Feb 03

Ontario cancels $100 million Starlink contract as a response to those tariffs

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Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario and a former staunch supporter of President Trump, has announced that the Canadian territory will be “ripping up” a $100 million contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink. The contract was signed in November of last year and tasked Starlink with providing internet service to remote parts of the province.

This comes after Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on nearly all Canadian imported goods. This spurred Canada to announce its own 25 percent tariff on American imported goods. It looks like we are heading into a trade war for, uh, reasons? Trump says it’s about fentanyl, even though less than one percent of the drug arrives in this country via Canadian routes. This is data that has been confirmed by both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

So where do Musk and Starlink come in? The richest man in the world is a close confidant of Trump and now has control over the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a group within the administration tasked with cost-cutting and deregulation. Musk, who was not elected and is essentially just some guy, has access to the federal payment system and some of the levers of the US Treasury.

In the eyes of Ford, this is enough to link Musk to Trump’s tariffs. He said that Ontario “won’t do business with people hellbent on destroying our economy” and that Musk wants to “take food off the table” of hard-working Canadians. The premier indicated that the contract will remain null and void until “US tariffs are removed.” Additionally, Ontario is banning all American companies from provincial contracts, which will cause domestic businesses to “lose out on tens of billions of dollars in new revenues.”

Ford also commanded the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) to remove American-made spirits from store shelves. He joins several other premiers across the country in this effort.

“Every year, LCBO sells nearly $1 billion worth of American wine, beer, spirits and seltzers. Not anymore,” he said in a statement. Ontario has a population of over 16 million people and includes cities like Toronto and Niagara Falls. Musk responded to Ford’s decision by posting “oh well” on X.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/ontario-cancels-100-million-starlink-contract-as-a-response-to-those-tariffs-192310546.html?src=rss

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Feb 03

EA is giving fans a chance to test the next Battlefield early

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EA is ready to take the wraps off the next Battlefield early. The publisher shared a brief glimpse of footage from an alpha version of the game as part of an announcement video for Battlefield Labs, a new early access program that will give fans a taste of in-development Battlefield before it launches.

Battlefield Labs is designed to let Battlefield’s developers “test concepts and experiences” before the next Battlefield game is released, according to a press release announcing the program. Developers hope to collect feedback on what the release describes as a critical part of the game’s development. Anyone participating in Battlefield Labs will be under NDA and will “test (almost) everything” in the game. That includes “core combat and destruction,” things like “weapons, vehicles and gadgets” and “maps, modes, and squad play.”

EA is running a similar playtesting program for the next Skate game — appropriately dubbed “Skate Insiders” — ahead of that game’s early access release in 2025. 

Battlefield is currently being developed by a collection of EA studios under the umbrella of “Battlefield Studios,” including DICE, the creators of the franchise, Criterion, a former Need for Speed developer that was shifted to Battlefield in 2023, Ripple Effect and Motive, the developer of Star Wars Squadrons and the recent Dead Space remake.

There’s not a ton to go off of in the footage EA shared, but the game’s developers did confirm that the next Battlefield will include a single player campaign, a notable omission from multiplayer-only Battlefield 2042.

You can sign-up to participate in Battlefield Labs right now on EA’s website if you’re in Europe or North America. The test will be limited to “a few thousand participants” to start, but the company plans on expanding the program to other regions and players in the future. Even if you’re not playing the early access version of the game, EA says you’ll also be able to track Battlefield’s development through “work-in-progress public updates” and the game’s Discord.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-is-giving-fans-a-chance-to-test-the-next-battlefield-early-192527209.html?src=rss

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Feb 03

The weirdly whimsical PBJ – The Musical hits the App Store on March 26

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Who hasn’t sat up at night, pondering what it would be like to play a musical mobile game about peanut butter and jelly, performed in faux Shakespearean verse and animated in the style of Terry Gilliam’s Monty Python shorts? Well, wonder no more: The absurdist PBJ – The Musical (first previewed at Day of the Devs ’24) heads to the App Store on March 26.

Kamibox’s PBJ – The Musical is a collaboration between studio founder Philipp Stollenmayer and English musician and comedian Lorraine Bowen, famous for the delightfully whimsical “The Crumble Song.” “When I saw Lorraine performing on Britain’s Got Talent in 2015, getting the Golden Buzzer from David Walliams, I knew I wanted to make something with her,” Stollenmayer said. “The quirkiness of her songs totally resonated with the vibe of my games,” which include Sometimes You Die and the thematically similar Bacon – The Game.

Promo art for PBJ - The Musical featuring paper cutouts in the style of Monty Python's animations.
Kamibox

PBJ – The Musical borrows elements of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, blending it with musical theatre (performed mostly by children!) and animated paper landscapes from actual cutouts. (When he isn’t designing deceptively zany games, Stollenmayer is also a papercraft artist.) Peanut Boy, hailing from a black and white post-war America, steps in for Romeo, while Strawberry Girl, from a colorful and sweet world that raves of royalty, tackles the game’s equivalent of Juliet. You control characters through simple taps and drags as you push and pull cutout figures through the diorama.

The developer says that, unlike the Bard’s version, this is no tragic play culminating in dual suicides. (Or, at least, not the kind to be sad about.) Kamibox says the game’s happy ending involves — surprise! — the creation of the beloved peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which a modern-day Shakespeare may have called “The brightest heaven of invention” as he packed little Susanna’s lunchbox.

You can catch a snippet of the zany PBJ – The Musical in the trailer below. It arrives for iPhone and iPad on March 26 for $4. You can preorder it now in the App Store.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-weirdly-whimsical-pbj—the-musical-hits-the-app-store-on-march-26-175725209.html?src=rss

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Feb 03

The Apple Watch SE is $80 off right now

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The Apple Watch SE is on sale via Amazon for $169. This is a discount of $80, which represents a savings of over 30 percent. If you’ve been on the fence regarding Apple’s entry-level smartwatch, this could be the perfect excuse to, uh, get off that fence. Or climb it. I’m not exactly sure how that idiom works.

The Watch SE easily found a place on our list of the best Apple smartwatches. Despite being the company’s bare-bones model, it still offers plenty of bang for the buck. It can do crash detection, heart rate monitoring, emergency calling and more. There’s a reason why we called it “the best smartwatch for the money” in our official review.

It uses the same chip as the original Ultra and the Series 8, so the performance is on point. It’s covered in durable Ion-X glass and offers 50 meters of water resistance. The screen isn’t quite as bright as with the pricier models, but we still found the display to be “crisp and easy to read.” The watch is also lightweight and comfortable.

There are some trade-offs here when compared to Apple’s more extravagant smartwatches. The SE doesn’t support the new Double Tap feature for Siri requests and it doesn’t include a blood oxygen monitor or a temperature sensor. The final caveat? This watch came out in 2022, so a refresh is likely on the horizon.

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/the-apple-watch-se-is-80-off-right-now-162845944.html?src=rss

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Feb 03

Anker's newest charger and power bank have dropped to record-low prices

Posted in: Today's Chili

The Anker Charger (140W, 4-Port, PD 3.1) launched during CES 2025 with a discount of $10 off the original $90 price, and now that discount is back again. The only difference is you don’t need to enter a coupon code since Anker is tacking on the discount immediately. There’s also a time-limited deal on the Anker 100W Laptop Power Bank, so you’ll have to move fast if you’re interested.

The Anker Charger has three USB-C ports and one USB-A port. Two USB-C ports can charge a 15-inch MacBook Air to 50 percent within 30 minutes. The built-in display also shows temperature, port-specific wattage and current maximum output. At less than 10 ounces, it’s a brick you can take anywhere.

As for the Laptop Power Bank, it has a maximum single output of 100W and charges up to four devices at once thanks to its 25,000 mAh capacity. The retractable cables prevent the possibility of a tangled mess of wires. While capable of charging a MacBook Pro to 50 percent in 33 minutes, this power bank can be recharged to 30 percent in 20 minutes, allowing for frequent use.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ankers-newest-charger-and-power-bank-have-dropped-to-record-low-prices-151555595.html?src=rss

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Feb 03

AI won The Beatles a Grammy 55 years after they broke up

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With the help of modern machine learning technology, The Beatles were able to release their song “Now and Then” in late 2023. The song contains vocals recorded from around 50 years ago and a guitar track from 1995, but technological limitations at the time prevented it from seeing the light of day without serious audio issues. Today, after being nominated in November 2024 for two Grammys, “Now and Then” won one for Best Rock Performance.

When the demo was first recorded, John Lennon’s singing and piano were on the same audio track, and separating them was impossible. Fortunately, AI can now do that without much bleed or loss. The surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, were able to complete the song by recording new bass and drum parts and releasing it almost 30 years later.

Sean Ono Lennon, the son of the late Beatle, accepted the trophy in his father’s stead. “Now and Then” was also nominated for Record of the Year but lost to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/ai-won-the-beatles-a-grammy-55-years-after-they-broke-up-141743908.html?src=rss

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Feb 03

Samsung leader cleared of fraud charges after winning appeal

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Samsung’s executive chairman Jay Y. Lee has been cleared of criminal charges by South Korea’s second-highest court, Bloomberg reported. Earlier on Monday, the Seoul High Court upheld an earlier decision acquitting Lee of stock manipulation and accounting fraud charges over a 2015 merger. The ruling will allow Lee to focus on Samsung’s mobile and chip businesses, which have seen declining profits over the past couple of years. Yee has consistently denied committing any crimes. 

The prosecution can still appeal to the Korea’s Supreme Court, but that would be unlikely to succeed since no new arguments could be presented, experts say. “It has been a very long time in the investigation and trial of this case,” said Samsung lawyer Kim You Jin in a statement. “We hope that with this verdict, the defendants can now focus on their work.”

Back in 2017, prosecutors accused Lee of manipulating the share price of two Samsung subsidiaries to smooth the way for a merger that allowed him to consolidate his power. In early 2024, however, the court ruled that the prosecutors failed to prove that. “It is hard to say that Lee Jae-yong [aka Jay Y. Lee]… spearheaded the merger, and that the merger was done just for the sake of Lee’s succession,” a judge stated in the ruling.

At the time, the decision was hailed by business groups, but not everyone in the country agreed. “The ruling will free Lee of legal risks, but I am at a loss for words in terms of the country’s economic justice,” Park Ju-geun, head of corporate thinktank Leaders Index, told The Financial Times in February 2024. “This goes totally against all previous court rulings on the merger.”

Lee was originally sentenced to five years in prison in 2017 after being found guilty of bribing public officials over the same merger, but the Supreme Court overturned that decision and ordered the case to be retried. In that retrial, Lee was sentenced to two-and-a-half years of prison time in early 2021, then paroled half a year later (Korea’s former president Park Geun-hye also went to jail for her role in the same affair.) In 2022, Lee was pardoned by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was himself recently impeached and charged with insurrection over a martial law attempt. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/samsung-leader-cleared-of-fraud-charges-after-winning-appeal-130056498.html?src=rss

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Feb 03

Get four Apple AirTags for $70, plus the rest of this week's best tech deals

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It’s time for another edition of Engadget’s weekly deals roundup where we bring together worthwhile tech deals from the past week. If you’re in the market for home entertainment gear, you’re in luck thanks to Super Bowl-adjacent sales. Even if you don’t care about the repeat clash between the Eagles and Chiefs, you can still save up to 25 percent on Sonos speakers and get discounts on a number of decent TV sets. You can check those out in our separate TV deals roundup or browse a few highlights below. As for non-sports-related tech deals, a bunch of Apple gear is on sale right now, including AirTags, the Apple Watch and three models of iPads (the Pro, Air and mini). Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.  

Sonos Era 100 in black on a wooden shelf next to a turntable
Sonos Era 100
Sonos

  • Sonos Era 100 smart speaker for $199 ($50 off) at Sonos: One of our favorite smart speakers has returned to its lowest price yet. As part of a wider sale at both Sonos and Amazon, the Era 100 is $50 off. We gave it a score of 88 in our review thanks to its great audio that can reach loud volumes. We’re also fans of connectivity options that include Bluetooth and line-in. Sonos simplified its Trueplay tuning feature that optimizes the audio output for the room and the speaker will work with Alexa and Sonos’ own voice assistant (which just handles music duty, and the speaker doesn’t support Google Assistant).

  • Sonos Beam Gen 2 for $399 ($100 off) at Sonos: We named the Beam the best midrange soundbar and right now it’s $100 off. That’s $30 more than it was for Black Friday, but still a decent deal on a quality TV speaker that will make movies more immersive and dialogue more clear. You can also pick up the original Arc soundbar for $250 off — that version is likely being discontinued in favor of the Arc Ultra, which unfortunately is still full price. 

  • Apple AirTag (4-pack) for $70 ($29 off) at Amazon: A new model of Apple’s AirTag is likely coming this year with predicted upgrades that include a longer range. But as it stands now, these are the best way for iPhone users to keep track of their bags, keys, luggage and more, according to our testing. AirTags rely on other iPhones to anonymously ping lost tags and we found that system almost spooky in its accuracy. This is a return to the record-low price the 4-pack of tags has hit many times over the past few months. Also at Best Buy. 

  • Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro) for $399 ($100 off) at Amazon: We saw this deal a couple weeks ago and now it has returned. It represents an all-time low on Apple’s latest small-scale tablet. The iPad mini 7 is our pick for the best compact iPad — in part because it’s the only one —and we gave it a score of 83 in our review. Apple refreshed it last October with a faster chip and support for the Apple Pencil Pro. This configuration has 128GB of storage and Apple’s A17 Pro chip. It also boasts 8GB of RAM, which is enough to support Apple Intelligence features. 

Photos of Apple’s 13-inch iPad Air, released in 2024
Apple iPad Air M2
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

  • Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M2, 128GB) for $499 ($100 off) at Amazon: This is a great time to grab our pick for the best iPad for most people. This is just a dollar off from the record low of $498 we’ve seen previously. We gave the M2 iPad Air a score of 91 in our review when the tablet came out last May. We think it hits the sweet spot between performance, features and price — particularly right now. The 13-inch Air is also $100 off. Both deals are also available at Best Buy.

  • Apple iPad Pro 13-Inch (M4, 256B) for $1,099 ($200 off) at Amazon: Apple’s latest high-end iPad is back down to a record-low price. The smaller 11-inch M4 iPad Pro is on sale for $899, though it’s been that price for much of the past few months. The M4 is Apple’s latest chipset — Apple put it in the iPad Pro before putting it in a MacBook. The Pro is an absurdly powerful tablet, handling tasks as demanding as video editing alongside the usual streaming, gaming and browsing people usually use tablets for. In our review, we called it one of the nicest portable screens we’ve seen with extremely fast performance, but also called it “prohibitively expensive,” especially when you factor in the accessories needed to get the most out of its potential.

A person wears the Apple Watch Series 10 on their wrist. It shows a blue screen with the time and other widgets.
Apple Watch Series 10
Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget
Three routers.
Google Nest Pro Wi-Fi routers
Engadget/Daniel Cooper
The Crucial X9 Pro portable against a red background.
Crucial X9 Pro portable SSD
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
The LG C3 OLED TV.
LG

Engadget’s Jeff Dunn put together a roundup of TV deals that retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and others are offering ahead of the Super Bowl. These sales aren’t necessarily tied to the game — TV prices often fall around this time of year as manufacturers get ready to reveal new models in the spring. Still, there are some decent prices on TVs from LG, Sony, Samsung, TCL and Hisense that other trusted reviewers have deemed worthy (we don’t formally review TVs here at Engadget). A few picks are detailed here, but you can head here to see full list. 

  • LG B4 OLED TV (48″) for $600 at Best Buy ($200 off MSRP): This ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the 48-inch LG B4, which is the entry-level model in LG’s 2024 OLED lineup. While it’s not as bright or color-rich as some higher-end alternatives, it still offers the essential perks of any good OLED TV: superb contrast with deep black tones, clear motion, wide viewing angles and the like. It’s also a nice value for gaming, as it has four HDMI 2.1 ports that support refresh rates up to 120Hz. It’s just better off in a darker room, and this particular model is relatively small. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter, Buying Advice

  • Hisense U7N QLED TV (65″) for $698 at Amazon ($300 off): Several reviewers we trust say that the U7N delivers better brightness, contrast and HDR performance than most TVs in its price range. It’s built with most of the features expected from pricier LED sets, including quantum-dot color, mini-LED backlighting and a 144Hz refresh rate. It also runs on the handy Google TV platform. Its viewing angles are poor, so it’s not great for watching shows with a large group, and you may need to tinker with settings to get an optimal image. But the 65-inch model should be a strong value at this price, which is only about $20 more than the all-time low we saw briefly around Cyber Monday. Also at Walmart and Best Buy. — J.D.

Samsung The Frame
Samsung The Frame TV
Amy Skorheim

  • Samsung The Frame 2024 QLED TV (55″) for $868 at Woot ($630 off): This deal from Amazon subsidiary Woot has been live for a few weeks, but it ties the best price to date for the 55-inch version of Samsung’s stylish Frame TV outside of a one-off eBay coupon deal. You’d buy this set for its design above all else: It can’t match the contrast and color volume of other TVs in its price range, as it lacks local dimming altogether, but it’s convincingly built like a framed piece of wall art that can blend in with your home decor. Its matte panel helps it fend off glare in a bright room, and you can display actual artwork onscreen when you’re not watching something. It’s worth noting that Samsung unveiled a new and improved “Frame Pro” TV at CES, but we’d expect that to cost more whenever it arrives. — J.D.

We assemble this deals roundup each week — and sometimes discounts from the previous week are still going strong when we put together the new one. If you didn’t catch last week’s post or were waiting to jump on an item or two, here are the sales that are still active today:

  • Crucial X9 Pro (1TB) for $70 at Amazon ($31 off MSRP): The X9 Pro is our pick for the best portable SSD, as it combines steady performance for most needs with a rugged, super-compact design that’s easy to take on the go. We saw this deal earlier this month, but it matches the largest discount for the 1TB model since late 2023. Also at Best Buy. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter, Buying Advice

  • Meta Quest 3S (256GB) + $15 Newegg gift card for $350 at Newegg ($65 off): The Quest 3S is the budget recommendation in our guide to the best VR headsets. While its older fresnel lenses aren’t as crisp or clear as the pancake lenses in the superior Quest 3, they’re good enough for most people just getting started with VR, and the headset as a whole is just as fast as the pricier model. More importantly, it supports all the same apps and games. The 256GB model has been $50 off at several retailers for a little over a week, but at Newegg you can now get a $15 gift card thrown in for no extra cost. Also at Amazon, Meta and others without the gift card. Meta says the price drop will end on February 8. — J.D.

The Astro A40 TR gaming headset rests on a white stand on an outside table, with its built-in microphone extended.
Astro A40 TR gaming headset
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

  • Astro A40 TR gaming headset for $100 at Amazon ($30 off): The Astro A40 TR is the top wired choice in our guide to the best gaming headsets. Its open-back design helps it sound wider and more spacious than most options in this market, which makes it better for picking out enemies in online shooters or just feeling more immersed in a big action game. Being open-back means it leaks and lets in a good chunk of outside noise, so you shouldn’t buy it if you often play in a noisy environment. The built-in mic isn’t the best, either. Still, the enveloping sound makes it worthwhile. This deal is only $10 more than the all-time low we saw around Black Friday. Also at Logitech and Newegg. — J.D.

  • SanDisk Ultra (1TB) microSD card for $69 at Amazon ($16 off): The SanDisk Ultra is slower than the top recommendations in our microSD card buying guide, especially when it comes to write speeds, so you wouldn’t want to stress it with large file transfers. If you can afford one of our main picks, get that instead. But if all you want is a big chunk of storage for as little cash as possible, it should be fine enough in a cheap tablet or gaming handheld. This ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the 1TB model. It’s a dollar more at SanDisk and B&H. — J.D.

  • Red Dead Redemption 2 (PC) for $15 at Steam ($45 off): Its mission structure is dated, the movement is clunky and some of the writing can be, let’s say, less than graceful. But Rockstar’s Old West epic remains an achievement in maximalist world design: painstakingly detailed (literally), filled with stories and shot with unusually cinematic flair. You may not finish it until 2026, but if you’ve been waiting to take the plunge, this is a new low for the Steam copy and only $2 more than the lowest price we’ve seen overall. Other Rockstar games are also on sale. — J.D.

  • Halo: The Master Chief Collection (PC) for $10 at Steam ($30 off): We’ve seen this deal multiple times over the past year, but it ties the all-time low for Microsoft’s Halo compilation, which gathers six of the iconic FPS series’ essential games in one package. (Well, five essentials, plus Halo 4.) We include this one in our list of the best couch co-op games, but note that the PC version here only supports online co-op, not local play. — J.D.

  • Super Mario RPG for $30 at Target: Super NES classic Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars didn’t necessarily need a remake, but this Switch version thankfully adheres the original’s oddball spirit while sprucing up the visuals for true 3D. If you’re in the market for a breezier, lower-stress RPG, it should fit the bill. This deal matches its all-time low. — J.D.

The ROG Ally is ASUS' newest handheld gaming PC.
The ASUS ROG Ally
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

  • ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) gaming handheld for $450 at Best Buy ($200 off): The original ROG Ally isn’t as powerful or long-lasting as the newer ROG Ally X, and all Windows gaming handhelds are saddled with less optimized software than Valve’s Steam Deck, which remains the top pick in our buying guide. However, when it’s discounted to this extent, the older Ally is worth considering if you really want a handheld PC that can play games from any client, be it Steam, the Epic Games Store or the Xbox app. It’s still a touch more powerful than the Deck, too, and its 120Hz VRR display does wonders to keep games looking smooth. And for as slipshod as Windows can be, ASUS has made its Armoury Crate app at least a little easier to navigate over time. Just don’t expect more than a couple hours of battery life, and don’t bother using the microSD slot. This deal ties the all-time low for the model with a Z1 Extreme chip. — J.D.

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/get-four-apple-airtags-for-70-plus-the-rest-of-this-weeks-best-tech-deals-180954439.html?src=rss

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Feb 03

Get four Apple AirTags for $70, plus the rest of this week's best tech deals

Posted in: Today's Chili

It’s time for another edition of Engadget’s weekly deals roundup where we bring together worthwhile tech deals from the past week. If you’re in the market for home entertainment gear, you’re in luck thanks to Super Bowl-adjacent sales. Even if you don’t care about the repeat clash between the Eagles and Chiefs, you can still save up to 25 percent on Sonos speakers and get discounts on a number of decent TV sets. You can check those out in our separate TV deals roundup or browse a few highlights below. As for non-sports-related tech deals, a bunch of Apple gear is on sale right now, including AirTags, the Apple Watch and three models of iPads (the Pro, Air and mini). Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.  

Sonos Era 100 in black on a wooden shelf next to a turntable
Sonos Era 100
Sonos

  • Sonos Era 100 smart speaker for $199 ($50 off) at Sonos: One of our favorite smart speakers has returned to its lowest price yet. As part of a wider sale at both Sonos and Amazon, the Era 100 is $50 off. We gave it a score of 88 in our review thanks to its great audio that can reach loud volumes. We’re also fans of connectivity options that include Bluetooth and line-in. Sonos simplified its Trueplay tuning feature that optimizes the audio output for the room and the speaker will work with Alexa and Sonos’ own voice assistant (which just handles music duty, and the speaker doesn’t support Google Assistant).

  • Sonos Beam Gen 2 for $399 ($100 off) at Sonos: We named the Beam the best midrange soundbar and right now it’s $100 off. That’s $30 more than it was for Black Friday, but still a decent deal on a quality TV speaker that will make movies more immersive and dialogue more clear. You can also pick up the original Arc soundbar for $250 off — that version is likely being discontinued in favor of the Arc Ultra, which unfortunately is still full price. 

  • Apple AirTag (4-pack) for $70 ($29 off) at Amazon: A new model of Apple’s AirTag is likely coming this year with predicted upgrades that include a longer range. But as it stands now, these are the best way for iPhone users to keep track of their bags, keys, luggage and more, according to our testing. AirTags rely on other iPhones to anonymously ping lost tags and we found that system almost spooky in its accuracy. This is a return to the record-low price the 4-pack of tags has hit many times over the past few months. Also at Best Buy. 

  • Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro) for $399 ($100 off) at Amazon: We saw this deal a couple weeks ago and now it has returned. It represents an all-time low on Apple’s latest small-scale tablet. The iPad mini 7 is our pick for the best compact iPad — in part because it’s the only one —and we gave it a score of 83 in our review. Apple refreshed it last October with a faster chip and support for the Apple Pencil Pro. This configuration has 128GB of storage and Apple’s A17 Pro chip. It also boasts 8GB of RAM, which is enough to support Apple Intelligence features. 

Photos of Apple’s 13-inch iPad Air, released in 2024
Apple iPad Air M2
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

  • Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M2, 128GB) for $499 ($100 off) at Amazon: This is a great time to grab our pick for the best iPad for most people. This is just a dollar off from the record low of $498 we’ve seen previously. We gave the M2 iPad Air a score of 91 in our review when the tablet came out last May. We think it hits the sweet spot between performance, features and price — particularly right now. The 13-inch Air is also $100 off. Both deals are also available at Best Buy.

  • Apple iPad Pro 13-Inch (M4, 256B) for $1,099 ($200 off) at Amazon: Apple’s latest high-end iPad is back down to a record-low price. The smaller 11-inch M4 iPad Pro is on sale for $899, though it’s been that price for much of the past few months. The M4 is Apple’s latest chipset — Apple put it in the iPad Pro before putting it in a MacBook. The Pro is an absurdly powerful tablet, handling tasks as demanding as video editing alongside the usual streaming, gaming and browsing people usually use tablets for. In our review, we called it one of the nicest portable screens we’ve seen with extremely fast performance, but also called it “prohibitively expensive,” especially when you factor in the accessories needed to get the most out of its potential.

A person wears the Apple Watch Series 10 on their wrist. It shows a blue screen with the time and other widgets.
Apple Watch Series 10
Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget
Three routers.
Google Nest Pro Wi-Fi routers
Engadget/Daniel Cooper
The Crucial X9 Pro portable against a red background.
Crucial X9 Pro portable SSD
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
The LG C3 OLED TV.
LG

Engadget’s Jeff Dunn put together a roundup of TV deals that retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and others are offering ahead of the Super Bowl. These sales aren’t necessarily tied to the game — TV prices often fall around this time of year as manufacturers get ready to reveal new models in the spring. Still, there are some decent prices on TVs from LG, Sony, Samsung, TCL and Hisense that other trusted reviewers have deemed worthy (we don’t formally review TVs here at Engadget). A few picks are detailed here, but you can head here to see full list. 

  • LG B4 OLED TV (48″) for $600 at Best Buy ($200 off MSRP): This ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the 48-inch LG B4, which is the entry-level model in LG’s 2024 OLED lineup. While it’s not as bright or color-rich as some higher-end alternatives, it still offers the essential perks of any good OLED TV: superb contrast with deep black tones, clear motion, wide viewing angles and the like. It’s also a nice value for gaming, as it has four HDMI 2.1 ports that support refresh rates up to 120Hz. It’s just better off in a darker room, and this particular model is relatively small. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter, Buying Advice

  • Hisense U7N QLED TV (65″) for $698 at Amazon ($300 off): Several reviewers we trust say that the U7N delivers better brightness, contrast and HDR performance than most TVs in its price range. It’s built with most of the features expected from pricier LED sets, including quantum-dot color, mini-LED backlighting and a 144Hz refresh rate. It also runs on the handy Google TV platform. Its viewing angles are poor, so it’s not great for watching shows with a large group, and you may need to tinker with settings to get an optimal image. But the 65-inch model should be a strong value at this price, which is only about $20 more than the all-time low we saw briefly around Cyber Monday. Also at Walmart and Best Buy. — J.D.

Samsung The Frame
Samsung The Frame TV
Amy Skorheim

  • Samsung The Frame 2024 QLED TV (55″) for $868 at Woot ($630 off): This deal from Amazon subsidiary Woot has been live for a few weeks, but it ties the best price to date for the 55-inch version of Samsung’s stylish Frame TV outside of a one-off eBay coupon deal. You’d buy this set for its design above all else: It can’t match the contrast and color volume of other TVs in its price range, as it lacks local dimming altogether, but it’s convincingly built like a framed piece of wall art that can blend in with your home decor. Its matte panel helps it fend off glare in a bright room, and you can display actual artwork onscreen when you’re not watching something. It’s worth noting that Samsung unveiled a new and improved “Frame Pro” TV at CES, but we’d expect that to cost more whenever it arrives. — J.D.

We assemble this deals roundup each week — and sometimes discounts from the previous week are still going strong when we put together the new one. If you didn’t catch last week’s post or were waiting to jump on an item or two, here are the sales that are still active today:

  • Crucial X9 Pro (1TB) for $70 at Amazon ($31 off MSRP): The X9 Pro is our pick for the best portable SSD, as it combines steady performance for most needs with a rugged, super-compact design that’s easy to take on the go. We saw this deal earlier this month, but it matches the largest discount for the 1TB model since late 2023. Also at Best Buy. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter, Buying Advice

  • Meta Quest 3S (256GB) + $15 Newegg gift card for $350 at Newegg ($65 off): The Quest 3S is the budget recommendation in our guide to the best VR headsets. While its older fresnel lenses aren’t as crisp or clear as the pancake lenses in the superior Quest 3, they’re good enough for most people just getting started with VR, and the headset as a whole is just as fast as the pricier model. More importantly, it supports all the same apps and games. The 256GB model has been $50 off at several retailers for a little over a week, but at Newegg you can now get a $15 gift card thrown in for no extra cost. Also at Amazon, Meta and others without the gift card. Meta says the price drop will end on February 8. — J.D.

The Astro A40 TR gaming headset rests on a white stand on an outside table, with its built-in microphone extended.
Astro A40 TR gaming headset
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

  • Astro A40 TR gaming headset for $100 at Amazon ($30 off): The Astro A40 TR is the top wired choice in our guide to the best gaming headsets. Its open-back design helps it sound wider and more spacious than most options in this market, which makes it better for picking out enemies in online shooters or just feeling more immersed in a big action game. Being open-back means it leaks and lets in a good chunk of outside noise, so you shouldn’t buy it if you often play in a noisy environment. The built-in mic isn’t the best, either. Still, the enveloping sound makes it worthwhile. This deal is only $10 more than the all-time low we saw around Black Friday. Also at Logitech and Newegg. — J.D.

  • SanDisk Ultra (1TB) microSD card for $69 at Amazon ($16 off): The SanDisk Ultra is slower than the top recommendations in our microSD card buying guide, especially when it comes to write speeds, so you wouldn’t want to stress it with large file transfers. If you can afford one of our main picks, get that instead. But if all you want is a big chunk of storage for as little cash as possible, it should be fine enough in a cheap tablet or gaming handheld. This ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the 1TB model. It’s a dollar more at SanDisk and B&H. — J.D.

  • Red Dead Redemption 2 (PC) for $15 at Steam ($45 off): Its mission structure is dated, the movement is clunky and some of the writing can be, let’s say, less than graceful. But Rockstar’s Old West epic remains an achievement in maximalist world design: painstakingly detailed (literally), filled with stories and shot with unusually cinematic flair. You may not finish it until 2026, but if you’ve been waiting to take the plunge, this is a new low for the Steam copy and only $2 more than the lowest price we’ve seen overall. Other Rockstar games are also on sale. — J.D.

  • Halo: The Master Chief Collection (PC) for $10 at Steam ($30 off): We’ve seen this deal multiple times over the past year, but it ties the all-time low for Microsoft’s Halo compilation, which gathers six of the iconic FPS series’ essential games in one package. (Well, five essentials, plus Halo 4.) We include this one in our list of the best couch co-op games, but note that the PC version here only supports online co-op, not local play. — J.D.

  • Super Mario RPG for $30 at Target: Super NES classic Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars didn’t necessarily need a remake, but this Switch version thankfully adheres the original’s oddball spirit while sprucing up the visuals for true 3D. If you’re in the market for a breezier, lower-stress RPG, it should fit the bill. This deal matches its all-time low. — J.D.

The ROG Ally is ASUS' newest handheld gaming PC.
The ASUS ROG Ally
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

  • ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) gaming handheld for $450 at Best Buy ($200 off): The original ROG Ally isn’t as powerful or long-lasting as the newer ROG Ally X, and all Windows gaming handhelds are saddled with less optimized software than Valve’s Steam Deck, which remains the top pick in our buying guide. However, when it’s discounted to this extent, the older Ally is worth considering if you really want a handheld PC that can play games from any client, be it Steam, the Epic Games Store or the Xbox app. It’s still a touch more powerful than the Deck, too, and its 120Hz VRR display does wonders to keep games looking smooth. And for as slipshod as Windows can be, ASUS has made its Armoury Crate app at least a little easier to navigate over time. Just don’t expect more than a couple hours of battery life, and don’t bother using the microSD slot. This deal ties the all-time low for the model with a Z1 Extreme chip. — J.D.

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/get-four-apple-airtags-for-70-plus-the-rest-of-this-weeks-best-tech-deals-180954439.html?src=rss

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Feb 03

OpenAI's o3-mini is here and available to all users

Posted in: Today's Chili

OpenAI’s latest machine learning mode has arrived. On Friday, the company released o3-mini and it’s available to try now. What’s more, for the first time OpenAI is making one of its “reasoning” models available to free users of ChatGPT. If you want to try it yourself, select the “Reason” button under the message composer to get started. 

According to OpenAI, o3-mini is faster and more accurate than its predecessor, o1-mini. In A/B testing, the company found o3-mini was 24 percent faster than o1 at delivering a response. Moreover, set to its “medium” reasoning effort, the new model can come close to the performance of the more expensive o1 system in some math, coding and science benchmarks. Like OpenAI’s other reasoning models, o3-mini will show you how it arrived at an answer instead of simply responding to a prompt. Notably, the model works with ChatGPT Search out of box, enabling it to comb the web for the latest information and useful links. OpenAI says it’s working on integrating search across all of its reasoning models.   

“The release of OpenAI o3-mini marks another step in OpenAI’s mission to push the boundaries of cost-effective intelligence. By optimizing reasoning for STEM domains while keeping costs low, we’re making high-quality AI even more accessible,” OpenAI said. “This model continues our track record of driving down the cost of intelligence — reducing per-token pricing by 95% since launching GPT-4 — while maintaining top-tier reasoning capabilities. As AI adoption expands, we remain committed to leading at the frontier, building models that balance intelligence, efficiency, and safety at scale.”

With today’s announcement, o3-mini will replace o1-mini in the model picker. Additionally, OpenAI is tripling the rate limit for Plus and Team ChatGPT users from 50 messages per day with o1-mini to 150 messages per day for o3-mini. OpenAI’s recently launched $200 per month Pro tier offers unlimited access to the new system. 

When OpenAI first previewed o3 and o3-mini at the end of last year, CEO Sam Altman said the latter would arrive “around the end of January.” Altman gave a more concrete timeline on January 17 when he wrote on X that OpenAI was “planning to ship in a couple of weeks.”

Now that it’s here, it’s safe to say o3-mini arrives with a sense of urgency. On January 20, the same day Altman was attending Donald Trump’s inauguration, China’s DeepSeek quietly released its R1 chain-of-thought model. By January 27, the company’s chatbot surpassed ChatGPT as the most-download free app on the US App Store after going viral. The overnight success of DeepSeek wiped $1 trillion of stock market value, and almost certainly left OpenAI blindsided. 

In the aftermath of last week, OpenAI said it was working with Microsoft to identify two accounts the company claims may have distilled its models. Distillation is the process of transferring the knowledge of an advanced AI system to a smaller, more efficient one. Distillation is not a controversial practice. DeepSeek has used distillation on its own R1 model to train its smaller algorithms; in fact, OpenAI’s terms of service allow for distillation as long users don’t train competing models on the outputs of the company’s AI.

OpenAI did not explicitly name DeepSeek. “We know [China]-based companies — and others — are constantly trying to distill the models of leading US AI companies,” an OpenAI spokesperson told The Guardian recently. However, David Sacks, President Trump’s AI advisor, was more direct, claiming there was “substantial evidence” that DeepSeek had “distilled the knowledge out of OpenAI’s models.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-o3-mini-is-here-and-available-to-all-users-190918706.html?src=rss

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