastructure that supports material and component localization. CTO Soo-young Yoon emphasized the company’s commitment to building a robust partnership across South Korea’s display sector, paving the way for competitive applications of stretchable displays in diverse industries.

Flexible displays are not new; we have seen them for a while now, including in smartwatches, smartphones, and TVs. Over ten years ago, major brands launched devices with curved displays,  like the 2014 Samsung Gear S smartwatch, the 2013 LG Flex smartphone, and the World’s first curved 3D OLED TV unveiled by LG at CES 2013.

By 2021, curved TVs were almost extinct, but curved smartwatches saw a revival in 2019 and 2020, with the Nubia Alpha and the Amazfit X. Curved smartphones were replaced in 2018 and 2019 by foldable smartphones, and curved displays found practical applications as gaming monitors.

LG is constantly seeking mass-market applications for flexible and bendable displays. With groundbreaking innovations like  world’s first rollable OLED TV in 2019 and the first bendable 42-inch OLED TV in 2022, LG likely inspired other brands such as Lenovo, Motorola, and Samsung (although Samsung had experimented with rollable displays before). These OEMs showcased rollable and bendable displays for laptops, smartphones, and wrist-worn devices at international tradeshows in 2023 and 2024.

With this latest innovation, LG is pushing the envelope, and we expect to see impressive applications for this new technology soon.

LG Display Unveils World’s First 50% Stretchable Display

, original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

The popular Shin Megami Tensei video game series is getting a physical board game. A Japanese company called Icrea is behind the effort and is launching a Kickstarter on November 12 to raise funds for the project.

SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI THE BOARD GAME (the company asked us to use all caps) is a “full-scale board game project” complete with 72 “high quality and detailed demon figures.” Collecting demons and adding them to your party is a major part of the game, so these figurines should help with immersion. It’ll also help with getting random demon figurines lost in the couch.

Icrea/Atlus

There’s a board with various locations from the franchise and plenty of series-specific cards to rifle through. The company says a game should take anywhere from three to four hours. The title has already generated a fair amount of excitement at both Gen Con and the most recent Tokyo Game Show.

We don’t know exactly when this will be available for purchase. You know how Kickstarter timelines work. There are going to be a bunch of stretch goals, however, should the company reach the initial financial threshold. It’s a Shin Megami Tensei board game with dozens of cool-looking demon figurines. It shouldn’t have any trouble finding financial backers.

For the uninitiated, Shin Megami Tensei first came out in 1992 for the Super Famicom in Japan. There have been plenty of sequels throughout the years. Shin Megami Tensei V came out back in 2021, but has since received a full-featured refresh called Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance.

The Persona series is also a spinoff of the franchise. This leads to a very serious question. Persona board game when? I want to wander around a fake high school and eat ramen with a motley crew of characters.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/this-shin-megami-tensei-board-game-features-72-intricate-demon-figurines-163242838.html?src=rss

It’s no secret that most technology nowadays isn’t exactly built to last forever, with new product models regularly on sale on replace malfunctioning items. However, Apple, which famously announces new products each September, is taking new steps to let people repair their own devices. Apple has launched parts and tools for the iPhone 16, including the Plus, Pro and Pro Max. 

Now, if you have an iPhone 16 model that’s acting up, you can go to Apple’s self service repair store and — possibly — get what you need to fix it. Choose the product type and model then pick from the iPhone 16’s choices of back glass, battery, camera, top speaker, TrueDepth camera, SIM tray and more. Apple’s iPhone 16 should be easier to fix than its predecessor, receiving a 7/10 on the iFixit repairability scale, compared to a 4/10 for the iPhone 15. 

You can either get kits or just the necessary part with prices varying based on your phone model. For example, a battery and screw kit for the iPhone 16 Pro Max is $119, but its $99 for the regular iPhone 16. You can get quite a lot of money back on the kit prices if you return the replaced piece afterward. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, for instance, goes down to $61.88 after you send back the old battery. 

Apple created its self-service program in 2022, giving its customers access to actual Apple parts when something in their device failed. However, Apple states that the service “is intended for individuals with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices. If you are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices.” So, repairs might not be as accessible if you or someone you know isn’t savvy in making the swaps. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-now-has-replacement-parts-for-the-iphone-16-series-143100070.html?src=rss

Sony will soon stop offering the free adapter that allows gamers to connect the PlayStation Camera to their PS5. The camera (which was released for the PS4) is required to use the original PlayStation VR on the company’s current console, as the headset has a light-based tracking method. The PS5’s own HD camera accessory isn’t compatible with PS VR.

“As of November 26, 2024, or until supplies last, the PlayStation Camera adapter will no longer be available,” Sony says on a support page. In the meantime, you may be able to request an adapter via a form. Alternatively, as Wario64 points out, you may have to call Sony support at 1-800-345-7669. You’ll need the serial number from the PS VR’s processing unit to claim an adapter.

If you miss out on grabbing the accessory from Sony, there are third-party options available. Still, this one’s free and it’s the official Sony adapter. 

As a reminder, PS VR games do not run on PS VR2, in part because the headsets use different tracking methods. Some games have been ported to the latest headset, as well as other VR platforms. However, many are still only available on the original PS VR, including several first-party titles. So if you want to play the likes of Astro Bot Rescue Mission or Everybody’s Golf VR via your PS5, you’ll need a PS Camera adapter.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-discontinuing-its-free-ps5-playstation-camera-adapter-for-ps-vr-171350519.html?src=rss