Tag: tech

The Crucial MX500 is a certified legend in PC hardware, but its life is unfortunately coming to an end.

Google may have only recently begun rolling out its Veo generative AI to enterprise customers, but the company is not wasting any time getting a new version of the video tool out to early testers. On Monday, Google announced a preview of Veo 2. According to the company, Veo 2 “understands the language of cinematography.” In practice, that means you can reference a specific genre of film, cinematic effect or lens when prompting the model.

Additionally, Google says the new model has a better understanding of real-world physics and human movement. Correctly modeling humans in motion is something all generative models struggle to do. So the company’s claim that Veo 2 is better when it comes to both of those trouble points is notable. Of course, the samples the company provided aren’t enough to know for sure; the true test of Veo 2’s capabilities will come when someone prompts it to generate a video of a gymnast’s routine. Oh, and speaking of things video models struggle with, Google says Veo will produce artifacts like extra fingers “less frequently.”

Separately, Google is rolling out improvements to Imagen 3. Of its text-to-image model, the company says the latest version generates brighter and better-composed images. Additionally, it can render more diverse art styles with greater accuracy. At the same time, it’s also better at following prompts more faithfully. Prompt adherence was an issue I highlighted when the company made Imagen 3 available to Google Cloud customers earlier this month, so if nothing else, Google is aware of the areas where its AI models need work.

Veo 2 will gradually roll out to Google Labs users in the US. For now, Google will limit testers to generating up to eight seconds of footage at 720p. For context, Sora can generate up to 20 seconds of 1080p footage, though doing so requires a $200 per month ChatGPT Pro subscription. As for the latest enhancements to Imagen 3, those are available to Google Labs users in more than 100 countries through ImageFX.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-new-ai-video-model-sucks-less-at-physics-170041204.html?src=rss

This time of year is best spent with friends and family, and it’s even better if you can do so with a little less screen time. Board games are a classic and fun way to bring everyone together, and there are more to choose from now than ever before. Classics like Monopoly and Scrabble will always have their place, but dozens of newcomers can make your next game night unique. From word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life, there’s a board game out there that will suit every friend and family group you have. Below are some of our favorite board games (and new ones we want to play this year) that are great options to pick up before visitors start to come over for the holidays, and they make great holiday gifts, too.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-board-games-to-gift-and-play-this-2024-holiday-season-125529754.html?src=rss

If someone you love is big into tech, you may want to get them something from Apple, Google, Samsung or another big brand. But once you look at the price tags of the most popular devices those brands offer, you may get discouraged. Thankfully, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a gift for someone that has all the cachet of a brand they know and love.

Apple, Samsung, Sony and other big tech companies all have affordable gear that comes in at $100 or less, you just have to know where to find them. These are some of our favorites, but remember: you can often find alternatives that are just as good (and sometimes better) than these. However, for the people in your life for which brand names really do matter, these gifts will speak to them.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/the-best-tech-gifts-under-100-to-give-for-christmas-from-apple-samsung-and-more-130038653.html?src=rss

While the number of subscriptions and services out there now may seem daunting, that can come in handy this time of year. These can be life-saver gifts for the most hard-to-shop-for folks on your holiday list. Whether you have a loved one who’s constantly looking for a new TV show to dive into, a voracious reader or a lifelong learner, there are dozens of subscriptions out there to consider gifting them this year. We’ve pulled together some of our favorites from MasterClass to Disney+ to Gaia Fitness in the hopes that some of them will fit the bill for those you still need to buy gifts for.

Gaming subscriptions

Game consoles are certainly among the most popular gift ideas this time of year. If you know someone who’s been so good that they’re getting a new Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S, one of these subscriptions will make their shiny toy immediately playable out of the box.

A $20/month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription offers hundreds of games from all periods of Xbox history that can be played on the Xbox or PC; many of them can be streamed to phones and tablets as well. It also includes EA Play, which opens up access to even more games. Perhaps the best part of Xbox Game Pass, though, is that it offers access to first-party Xbox Game Studios titles the day they’re released, like Starfield, Forza Motorsport and the just-released Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

Nintendo has two tiers of its Switch Online plan. The basic $20 / year plan unlocks online play, more than 100 Game Boy, NES and Super NES games and cloud backups of your saved games as well as the occasional special offers. The $50 “expansion pack” adds a collection of N64, Game Boy Advance and Sega Genesis games as well as some DLC for games like Mario Kart 8, Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Splatoon 2.

Finally, Sony’s PlayStation Plus plan comes in three tiers, but the middle “Extra” plan ($135/year) is probably best for most gamers. In addition to cloud storage for saves, online multiplayer support and a couple of free games for your library every month, you get access to the PlayStation Plus catalog, which includes more than 400 PS4 and PS5 games. There are a number of heavy hitters here, including The Last of Us Part I, Ghost of Tsushima, Death Stranding, Resident Evil 3 Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Returnal as well as lower-profile hits and indie games like Dave the Diver, Animal Well, Return to Monkey Island and Humanity. If you know someone who loves older games though, the “Premium” tier ($160 / year) adds a bunch of titles from the PS1, PS2 and PS3 catalogs as well as perks like game trials and PS5 game streaming from the cloud.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-17-best-subscription-gifts-to-send-your-loved-ones-for-christmas-141830269.html?src=rss

Whether or not you’ve heard of a white elephant gift exchange before, there’s a good chance you have the wrong idea of what it is, how it actually works and where the idea came from. According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. It was a far more devious punishment than simply having them executed. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin.

This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. Picking the right white elephant gift means walking a fine line: the goal isn’t to just buy something terrible and force someone to take it home with them. Rather, it should be just useful or amusing enough that it won’t immediately get tossed into the trash. The recipient also shouldn’t be able to just throw it in a junk drawer and forget about it. So here are a few suggestions that will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make the recipient feel (slightly) burdened.

White elephant FAQs

What is white elephant?

A white elephant gift exchange is a party game typically played around the holidays in which people exchange funny, impractical gifts.

How does white elephant work?

A group of people each bring one wrapped gift to the white elephant gift exchange, and each gift is typically of a similar value. All gifts are then placed together and the group decides the order in which they will each claim a gift. The first person picks a white elephant gift from the pile, unwraps it and their turn ends. The following players can either decide to unwrap another gift and claim it as their own, or steal a gift from someone who has already taken a turn. The rules can vary from there, including the guidelines around how often a single item can be stolen — some say twice, max. The game ends when every person has a white elephant gift.

Why is it called white elephant?

The term “white elephant” is said to come from the legend of the King of Siam gifting white elephants to courtiers who upset him. While it seems like a lavish gift on its face, the belief is that the courtiers would be ruined by the animal’s upkeep costs.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-7-best-white-elephant-gifts-that-everyone-will-want-to-steal-this-year-150516066.html?src=rss

While this time of year brings a lot of joy and all things merry, it can also bring a lot of stress. Finding the right holiday gift for your hard-to-shop-for dad, your best friend who seemingly has it all or your kids’ teachers can be daunting, especially if you don’t have a lot of time on your hands to research the best gifts.

This is where we at Engadget come in. Here, you’ll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, with some select gift ideas from each, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts for the loved ones in your life. Do you need some white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the motherly figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? We’ve got you covered with gift ideas for all of those people, scenarios and more.

Table of contents

• Best last-minute gifts

• Best white elephant gift ideas

• Best board game gifts

• Best subscription gifts

• Best gifts under $25

• Best gifts under $50

• Best gifts under $100

• Best tech gifts and gadgets

• Gifts our editors want

• Best self care gifts

• Best gifts for gamers

• Best retro gaming gifts

• Best gifts for coffee lovers

• Best gifts for tea lovers

• Best cooking gifts

• Best tech toys for kids

• Best gadgets for your pets

• Best travel gifts

• Best gifts for remote workers

• Best gifts for book lovers

• Best gifts for music lovers

• Best gifts for photographers

• Best gifts for runners

• Best gifts for cyclists

• Best outdoor gifts

• Best gifts for moms

• Best gifts for dads

Best last-minute gifts

The holidays are nearly here and you might be a little more behind on your shopping than you’d like to admit. We don’t blame you — between family gatherings and the final work rush before PTO kicks in, it’s hard to find the time to go to a store to pick out presents. And once you get there, you could find half-empty shelves and very few choices. But that’s why we have the internet: you still have time to buy holiday gifts online. Most of our top picks are cheap enough that they won’t hurt your wallet, and small enough to ship quickly and arrive before Christmas.

Read more: The best last-minute Christmas gifts

Best white elephant gift ideas

According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened.

Read more: The best white elephant gift ideas

Best board game gifts

We could all use more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and bond with friends and family. You can find plenty of unique sets out there now, from word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life. From games with giant monsters to those with haunted mansions, we’re sure at least one of our suggestions will be a hit with you and your loved ones.

Read more: The best board games to gift this season

Best subscription gifts

There are way too many online services and subscriptions to keep track of these days, but the flip side is there’s a tool for just about everything. These are some of our favorite digital gifts and subscriptions, including time-tested music, video and gaming services as well as tools to clear your mental space and learn new skills.

Read more: The best subscription gifts to send your friends and family

Best gifts under $25

The most hyped tech is often also the most expensive: flagship smartphones, ultra-powerful gaming laptops, immersive VR headsets and the like. But it would be wrong to assume that those are the only pieces of technology worth gifting. You don’t have to drain your wallet to get someone a cool gadget that will both be useful and make their lives easier. We’ve collected our favorite pieces of tech under $25 that make great gifts and help you to stick to a budget.

Read more: The 12 best gifts under $25

Best gifts under $50

We wouldn’t blame you if you try to do all of your tech shopping around the holidays. That’s when you can typically get the best sales, both on relatively affordable gear and (more importantly) on big-ticket items. But it would be wrong to think that only the most expensive tech is worth gifting. Since we at Engadget test a plethora of gadgets every year, we know that there are some hidden (and not so hidden) tech gems at lower price ranges — you just have to know where to find them.

Read more: The best gifts under $50 that make great stocking stuffers

Best gifts under $100

If someone on your gift list this year is a big techie, you may want to get them something from Apple, Google, Samsung or another big brand. But once you look at the price tags of their most popular devices, you may get discouraged. Thankfully, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a tech gift for someone that has all the cachet of a brand they know and love. These are some of the best gifts you can get from Apple, Samsung, Sony and other big tech companies that come in at $100 or less.

Read more: The best tech gifts under $100 from Apple, Samsung, Google and others

Best tech gifts and gadgets

Trying to find the right gift for an unabashed gadget lover during the holidays can be difficult, especially if you don’t keep up with tech industry news yourself. Fortunately, you’re reading Engadget.com, a site entirely staffed by people who spend all day figuring out what new stuff is and isn’t actually good. So allow us to help. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite gadgets and gear that just might satisfy the avid geek in your life.

Read more: The best tech gifts and gadgets

Gifts our editors want

We at Engadget spend a lot of time thinking about the best tech gifts for anyone and everyone in your life. But during that process, we often can’t help but think about the things we’d like to receive as gifts. Here, we’ve compiled a list of gadgets on our staffers’ wishlists with the hope that it may inspire you to splurge a bit on yourself this year.

Read more: The best tech gifts on our editors’ wishlists for the holiday season

Best self care gifts

There are plenty of things you could get for someone that not only shows how much you care about them, but also remind them that it’s worthwhile to take time for themselves. And while there’s nothing wrong with an aromatherapy candle, it’s more fun to go beyond the obvious choices and look at what tech products could help your loved ones feel their best. Our picks include things like styling gadgets and grooming devices, but also less techy options like a hair turban and face masks.

Read more: The best self care gifts

Best gifts for gamers

This year may not go down as one of the best years in gaming like 2023 did, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t a lot of great new releases. Between titles like Astro Bot and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, there were plenty of games to keep even the most dedicated of gamers busy in 2024. And if you’re shopping for one, especially as a non-gamer, it can be tricky to navigate what’s worth buying. We’ve got you covered with these recommendations.

Read more: The best gifts for gamers

Best retro gaming gifts

A million new video games seem to come out every week, but for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you know someone who is way into retro gaming but don’t feel like hunting through eBay and local shops for gear to add to their collection, we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life, from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork.

Read more: The best retro gaming gifts for the holidays

Best gifts for coffee lovers

When it comes to making a great cup at home, coffee nerds are constantly learning and love to try new things. Whether the person you’re shopping for is a newly indoctrinated pour over lover or obsessive over every brewing parameter, we’ve compiled a list of the best gear for coffee geeks that you can get this holiday season.

Read more: The best gifts for coffee lovers

Best gifts for tea lovers

Forget coffee — for billions of people around the world, a freshly steeped cup of tea is the best part of waking up. But with so many varieties and methods of preparation out there, it can be difficult to find the right gift for the tea lover in your life. So to help you out, we’ve put together a list of our favorite products, from kettles to samplers.

Read more: The best gifts to buy tea lovers

Best cooking gifts

There are few things more rewarding than making good food for your friends and family. But after a while, it’s easy to get bored with the same tried and true recipes. And what better way to inject some fun into your favorite home chef’s routine than with a brand-new kitchen gadget? To help you find the right gift for the cook in your life, we’ve put together a list of our favorite kitchen gadgets across a wide range of prices and categories.

Read more: The best cooking gifts

Best tech toys for kids

We’re all having a bit of a budget crunch this year, but the good news is that when it’s time to bestow presents on the young ones (or young at heart), you don’t have to break the bank. Our list of our favorite tech, science and design toys is stacked with items under $100, with plenty of reuse packed in so the fun can extend far beyond the holiday season.

Read more: The best tech toys for kids

Best gadgets for your pets

In Engadget’s Slack rooms, our pets are high on the list of stuff we chat about — just behind work-adjacent tech stuff, insane current events, video games and food. We’ve bought plenty of high- and low-tech stuff to keep our furry friends fed, occupied, safe and happy and we’ve put together the best of what we tried here. Perhaps you’re shopping for your own very good boy or girl, or maybe you have a dutiful pet parent on your list — either way, the gadgets gathered here will make great gifts, according to the enthusiastic tail wags (or aloof meows) of our own fur babies.

Read more: The best gadgets for your pets

Best travel gifts

Since the dawn of humanity, we have traveled. We’ve come a long way from on-foot journeys laden with animal hide satchels. But the goal of good travel gear is the same: Get you and your necessities to a destination in the highest level of comfort available. If you know someone who is always catching a flight, rides the train to work or is bravely embarking on a cruise, some new tech may just help them out.

Read more: The best travel gifts

Best gifts for remote workers

There’s a pretty good chance you know at least one person who works remotely in some fashion. While the WFH life has its perks — nobody likes a long commute — it comes with its own set of challenges, from lacking pro-level equipment to dealing with household disturbances. If you’re looking to give a gift to someone who spends much of their time in their home office, we’ve rounded up a few techy gift ideas that should make their days a little more delightful, or at least easier to manage.

Read more: The 19 best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life

Best gifts for book lovers

There are few things better in life than getting lost in a good book — as any book lover will tell you. We have a few heavy readers on staff at Engadget and we all have opinions on the gadgets and subscriptions we think make the experience of reading even better. We’ve got gift ideas for those who prefer e-reading, as well as for the print-faithful — and of course, some book recommendations, too.

Read more: The best gifts for book lovers

Best gifts for music lovers

Everyone needs a hobby, and chances are there’s at least one person on your holiday shopping list who fancies themselves a musician. Whether they’re a casual synth noodler, a guitar virtuoso or a singer-songwriter we’ve got recommendations covering a range of price points. Some of these even make a great gift for music lovers who have been considering making the jump to music maker.

Read more: The 16 best gifts for music lovers

Best gifts for photographers

Whether that special person on your gift list is a photographer or content creator, a camera or accessory is always highly appreciated. And with technology in areas like autofocus and video quality constantly improving, it’s a great time to own a new camera. However, it can be confusing to sort through the latest models or find the best memory cards, backpacks, tripods and more. Fortunately, we’ve done the research and selected the best cameras at a wide range of prices, along with accessories that will help your loved one get the most out of their gear.

Read more: The best gifts for photographers and videographers

Best gifts for runners

Whether or not you understand your loved one’s desire to wake up before sunrise and get in a 5K is irrelevant when it comes to gifting. Athletes, especially runners, are pretty easy to shop for since they can never have too many of the essentials like socks, gloves, foam rollers, trackers and more. There are plenty of things you can get them that will make their runs more enjoyable, or help them recover more efficiently so they can best yesterday’s time today.

Read more: The best gifts for runners

Best gifts for cyclists

Other than a bike, helmet and a few emergency maintenance essentials, there aren’t many things a person needs to enjoy a bike ride outside. But having the right accessories can go a long way towards making the experience more fun, more safe and, ultimately, more rewarding. Our list of recommendations cover the gamut of things you can give to the cyclist in your life, from must-have safety accessories like bike lights, to more techie gadgets like bike computers.

Read more: The best gifts for cyclists

Best outdoor gifts

The great outdoors can be enjoyed all year round, so we’ve compiled a list of the best gifts for the backyard lounger, patio napper or woodland hiker on your list this holiday season. We even offer help with items to improve your tailgate or next beach trip. With everything from grilling gadgets to drinkware and hammocks to splash-proof speakers, there’s something for everyone – no matter how long or how often they venture outside.

Read more: The best outdoor gifts

Best gifts for moms

We don’t speak for all moms, but a brief and unscientific survey has confirmed one gift most moms will love across the board: Time. Unspoken for, unstructured, zero-obligation time. While we couldn’t find extra hours on sale anywhere online, we did find some gadgets and gizmos that help save time and others that make precious down time more enjoyable.

Read more: The 13 best gifts for moms

Best gifts for dads

Many Dads aren’t known for being forthright about what exactly they want for the holidays. (No, “peace and quiet” is not an acceptable answer in this case.) If you’re shopping for a father who likes gadgets but you aren’t sure what to get, let us help jog your brain with these gift ideas.

Read more: The 15 best gifts for dads

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-christmas-gifts-to-give-everyone-on-your-holiday-shopping-list-170018610.html?src=rss

The European Space Agency (ESA) has just signed a €10.6 ($11.1) billion contract to build the IRIS constellation. It’s the EU’s most ambitious space program in a decade and is designed to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink network. The contract will last 12 years, and the first launch is expected in 2029.

IRIS, which stands for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite, will consist of almost 300 satellites launched by European rockets. It’s built on top of two other EU satellite constellations, Copernicus and Galileo, the largest Earth-observation program and most accurate GPS system, respectively. Though most of the satellites’ work capacity will be used to provide commercial broadband services, a significant part is dedicated to security and crisis management. Most of the satellites are planned for a low earth orbit, but some will be in a medium earth orbit.

Of the €10.6 billion, €6 billion comes from the EU, while the ESA is forking over €550 million. The remaining €4 billion will come from the private sector.

The ESA is partnering with the European Commission through SpaceRISE, an industrial consortium led by European satellite operators SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat. Other members include Deutsche Telekom, Airbus and Thales, according to the Financial Times.

Since IRIS is many years away, Starlink will likely dominate the current satellite internet market. Recently, SpaceX completed the first direct-to-cell satellite constellation, which will allow phones to be connected even in remote areas.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/europe-will-build-its-own-secure-satellite-network-161115164.html?src=rss

Are you ready for the holiday travels and the long hours on your phone that accompany them? Whether you’re using your device for directions or entertainment, it’s a pain when you’re phone just dies. Try to avoid this by picking up one of our choices for best power banks and portable chargers, like Anker’s 200W Prime Power Bank — our favorite premium power bank.

Anker’s Prime Power Bank with a 100W charging base is currently available for $110, down from $185. This 41 percent off deal brings the power bank and charging base back down to a record-low price. To start from the bottom, its charging base has a USB port and two USB-C ports. You can use them while the base is plugged in and juicing up the power bank. As for the power bank, it can charge a MacBook Air once and an iPhone 14 or Galaxy S23 3.4 times. The power bank’s sleek screen shows how much battery the Anker device still holds. 

If you’re only really interested in the power bank then you can get it for a lot cheaper. The Anker Prime Power Bank is available on its own for just $78 — a 40 percent discount. This deal is also a record-low price for the device and offers all the same perks just sans-base. 

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/ankers-prime-power-bank-with-charging-base-is-back-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-150600518.html?src=rss

For years, reporting has claimed employees and contractors at Amazon’s warehouses are injured at unusually high rates, often attributed to a high pace of work. On Sunday, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions published an investigation that claims Amazon’s own internal research reached similar conclusions — and then ignored them, The New York Times reported.

The Senate Committee, chaired by Senator Bernie Sanders, published its 160-page report, which among other things, details the results of two internal Amazon initiatives meant to study worker injuries: Project Elderwand and Project Soteria. The former identified an upper bound of repetitive motions workers could perform before substantial risk of injury would occur, and noted that current quotes were above that rate. The latter indicated a link between work speed and injury. Both studies recommended relaxing the pace of work, but executives chose not to do so.

Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said that Sanders’ report used what she called “out-of-date documents” (the studies were conducted in 2020 and 2021). She continued saying that Amazon’s work environment has improved recently, and that a Washington State judge had rejected allegations that Amazon required its employees to work in an unsafe environment.

Amazon was cited last year by OSHA at half a dozen warehouses for “failing to keep workers safe.” An investigation by the Washington Post in 2021 found Amazon warehouse workers are seriously injured at a rate nearly twice that of the warehousing industry at large; it echoed similar findings by Reveal from 2019.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-ignored-internal-studies-on-injuries-senate-investigation-claims-144611988.html?src=rss