HBO's subscriber numbers will take a hit after it disappears from Amazon Prime Video Channels today. Earlier this month, Amazon told users who signed up for HBO through Channels their $15/month plans would be canceled on September 15th with pro-rated refunds being issued.
In all, HBO is expected to lose around 5 million subscribers as part of this move, which WarnerMedia agreed with Amazon last year. Amazon refused to support HBO Max if it wasn't available through Channels. According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO may offer its former Amazon subscribers a discount to persuade them to sign up to HBO Max.
That's what this shift is all about for WarnerMedia: cutting out the middleman and having a direct connection to viewers through HBO Max. It's willing to lose some subscribers in the short-term to make that happen, so it can, for instance, personalize the HBO Max home page. WarnerMedia removed HBO as premium add-ons on Apple TV and Roku for similar reasons.
The HBO Max app is available on Amazon Fire TV devices. Those who switched from HBO on Prime Video to HBO Max on Fire TV shouldn't encounter any disruptions when the former disappears from channels, THR notes.
Meanwhile, Amazon is hoping people will subscribe to other premium channels. It's offering discounts on Paramount+, Starz and Showtime plans. You can pay 99 cents per month for two months if you sign up by Friday.
One of the largest marketplaces for trading NFTs has found itself embroiled in controversy. In a blog post spotted by The Block, OpenSea admitted on Wednesday that one of its employees, Nate Chastain, had purchased NFTs he knew the company had planned to feature predominantly on its platform.
Hey @opensea why does it appear @natechastain has a few secret wallets that appears to buy your front page drops before they are listed, then sells them shortly after the front-page-hype spike for profits, and then tumbles them back to his main wallet with his punk on it?
The admission came after a Twitter user named Zuwu accused Chastain this week of using secret Ethereum wallets to buy front-page NFT drops before they were available for the public to purchase, and then later selling them at a profit following the inevitable spike in interest.
OpenSea called the incident “incredibly disappointing,” and said it’s investigating what happened. “We want to be clear that this behavior does not represent our values as a team,” the company stated. “We are taking this very seriously and are conducting an immediate and thorough review of this incident so that we have a full understanding of the facts and additional steps we need to take.”
I just wanted to secure one of these before they all disappeared tbh
The company notes it has already implemented two new policies to prevent incidents like this from happening in the future. Moving forward, OpenSea employees aren’t allowed to buy or sell from collections and creators while they’re being promoted. They’re also prohibited from using confidential information to buy and sell NFTs on OpenSea and elsewhere.
Understandably, the incident has caused quite a stir among the company's customers, with some likening Chastain’s behavior to insider trading. More than anything, the episode highlights just how much of a wild west the NFT market is at the moment. According to an analysis by business law firm McMillan, there are currently no laws in either the US or Canada that regulate the sales of NFTs. This incident may push the Securities and Exchange Commission to change that.
Boston Dynamics' Spot dog is learning some new behaviors that will help the robot adapt to the real world. The company has delivered a Release 3.0 update that helps Spot do its jobs without human intervention. Most notably, it can dynamically replan routes — the robot's inspection will go smoothly even if someone inadvertently left a forklift in the way.
The upgraded Spot can also handle human-free scheduled missions, and it's smart enough to automatically plan routes when you choose the actions you want to perform. The robot will help you notice when something's amiss, too. It uses scene recognition to capture photos at the same angle every time, and human inspectors can conduct live reviews of changes Spot notices with computer vision, such as gauge readings and heat changes.
These updates won't mean much if you don't have the $74,500-plus to spend on a Spot of your own. They do show how Boston Dynamics' signature canine is evolving, though, and illustrate just how robots like this can help in real life — they're increasingly useful for tasks where it would be impractical (or just a hassle) for humans to step in.
YouTube TV is now a better proposition for Spanish-speaking viewers. The cord-cutter service has added three Spanish-language channels from Univision at "no extra cost," including Univision proper as well as the youth-oriented UniMás network and the general entertainment of Galavisión. All three are included at "no extra cost," so you shouldn't have to brace for another rate hike.
You'll have more options in the near future. YouTube TV is promising on-demand movies and originals from Pantaya as a $6 per month add-on in the weeks ahead. If you're more interested in variety, an upcoming add-on bundle will provide channels like Cinelatino, CNN Español, Discovery en Español, Estrella TV, Fox Deportes and Sony Cine for an added fee. The launch date and price are due in the "coming months."
The expansion represents a logical move. YouTube TV has some fierce competition, including Sling TV and Hulu Plus Live TV. This could help YouTube keep up with and claim an edge over rivals by courting Latinx viewers that don't always get a healthy selection from streaming TV services. It's just as well — at $65 per month, YouTube's offering is expensive enough that it has to rely more on selection than raw value to attract subscribers.
TP-Link knows WiFi gaming routers are as hot as ever, and it's determined to keep up by offering a string of high-end features without going completely over the top. The company has unveiled an Archer GX90 router that offers not just WiFi 6 speeds (virtually required at this stage), but a dedicated 4.8Gbps "Game Band" to keep your play sessions free of interference from other local network transfers. An accelerator also spots and fine-tunes streams for games it recognizes, such as the Call of Duty series or League of Legends, while a dashboard provides stats on your playtime to help pinpoint problems.
You can expect some of the other familiar tricks to improve gaming performance. Improved OFDMA (orthogonal frequency division multiple access) modulation is meant to reduce lag, and a 1.5GHz quad-core processor (TP-Link doesn't name it) helps juggle heavy traffic. This also happens to be a solid router for general use with a 2.5Gbps Ethernet jack (plus four 1Gbps jacks), two USB ports and support for mesh networking through TP-Link's OneMesh-capable devices.
The Archer GX90 will be available through Amazon (not as of this writing) and other outlets for $250. It's definitely more expensive than a typical home WiFi router, but that's decidedly less expensive than some tri-band WiFi 6 routers. So long as you don't mind the alien looks, this might strike a healthy balance between raw speed and a reasonable price.
Less than a year after introducing Mode II, its first pair of true wireless earbuds, Marshall is expanding its lineup of Bluetooth headphones to include two new true wireless models: the Motif ANC and Minor III. As you can probably guess from the name, the former includes active noise cancellation, a feature you won’t find on Marshall’s Mode II earbuds.
Marshall
With ANC turned on, the company claims you can get four-and-a-half hours of playtime from the Motif ANC earbuds on a single charge, and an additional 20 hours of battery life from the included charging case. The ANC feature is fully customizable, allowing you to set your own level of noise cancellation and transparency. Other notable features include IPX5 moisture protection, support for wireless charging, dual microphones for calls and touch controls.
Marshall
Marshall is positioning the Minor III as a no-frills pair of headphones. They feature 12mm drivers custom-tuned to deliver the company’s signature sound, in addition to touch controls, IPX4-certified water resistance and an open fit for claimed all-day comfort. On a single charge, you can expect five hours from the earbuds and an additional 20 with help from the included charging case, for a total of 25 hours of playtime. You can recharge the case using either a USB-C cable or by placing it on a Qi-compatible charging pad.
The Motif ANC earbuds are available to pre-order today from Marshall’s website, with general availability to follow on September 30th. They cost $199, €199 or £180. As for the Minor III earbuds, you can purchase them today for $129, €129 or £119.
Sony has revealed a second color option for its Pulse 3D headset: Midnight Black. It complements the Midnight Black DualSense controller Sony released for PlayStation 5 in June — the products share the same color scheme.
The headset's original white and black colorway matches the PS5's design. Here's hoping Sony is working on first-party black plates for the console to mirror the look of the newer peripherals.
The latest version of the headphones will be available on October 22nd. Pre-orders for the $100 headset are open on PlayStation Direct.
The company created the headset to take advantage of the PS5's spatial audio tech, which aims to place sounds in places that match what you're seeing on screen. There are dual microphones built in, which will come in useful for speaking with your teammates or if you're streaming your gameplay (though a dedicated mic is probably a better option).
The headphones are primarily designed for PS5 and will work with PS4, PCs and Macs via the wireless USB transmitter. There's no Bluetooth, but you can connect the headset to other devices through a 3.5mm headphone port or by using an adaptor.
Sony is rolling out a major update for PS5 today that not only unlocks the console's expansion slot, but adds equalizer settings for Pulse 3D. There are three presets: Standard, Bass Boost and Shooter. The latter puts more emphasis on shots being fired and footsteps. You can craft your own presets and save up to three for easy access. You'll be able to change the equalizer settings through the Control Center, so you don't need to access the console's main menu system to switch things up.
Meanwhile, the latest PS5 system software adds support for 3D audio through built-in TV speakers. So, if you prefer to play without headphones and don't have a surround sound audio system, you may still get some of the effects of spatial audio.
Your Fitbit smartwatch might just let you know if you or your partner is snoring too loudly. 9to5Googlenotes Fitbit is rolling out a promised "Snore & Noise Detect" feature that uses the microphone on a Sense or Versa 3 smartwatch to detect both "snore-specific" sounds as well as the overall noise level. In theory, this might explain why you keep waking up or otherwise feel less-than-rested .
There are a number of requirements beyond the watch. You'll need a Premium subscription at $10 per month or $80 per year. You'll also have to keep your device reasonably well-charged. Fitbit notes the sampling occurs every few seconds, and recommends at least a 40 percent battery level before you go to sleep. You'll also have to be comfortable with saving your snoring data, although you can delete it at any point.
The narrow hardware and service requirements dampen the usefulness of noise detection. All the same, it could be helpful if you're already invested in the Fitbit ecosystem. It also gives Fitbit a potential advantage over rivals whose sleep tracking seldom accounts for noise.
Razer is known mostly for its high-end gaming devices, but it also has a diverse collection of accessories. It just launched a very weird one for mobile, the Gaming Finger Sleeve. It's designed to absorb sweat and thus reduce friction on the screen to help you max out performance when playing Fortnite and other mobile games.
The sleeves, which can go on your thumbs or forefingers, are woven from nylon, spandex and conductive silver fibers — meaning they'll work with most mobile devices. It also helps them to absorb sweat while allowing your fingers to breathe, keeping keeping them relatively cool and dry. They're pretty thin at 0.8mm (and hand washable), so they should still give you some sense of touch.
In the words of one of my colleagues, "thumb hyperhidrosis is real, fam," so the Gaming Finger Sleeve could be genuinely useful for some folks, silly as it seems. It could also be a big help in particularly hot or humid environments. In any case, it will certainly mark you as a very, very serious mobile gamer. It's now available for $10.
Xiaomi has released its latest high-end smartphones aimed at creators with a list of features that puts many brands to shame. The marquee device is the Xiaomi 11T Pro, the first smartphone to use the company's proprietary 120W HyperCharge technology. That lets you charge the 11T Pro's 5,000 mAh battery in just 17 minutes with 34 safety features including real-time temperature monitoring. It also uses technologies like dual charge pumps, a dual-cell battery structure and graphene tech.
That's just the start of the impressive laundry list of features, though. It comes with a triple-camera setup including a 108-megapixel wide angle, 2x tele-macro and 120 degree ultra-wide angle lens. Around the front, there's a 16-megapixel, f/2.45 in-display (pinhole) selfie camera. For video, it can record 8K using Samsung's HDR10+ system with AI cinema modes that allow for one-click recording.
Xiaomi
The 6.67-inch, FHD+ (2,400 x 1,080) AMOLED flat display is a technological tour de force, with features like a 120Hz refresh rate, TrueColor, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1,000 nits of peak brightness and Corning's tough Gorilla Glass Victus. Sound-wise, you get Dolby Atmos audio with dual Harman Kardon speakers. Watching movies at those settings might eat the battery pretty quickly, but again, you can fully recharge the thing in just 17 minutes.
Inside, there's a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and max 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, along with 5G, Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi 6 and dual SIM slots. It will launch soon in gray, white and blue, with prices in Europe starting at €649 and going up to €749 for the 12GB/256GB model — but don't expect to see it in the US.
Xiaomi
Next up, the 11T model shares many of the 11T Pro's features, including the camera setup and 6.67-inch 120 Hz flat AMOLED display with HDR10+. However, it lacks Dolby Vision and a few other display features. The biggest difference is the processor: It uses a MediaTek Dimensity 1200-Ultra 6-nanometer chip rather than the 5-nanometer Snapdragon 888. It also "only" offers Xiaomi's 67W wired turbo charging, rather than the 120W HyperCharge system and is limited to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of storage. The 11T will also come in gray, white and blue and start at €599 when it arrives in Europe from "official Xiaomi channels."
The last device is the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, a smaller but still well-spec'd phone. It achieves a relatively tiny size with a thickness of 6.81mm and weight of 158 grams, or 5.57 ounces. At the same time, it still comes with a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with 10-bit TrueColor and Dolby Vision support. You get a triple-camera 64-megapixel main camera, 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera and a 5-megapixel tele-macro camera. Inside, there's a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G mobile platform and 4,250mAh battery with 33W fast charging. The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and starts at €369.
Xiaomi has also launched a new tablet, the Pad 5, and an NFC version of the Mi Smart Band 6 today, in addition to its new Xiaomi 11 smartphones. The Pad 5 was designed with productivity in mind, specifically as a tool meant for people working or studying from home. It comes with the company's Smart Pen, which can be used to take notes or to quickly take screenshots with its function keys. The tablet has an 8-megapixel front camera that supports 1080p video for meetings and classes. It also has built-in capability to scan documents for later use or for sharing using its 13-megapixel rear camera.
Since the manufacturer wants the tablet to double as an entertainment center, it equipped the device with an 11-inch WQHD+ display that has a 120Hz refresh rate and added support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. The Xiaomi Pad 5 is powered by a 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 processor announced earlier this year, which XDA Developers previously described as a revised version of the Snapdragon 855 that powered most flagships in 2019. It'll be available in Gray and Pearl White and in two configurations: One with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and another with 6GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with prices that begin at EUR349 (US$412) and EUR399 (US$472), respectively. Release dates vary per region, and those interested will have to check availability in their location.
Xiaomi has also launched a new version of the Mi Smart Band 6 that was originally introduced in March 2020. The new band still has the health-focused features of the old one, including an SpO2 function, but it now also comes with the ability to make contactless payments via NFC. Xiaomi says it teamed up with Mastercard to add the feature to the wearable, which now also comes with built-in access to Amazon's Alexa voice assistant. The smart band will set buyers back EUR55 (US$65).
Xiaomi
Aside from the Pad 5 and the new Mi Smart Band 6, Xiaomi has also launched the EUR599 (US$708) Mi Smart Projector 2. It's a portable projector running on Android TV that has built-in access to Google Assistant and the capability to show images in 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution. Finally, the company has introduced a two-pack mesh system that can offer dual-band WiFi 6 network coverage of up to 4,000 square feet, which will set buyers back EUR149 (US$176).
Microsoft says everyone can remove the password from their Microsoft account and use other methods to sign in starting today. The company rolled out the option to enterprise users earlier this year, and it plans to remove passwords from enterprise accounts completely.
Rather than having to remember a password or using a password manager, you'll be able to use the Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a security key or SMS or emailed codes. You'll be able to sign in to services such as Outlook, OneDrive, Microsoft Family Safety, and even Xbox Series X/S without a password. Microsoft is rolling out the option to everyone over the next few weeks as it gears up for the launch of Windows 11 on October 5th.
Once you have installed the Authenticator app and linked it to your account, you can switch off your password. Go to your Microsoft account settings, then Advanced Security Options and Additional Security. From there, you can switch your account to a passwordless one. Then, follow the prompts and approve a notification on the Authenticator app to seal the deal.
You can re-activate your password at any time, but other login methods may be far more convenient and secure. Not only are passwords a cybersecurity minefield, they're time-consuming to enter and, at best, annoying to deal with.
It'd be welcome to see other services ditch passwords if they can offer users alternative, secure methods of logging in. Until then, turn on two-factor authentication wherever possible, and get a password manager and use unique passwords for all of your accounts.
Amazon has a good bundle deal going on right now for Samsung fans. You can get a free SmartTag when you buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 from the online retailer, with the final cost being $150. That's $30 off the normal price of the bundle, so those looking to add a few new accessories to their setup can do so for a bit less.
Samsung only just came out with the Galaxy Buds 2 in August, and they act as the company's affordable option in its wireless earbud lineup. We gave them a score of 84 because they pack a lot of value for $150. They have good sound quality with active noise-cancellation and an adjustable ambient sound mode. Unsurprisingly, the ANC isn't as powerful here as it is on pricier earbuds, but that's to be expected. However, the Buds 2 will do a decent job blocking out environmental noise around you. They also support wireless charging with their included case, and you should get five hours of use with ANC turned on before they need more juice.
As for the SmartTag, it's Samsung's answer to Tile trackers and Apple's AirTags. You probably won't use it to keep track of the Galaxy Buds 2, as it's better suited as a keychain attachment or something you slip into your wallet or backpack. You can then monitor the location of your things from your smartphone and force the SmartTag to chime whenever you need to find a misplaced item.
It goes without saying that this bundle is best for Android users, particularly those with Samsung smartphones. SmartTags aren't compatible with iOS devices, and while you could use the Galaxy Buds 2 with an iPhone, you won't get all of the customizable features in the companion app that you get when using them with an Android device.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Yes, Apple is calling its newest iPhones the iPhone 13 series. Unlucky numbers, be damned. We’re getting four new devices, from the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini through to the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. Apple also revealed a long-time-coming iPad mini, which looks very cute, if a little pricey, while the Apple Watch reaches Series 7, with a more expansive screen and faster charging.
It’s not a year of major device redesigns or left turns, which might make it a trickier upgrade for current iPhone 12 owners, unless they were thinking of upgrading to a bigger, more powerful pro model (or shrinking to a mini).
As was the case last year, Apple’s bleeding edge tech is in the Pro models — we’ll break down the features below — but the company is promising major battery gains across the family. It’s claiming hours more runtime, depending on the model, which will be a notable improvement, and it’s one of the (admittedly dry) improvements I am always begging to see in new iPhones.
The decision remains: Do I want the mini (now Apple has upgraded the battery) or all the camera marvels of the Pro Max? Pre-orders start Friday September 17th.
— Mat Smith
Everything you might have missed at Apple’s iPhone 13 event
Featuring adaptive screens and up to 6x optical zoom.
Apple
The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max have faster screens, smaller notches and new colors compared to the 12 Pro series of last year. It seems the models have evened out, too, with not much to differentiate between them, barring size, screen and battery.
They include a new Super Retina XDR display with 1,000 nits of brightness for better outdoor reading. The company said this is the brightest screen on an iPhone ever. It also features 120Hz refresh rates and will adapt when you need it that smooth. If you’re all about that battery life, the iPhone 13 Pro Max will last 2.5 hours more than last year's model, making it the longest-lasting iPhone ever. Read on for more details on that camera array.
Say hello to the iPhone 13, which is nearly identical to last year's iPhone 12. There is a 20-percent smaller notch on the front for Face ID, as well as a redesigned back camera module — but by and large, it's visually nearly identical to last year’s model.
The iPhone 13 also has a bigger battery, something that should be welcome for both phones, particularly the iPhone 13 mini. All of the new iPhones feature Apple's latest A-series chip, and this year, it's the A15 Bionic processor. It's a 5nm chip with nearly 15 billion transistors that Apple says is 50 percent faster than its competition. Apple kept prices the same this year: The iPhone 13 mini starts at $699, while the iPhone 13 starts at $799.
Even Croesus is looking at that and wondering if it’s a bit much.
LG
LG has revealed it isn’t going to leave Samsung a clear run at the “TVs so massive they occupy a whole wall” market. It has announced the new Direct View LED TV, which can span up to sizes of 325 inches in various configurations. When assembled, the screens can offer up 2K, 4K or even 8K picture quality, driven by a separate WebOS box off to one side. And yes, before you ask, LG isn’t revealing how much it costs, putting this at the pinnacle of products that you just know you can’t afford. Thankfully, LG has also revealed its rollable OLED R TV will set you back $100,000 if you just want the fanciest 65-inch TV money can buy. I’d like to remind you all, as well, that projectors exist.
It’s now a more premium model than the standard iPad
Apple
As part of Apple’s glossy iPhone 13 event, the company announced a refresh to the iPad Mini, which sees the dinky slate become a much more premium device. The 8.3-inch tablet has gained narrower bezels and a new “all screen” design, a TouchID sensor on the power button and USB-C. It will now also work with the second-generation Apple Pencil, which magnetically attaches to the side of the device. These changes put the new iPad Mini on the same level as the medium-tier iPad Air, especially since the mini now packs the high-end A15 Bionic SOC. Long story short, this probably isn’t the device you’re buying for your small kids as a “safe” device — unless you’re planning to steal it back the day after they unwrap it.
Sony will finally unlock the PS5's SSD slot for everyone tomorrow
The Remote Play app will work over mobile networks, too.
After beta testing the second major PlayStation 5 firmware update over the past few weeks, Sony is ready to roll it out to everyone. Ten months after Sony released the console, the company is finally unlocking the internal storage expansion slot for everyone. There is some fine-print about where you can install your next-gen games, however.
The speaker has a lot of new features, but it's also $50 more than the old one.
Sonos
The new second-generation Beam goes on sale today for $449 and will be available on October 5th. That’s $50 more than before, in line with the other price increases Sonos announced last week. Alongside support for Dolby Atmos, it has a new perforated polycarbonate grille instead of the cloth front and more audio processing power.
In fact, this sound bar now supports the same home theater audio formats as the Arc (including Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, Multichannel PCM and more), which costs twice as much as the new Beam model.
To my horror, the GameCube has just turned 20, making me feel real old. It is, however, a great excuse to showcase our favorite games from Nintendo's slightly troubled home console. And we didn’t just go for Mario and Zelda. In fact, we got weird.