EnGadget

Sorry to everyone who was waiting for Sonos to release a streaming video device — it seems that's not happening anytime soon. The company is said to have canceled the long-expected product, which was reportedly far along in development.

Sonos leadership announced the cancellation in an all-hands call on Wednesday, according to The Verge. Interim CEO Tom Conrad says that, "for now," the company won't enter the streaming video market. The team that was working on the project, codenamed Pinewood, is set to be reassigned to other projects.

It was reported last month that Sonos could start selling the device this year for between $200 and $400. Pinewood was rumored to have a unified software experience with universal search for shows and movies from various streaming services like Netflix, Max and Disney+. Pinewood was believed to have Sonos Voice Control integration and to act as an HDMI hub for home entertainment devices such as game consoles. And, of course, the box would have synced with Sonos soundbars and speakers.

Per the report, Pinewood's cancellation leaves Sonos without a major new product to start selling in the second half of 2025. Instead, it seems that the company will double down on rebuilding its reputation and the performance of its software after the disastrous rollout of a new mobile app in 2024.

That fiasco led to the ouster of former CEO Patrick Spence and other executives. Sonos also fired hundreds of workers as part of a restructuring plan.

Engadget has contacted Sonos for comment.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/sonos-reportedly-scraps-its-long-expected-streaming-video-device-193445993.html?src=rss

iRobot, the creator of the Roomba and the company that popularized robot vacuums in the first place, told investors on Wednesday that it has "substantial doubt about [its] ability to continue."

Beyond declining sales — the company reported that revenue decreased 47 percent in the US over the prior year in its fourth quarter earnings — iRobot is also struggling to pay off its debts. The company took on a $200 million bridge loan to stay afloat while it waited for its $1.7 billion acquisition deal with Amazon to be approved, which it's still paying off.

The European Commission ultimately investigated the acquisition in 2023, and rather than address its concerns, Amazon terminated the deal and paid out its $94 million termination fee. That wasn't enough to eliminate iRobot's problems, though. The company now plans to review its options and see if it can find another way to stick it out, including "refinancing the company's debt and exploring a potential sale or strategic transaction."

The timing is particularly unfortunate given the line of new robot vacuums iRobot recently announced. The company has a new robot for most price points, but the Roomba 105 Vac Robot series, which are supposed to feature 70 times more suction than past models, and the Roomba Plus 505 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock, which is able to clean corners better and has a dock that washes and heat-dries the robot's mop, stand out as notable improvements. The company is also adopting lidar sensors across the board, something that was missing from previous robots and should allow for better, more accurate mapping.

It's possible new products help iRobot get to a better place financially — the company still makes robots we recommend, after all — but that doesn't change the fact that its facing stiff competition from companies like Roborock and Dreame, who are both getting much more adventurous with what their robot vacuums can actually do.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/irobot-has-new-roombas-but-it-doesnt-sound-confident-itll-be-around-to-sell-them-191747458.html?src=rss

The second season of the fantastic detective dramedy Poker Face starts streaming via Peacock on May 8. There’s a trailer and it spotlights the many guest stars that will be showing up as suspects in the second season. These include folks like John Mulaney, playing a cop of some kind, and early 2000s heartthrob Katie Holmes.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Fans of the first season know that Poker Face loves itself some guest stars. Giancarlo Esposito, Awkwafina, Justin Theroux, Cynthia Erivo and Melanie Lynsky will all be showing up in this new batch of episodes.

For the uninitiated, Poker Face is (basically) an old-school “mystery of the week” show, recalling genre classics like Columbo. It stars Natasha Lyonne as a gritty New Yorker (duh) as she wanders the country solving crimes. She has a near-supernatural ability to tell when someone is lying, which helps a lot.

The show was created by Rian Johnson, who polarized the Star Wars fandom with The Last Jedi before going on to make those well-regarded Knives Out movies. Two of those films have already aired on Netflix, with a third on the way. He also made some indie flicks earlier in his career, like Brick and Looper.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/poker-faces-season-two-trailer-features-guest-stars-like-john-mulaney-and-katie-holmes-184741470.html?src=rss

Many people using older Chromecast devices experienced a shock in recent days when their units lost the ability to cast content. The company ended the brand last year, which led folks to think that this was a planned obsolescence of some kind. Here’s some good news. It’s just a software issue and Google is working on it.

The company sent an email to users to say that its engineers are "working to resolve this as soon as possible, and will keep you updated when there is more to share.” Google was fairly vague in its wording here, but at least we know a fix is coming.

Yikes, Google really fumbled.
RIP Chromecast. pic.twitter.com/XTLulM3EAy

— DLLN (@DLLNBRAND) March 12, 2025

The issue primarily impacts older Chromecasts and the Chromecast Audio device and prevents them from casting. Google says the cause of the problem has been identified but didn’t reveal any specifics.

However, it has cautioned users to not factory reset impacted Chromecast devices. This will lock users out of the gadget entirely. Google has suggested it would help these people, because performing a factory reset would likely be one of the first troubleshooting steps, but hasn’t provided a time frame.

One Reddit user claims to have found the problem that caused the devices to lose functionality, noting that it was “most definitely due to the certificate baked into the Chromecast having expired.” This person said that the certificate specified it would no longer be active after March 9 and, well, that’s the day before many models started failing.

For the uninitiated, the issue causes an “untrusted device error” whenever someone tries to cast on certain models. The only option is to dismiss the error, which disables casting. Impacted units include the 2nd-gen Chromecast from 2015 and the Chromecast Audio.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/google-apologizes-for-chromecast-outage-and-promises-a-fix-172103579.html?src=rss

Apple and Metallica have teamed up to bring a free, immersive experience from one of the band's concerts to Apple Vision Pro. Starting on March 14, owners of the headset will be able to watch live performances of "Whiplash," "One" and, of course, "Enter Sandman" filmed at a stop on Metallica's M72 World Tour last year. An EP recorded at the show, titled M72 World Tour: Mexico City, will hit Apple Music this Friday and be available with spatial audio.

To capture the set in 180-degree video and spatial audio, Apple constructed a custom stage setup with 14 Apple Immersive Video cameras. Some cameras were suspended on cables and on remote-controlled dolly systems.

The immersive set will likely be a fun experience for those in the Venn diagram overlap of Metallica enjoyers and those who have splashed out $3,500 on an Apple Vision Pro (you'll be able to check it out by booking a free demo at an Apple Store too). But will it be as cool as the time lightning lit up the skies while Metallica played "Master of Puppets" at an outdoor show last year? Probably not.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/apple-vision-pro-users-can-check-out-a-short-immersive-metallica-concert-film-this-week-162611039.html?src=rss

Niantic Labs just announced that it has found a buyer for its game division after putting out feelers back in February. The Saudi Arabia-owned company Scopely has agreed to purchase the division for $3.5 billion. Scopely was founded in Los Angeles but was purchased using money from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, otherwise called the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The agreement includes most of Niantic’s portfolio of AR games, including Pokémon Go, Monster Hunter Now and Pikmin Bloom, among several others. It also includes the company’s social companion apps for Pokémon Go, Campfire and Wayfarer. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval and other closing conditions.

Scopely says it will receive “Niantic’s entire team of exceptional gamemakers and category-leading games.” There are a couple of titles, however, missing from this purchase. Niantic Labs will retain the AR gaming titles Peridot and Ingress.

Scopely is a major player in the mobile games industry. It’s the company behind games like Star Trek Fleet Command, Marvel Strike Force and Monopoly Go!, to name a few.

As for Niantic’s games division, it’s a shadow of its former self. Pokémon Go engaged more than 500 million players in its first year, but the game’s staying power has waned in recent times. At its peak, the mobile monster battler attracted over 230 million players each month. Nowadays, that number has shrunk to around 80 million.

The company has also struggled to replicate the Pikachu-shaped lightning in a bottle with other titles. It tried to reskin the Pokémon Go formula onto other franchises like Harry Potter and NBA basketball, but nothing stuck. The Monster Hunter and Pikmin projects, however, are still active.

This led Niantic to cancel multiple games and lay off hundreds of employees. Niantic’s valuation has taken several hits and the company’s long-promised “real-world metaverse” has yet to materialize. If the sale goes through, the company will focus on building out its standalone entity Niantic Spatial. This group builds real-world 3D maps and is led by company CEO John Hanke.

The Saudi PIF has become a major player in the games industry in recent years. It not only owns Scopely and its parent company Savvy Games Group, but has financial stakes in organizations like Nintendo, EA and Activision Blizzard.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/pokemon-go-maker-niantic-sells-its-game-division-to-saudi-owned-scopely-160905447.html?src=rss

Springtime is a period of renewal – and that often includes new iterations of all your favorite gadgets. Laptops and phones and even game consoles are all getting a new look on the outside and new specs on the inside this year, and you might be tempted to upgrade. But if you do, that leaves the question of what to do with your old model. If it’s still in good working condition, there’s a pretty good chance someone will give you a few bucks for it — here are the best places to make that happen.

Trade-in sites

Lots of people can make good money selling old stuff online, but it’s usually a full-time job for them. You, on the other hand, probably would like it to be as easy and quick as possible. To get some money in your hand without too much fuss, we recommend an automated trade-in site. You'll select your device from a list, get a quote within minutes and send the device to the company in return for cash in a matter of days.

Decluttr

Decluttr definitely lives up to its name. Not only can you sell phones from a number of manufacturers, including Apple, Samsung and Google, but the site also takes lots of physical media, including CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, video games and books – and yes, there are plenty of people who still collect these. For devices, you'll be asked to provide a general assessment of its condition before you’re given a quote immediately. Once you complete your order, the site will send you a free shipping label. Decluttr also will accept handsets as old as the iPhone 7, though it'll offer you only $2 for a 32GB model in excellent condition.

Back Market

Back Market has been rising in popularity the past few years, and it’s easy to see why. It offers excellent prices since it sources multiple refurbishers for quotes. You’ll just answer a few questions about your phone, then take your packaged device to a UPS Store and show the clerk a QR code in order to get your prepaid shipping label. Payment is dropped straight into your bank account, so you don’t have to wait for a check (or worry about cashing it). Back Market takes a pretty wide variety of products too, including headphones and speakers.

uSell

uSell operates as a broker, searching other sites for their best offers on a given device and taking care of the rest. Like most buyback sites, it's big on iPhones, but you can still sell off other manufacturers' devices; it really depends on who's buying them at that point. The selection is a bit of a grab bag — newer phones like the Galaxy S22 aren't listed, though you can get a quote for the iPhone 15 ($401 for an unlocked, “flawless” 128GB model). Once you complete your order the site will send you a free shipping kit to send in your device, and you can get paid for the item via PayPal, Venmo or an old-fashioned check.

ecoATM

If you don't want to have to worry about packaging up your old device and mailing it off, or would like to receive your payout right away, there's always ecoATM. It's literally all in the name: the company operates automated machines that you place your device into to get it examined, and it pays you out on the spot. It accepts the biggest brands (i.e., Apple, Google and Samsung), along with devices from a wide variety of manufacturers, including LG, Motorola and ZTE. If the machine determines that your device isn't worth anything at all, you can still use ecoATM to responsibly recycle your old gadget. You'll find ecoATM kiosks in Walmart, Dollar General and Kroger locations, as well as malls and check-cashing stores across the country.

Amazon

While browsing Amazon listings, it’s likely you’ve come across products marked as “refurbished.” Well, if you’ve ever wondered where those come from, a lot of them likely hail from Amazon’s trade-in program. The company will put its own products, like Kindle ereaders and Fire tablets front and center, but you can also send in phones and gaming products in for an Amazon gift card as well. It’s not great if you want cash, but if you’re looking to upgrade an Amazon device, this option is your best bet, as trading in an older one also nets you a 20 percent discount in addition to the store credit. You’ll need to print out a shipping label, or you can drop off your electronics at select Amazon Locker, Whole Foods or uBreakiFix locations.

Apple

This is a good option if you’re looking to upgrade to a newer Apple device. You can trade in iPhones, iPads, Macs and even Apple Watches. That’s notable as wearables are a category you don’t often see on trade-in sites. Apple will even take your old Android phone if you were thinking of making the switch. The trade-in values are on par with other sites (though occasionally Apple will offer extra credit on certain categories), but you can get a smaller payout in the form of a gift card instead if you’d rather wait before making a new purchase, want to put it toward media purchases or even just use it in an Apple Store. The latter, by the way, also accepts trade-ins in case you’re not comfortable shipping your old but still expensive device.

Target

Target used to do in-store trade-ins only, but now it’s entirely a mail-in operation. You select your product from a pretty extensive list of eligible products, including smart speakers and media players (like Zune!). As usual, you’ll answer a few questions about its condition to get a quote. Then you’ll get a prepaid shipping label to attach to any box that you’ll drop off at your nearest USPS location. Payment is only offered via an electronic gift card, which is still pretty good given that you can buy all sorts of things at Target besides electronics like groceries, clothing and furniture.

It'sWorthMore

The nice thing about It’sWorthMore is that its on-site forms handle a larger variety of gadgets than other sites, including cameras, drones and even graphics cards. It also handles products from a larger variety of companies such as LG, AMD and even GoPro in addition to standards like Apple, Samsung and Google. You’ll answer a few standard questions about your device’s condition and whether you still have the original box — obviously, the more you’ve kept from the original packaging, the better. You’ll then get a ballpark estimate of its worth and a prepaid shipping label to print out. Once your device has been received, you’ll generally get the assessment and payment via direct deposit, check, PayPal, Zelle or a gift card in under 10 days.

BuyBackWorld

The appeal of BuyBackWorld is that device assessment is a streamlined process: Instead of having to answer a barrage of detailed questions about the condition of your device you simply give it a general assessment and let the site handle the rest. Just like with It’sWorthMore, BuyBackWorld will provide a printable shipping label in your confirmation email but, if you don’t have a printer or boxes to pack your device up, you can always have the site send you a free shipping kit, which can handle everything the site takes except desktop computers. Don’t worry if you do have a larger item, though – BuyBackWorld will still cover free shipping via FedEx, you just need to provide your own packaging.

GadgetGone

If you’ve read through the other site descriptions, GadgetGone’s modus operandi should be familiar: To sell a product, you’ll have to answer a few questions about what type of device you have and what condition it’s in, after which the site will generate a prepaid shipping label. At least here you can find brands like OnePlus included among the options, and you can also sell MacBooks and Mac minis here. You can get paid a number of ways, too, including PayPal, virtual VISA card, Amazon and Target gift cards or just good, old-fashioned bank transfer.

Store trade-ins

Whether it’s because you don’t want to wait for your money, or because you’re not entirely comfortable dropping expensive electronics into a mailbox and hoping they make it to their destination, you might prefer taking your items to a retail location. Fortunately there are still plenty of brick-and-mortar locations to do just that. Even wireless carriers like Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile have gotten in on the trade-in game.

Best Buy

Best Buy also offers trade-ins both by mail and in-store — with more than 1,000 locations, this might be extremely convenient for you. You fill out the form online and bring that to customer service. It's easy, but there's one big downside: You can get your payout only via a Best Buy gift card. This is great if you spend a lot of money with them anyway, but not ideal if you need cash.

GameStop

GameStop is infamous for buying games back at ridiculously low prices and flipping them at near retail, but don't let that stop you from making some easy cash when you need to quickly clear your closet of old electronics and games. And yes, I said cash: GameStop offers store credit, a prepaid Mastercard or actual money if you want to take your bounty elsewhere. For example, you can trade in Super Mario Bros. Wonder for the Switch and get $25 in store credit or $17.50 cash, which isn't bad when new copies are going for $50 on Amazon. GameStop also accepts phones, tablets and Apple Watches, though the prices aren't going to match what you'd get from an online trade-in site. You can even sell your Amiibo collection if you just want it gone and don’t care about recouping its full value.

Consumer to consumer

Sometimes you prefer to cut out the middleman and get a bit more personal — a transaction where you're selling your device directly to another person instead of letting a faceless site flip it for you as a "refurbished" unit. In those cases, you want a site that's more user-to-user, though a few will still automate certain bits to make your sale as smooth and secure as possible.

Swappa

Swappa is a marketplace site, which means sellers can set their own price. So if you're getting rid of a newer phone, this is probably the best way to go — the iPhone 16 fetches around $400, for example. That's a huge improvement over what you'd get selling through a site like Decluttr, which is offering only $162 for a 128GB unit.

Amazon

When shopping on Amazon, you've probably been tempted by some of those marketplace deals in the past and, chances are, if you list an item on there, someone will give your old device a look. Since almost everyone on earth seems to have an Amazon account, your potential customer base is huge, and it costs only $0.99, plus a percentage based on category, to sell an item through the site. The downsides are that Amazon isn't really optimized for individual sales; you'll be competing with wholesale companies and even bots that will tweak the price of a product automatically in response to the competition.

eBay

eBay is sort of the Wild West of sales sites, but the biggest advantage is that you can sell anything there and hopefully find a buyer, regardless of how old a product is. Even so, the site has come a long way in the past decade or so, with a dedicated tech section in the top menu and a hub page highlighting current deals.

In the end, it still works as it always did: You list a product and set an end date for the listing with a minimum price, or just set a "Buy It Now" price if you don't want to wait to see how an auction turns out. Chances are you already have an eBay account with a feedback score, so there's no extra setup required on your part. Your first 250 listings are free every month, and you'll pay up to 15 percent of the purchase price (plus a small flat fee of $0.30 or $0.40) if an item sells. The biggest downside is that you're competing with a lot more sellers, and chances are there's always someone willing to undercut you on price.

Cash-back comparison

Ultimately, the site you go with should be whatever's most useful and convenient, but if you just care about how much money you'll get, we've priced out the iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy S22 just to give you an idea of what each site will pay out.

iPhone 15 (unlocked, 128GB, good condition)

• Amazon: N/A

• Apple: $400 (trade-in credit), $390 (gift card)

• AT&T: $190 (bill credit or promotional card)

• BackMarket: $396 (cash)

• Best Buy: $325 (gift card)

• BuyBackWorld: $340 (cash)

• Decluttr: $162 (cash)

• eBay: $315 (cash)

• ecoATM: $251 (cash)

• GadgetGone: $417 (cash)

• GameStop: $230 (cash), $256 (store credit)

• It’sWorthMore: $421 (cash)

• Swappa: $463 (cash)

• Target: $290 (gift card)

• T-Mobile $290 (bill credit)

• uSell: $371 (cash)

• Verizon: N/A

Samsung Galaxy S23 (unlocked, 128GB, good condition)

• Amazon: N/A

• Apple: $195 (trade-in credit or gift card)

• AT&T: $290 (bill credit or promotional card)

• Back Market: $203 (cash)

• Best Buy: $150 (gift card)

• BuyBackWorld: $180 (cash)

• Decluttr: $135 (cash)

• eBay: $225 (cash)

• ecoATM: $133 (cash)

• GadgetGone: $232 (cash)

• GameStop: $131 (cash), $146 (store credit)

• It’sWorthMore: $236 (cash)

• Swappa: $308 (cash)

• Target: $190

• T-Mobile: $155 (bill credit)

• uSell: N/A

• Verizon: N/A

Once you've picked a site and listed your item, there are a few important things to remember before you ship off your device. At the top of the list is to do a full factory reset before disposing of a phone or laptop (or any other device) containing personal data. That also means turning off "Find My iPhone" and the activation lock on iOS devices. See if you can unlock the phone, too; you'll actually get more money selling it carrier-free. And finally, make sure you've backed up any important data you may have, like contact info, game saves and, of course, photos. Cash is great, but it won't save your memories.

Images: Mike Blake / Reuters (ecoATM); Alamy (Gamestop); Getty Images for eBay (eBay)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/where-to-sell-used-electronics.html?src=rss

There's a sale on some of our favorite Sonos devices happening on Amazon right now. One of the best deals comes thanks to a 36 percent discount on the Sonos Ray compact soundbar. It's currently available for just $179, down from $279 in either black or white. It's our runner up for best midrange soundbar. 

The Sonos Ray debuted in 2022 and garnered an 82 in our review thanks to compact, sleek design and easy setup. We also liked its bass performance and overall sound quality for either TV or music. However, it didn't create as immersive a sound as larger options, so people with a big space might want to opt for something else. 

Then there's our favorite midrange speaker, the Sonos Era 100. The speaker is currently down to $199 from $249 — a 20 percent discount. It offers great sound quality and has two tweeters. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonos-soundbars-and-speakers-are-up-to-36-percent-off-right-now-153107885.html?src=rss

Since its debut at the end of last year, Gemini 2.0 has gone on to power a handful of Google products, including a new AI Mode chatbot. Now Google DeepMind is using that same technology for something altogether more interesting. On Wednesday, the AI lab announced two new Gemini-based models it says will "lay the foundation for a new generation of helpful robots."

The first, Gemini Robotics, was designed by Deepmind to facilitate direct control of robots. According to the company, AI systems for robots need to excel at three qualities: generality, interactivity and dexterity.

The first involves a robot's flexibility to adapt to novel situations, including ones not covered by its training. Interactivity, meanwhile, encapsulates a robot's ability to respond to people and the environment. Finally, there's dexterity, which is mostly self-explanatory: a lot of tasks humans can complete without a second thought involve fine motor skills that are difficult for robots to master.

"While our previous work demonstrated progress in these areas, Gemini Robotics represents a substantial step in performance on all three axes, getting us closer to truly general purpose robots," says DeepMind.

For instance, with Gemini Robotics powering it, DeepMind's ALOHA 2 robot is able to fold origami and close a Ziploc bag. The two-armed robot also understands all the instructions given to it in natural, everyday language. As you can see from the video Google shared, it can even complete tasks despite encountering roadblocks, such as when the researcher moves around the Tupperware he just asked the robot to place the fruit inside of.

Google is partnering with Apptronik, the company behind the Apollo bipedal robot, to build the next generation of humanoid robots. At the same time, DeepMind is releasing Gemini Robotics-ER (or embodied reasoning). Of the second model, the company says it will enable roboticists to run their own programs using Gemini's advanced reasoning abilities. DeepMind is giving "trusted testers," including one-time Google subsidiary Boston Dynamics, access to the system.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/deepminds-latest-ai-model-can-help-robots-fold-origami-and-close-ziploc-bags-151455249.html?src=rss

The recent wave of good deals on Apple gear doesn't stop at iPad, MacBook Air or Apple Watch models. A four-pack of Apple AirTags has dropped back down to a record low price of $64.49. That's 35 percent off the regular price of $99.

The AirTag is our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users. AirTags are deeply integrated into Apple's ecosystem, making them a cinch to set up using an iPhone. They're easy to use as well as they work with Apple's Find My app.

In large part thanks to the many, many iPhones that are out in the wild, AirTags can help you find misplaced items. Whenever someone with an iPhone is close enough to such an item with an AirTag attached, it will appear in your Find My app. 

In addition, if you happen to accidentally leave something with an AirTag somewhere, you'll likely receive a left-behind alert once you're a certain distance away from it (1,200 feet or so, based on our testing). It's possible to disable these alerts for certain trackers and set up exceptions for such notifications when your AirTags are at, say, your home or place of work.

If you have an iPhone 11 or later (not including an iPhone SE or iPhone 16e), your phone's ultra-wide band chip can point you in the direction of an AirTag using arrows and a distance meter once you're within 25 feet of it. One major reason that this is useful is because the AirTag has the quietest ring of any tracker we’ve tested. It also comes in handy when the AirTag is out of sight.

The AirTag has a replaceable battery and it has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. However, the device's audible ring only lasts for seven seconds, so you might end up having to trigger it a few times to find your AirTag. There's no attachment point built in either, so if you'd like to affix an AirTag to a set of keys, for instance, you’ll probably need to buy an AirTag accessory.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/a-four-pack-of-airtags-is-back-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-144735100.html?src=rss

There are many reasons Devil May Cry fans will enjoy the upcoming show adaptation's new trailer. But, I must warn you, after watching it Papa Roach's "Last Resort" will be stuck in your head for days. The early 2000s song plays alongside a two-minute trailer that showcases Dante and, notably, his twin brother Vergil. 

There are many great takeaways from this peek at the show, but one of the most amusing might be when Lady rips of Dante's shirt and he responds, "Ripped and irresistible dream boat, I know. You still can't just tear a guy's clothes off." It's that kind of lighthearted banter mixed with the action sequences that make us so excited for the Devil May Cry series. 

A television series version of Capcom's Devil May Cry game has been in the works for years now. We first got a teaser back in 2023, but we only learned in January that it will premiere on Netflix on April 3. The animated series from Korean company Studio Mir is actually Devil May Cry's second go as a show — in 2007, a 12-episode anime based on the game ran in Japan. 

Not familiar with the video game? Here's Netflix's synopsis for the Devil May Cry TV show: "Sinister forces are at play at the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon hunter for hire, unaware that the fate of both worlds hangs around his neck."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-devil-may-cry-netflix-series-has-a-real-trailer-and-now-papa-roach-is-stuck-in-my-head-131853378.html?src=rss

Mike Verdu has left Netflix, according to Game File with Stephen Totilo. Netflix brought the former Oculus and EA exec onboard to launch and lead its gaming efforts in 2021. Under Verdu's leadership, the company released a bunch of new and ported titles, as well as establishing an internal game development operation. In mid-2024, however, Netflix changed its gaming strategy and hired Alain Tascan, the executive vice president for game development at Epic Games, to lead its gaming efforts. Verdu still served as the VP for games until November 2024, after which he was named as the Vice President of generative AI for games. 

On LinkedIn, Verdu wrote that his role was about "driving a 'once in a generation' inflection point for game development and player experiences using generative AI." He added that he was "focused on a creator-first vision for AI, one that puts creative talent at the center, with AI being a catalyst and an accelerant." Verdu has yet to update his LinkedIn profile with a new role. As Totilo said in his newsletter, Netflix's gaming efforts have undergone some big changes since Tascan took over. 

In 2022, Netflix hired former Overwatch boss Chacko Sonny to lead an internal AAA studio known as Team Blue. It then brought on Halo exec Joseph Staten, as well as God of War art director Rafael Grassett to work on a multi-platform AAA game for an all-new IP. But in October 2024, Netflix shut down Team Blue. The company had also lost Leanne Loombe, who headed up its second and third-party gaming development and publishing efforts. Loombe recently became the head of games at Annapurna Interactive following a mass exodus, wherein all 25 members of the studio's team collectively resigned. And in early February, Netflix canceled its release plans for six games that were previously heading to iOS and Android, including Thirsty Suitors and Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflixs-first-gaming-boss-has-left-the-company-124555235.html?src=rss

It's no secret that Spotify isn't a big money maker for most artists. But, in its annual Loud & Clear report, the music streamer is trying to change the narrative, reiterating an earlier claim that it paid artists $10 billion in 2024 ($60 million since launching) and adding that these payments increased tenfold over the last 10 years. 

Spotify throws in quite a few other big numbers into the 2024 report. It claims that the 100,000th most streamed artist also saw a tenfold increase over a decade, receiving $6,000, up from $600. Meanwhile, the 10,000th most streamed artist reportedly received $131,000, up from $34,000. Plus, it reports that almost 1,500 artists generated over $1 million.

Despite these numbers, Spotify still doesn't hold much goodwill from artists. For starters, a report from music catalog buyer Duetti found that Spotify paid out $3 per 1,000 streams in 2024, while the same figure gave artists $4.80 at YouTube, $6.20 at Apple Music and $8.80 at Amazon Music. In a statement after the report's release, Spotify told TechCrunch, "These claims are ridiculous and unfounded," and argued that music platforms don't pay by stream. 

In January, Billboard reported that four of the five artists nominated at the Grammys for songwriter of the year chose to skip Spotify's Grammy party for songwriters — all of Spotify's Grammy parties were eventually canceled because of the Los Angeles wildfires. Songwriters, including Jesse Jo Dillon and Amy Allen, both cited Spotify's decision last year to bundle audiobooks and songs in subscription tiers. The publication had previously reported that the new premium, duo and family tiers meant songwriters got paid a discounted bundle rate, losing an estimated $150 million in US mechanical royalties over the first 12 months. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/spotify-tries-to-defend-its-artist-payout-rates-120021659.html?src=rss

We've come a long way from the days of discarding smartphones as soon as a new model comes out. Many shoppers are now demanding devices that will last for years, and they are being more conscientious about what happens to those gadgets when the need for an upgrade does arrive.

You may want to trade in your smartphone or sell it when the time comes; either option can keep your device out of a landfill in addition to scoring you some extra cash. There are also options to recycle part or all of your phone if it's too old to make a trade-in worthwhile. Whatever path you choose, there are important steps to take to prepare a phone you're about to get rid of. These instructions apply to any model you might have, including both iPhones and Android phones. Here's what you need to know.

Back up your data

Let's start with a very important reminder to do regular backups for all of your gear, not just your phone. It's a task you should keep up with routinely even when you aren't about to recycle or trade-in a device.

Most hardware manufacturers have an automatic cloud backup system, but you'll like your new phone a lot less if it doesn't have your full, up-to-date library of contacts, photos and other information. This is the time to manually back everything up with all of your latest data.

Also, before you get any further into the process, make sure that you know the critical details for your phone and the main accounts associated with it. Halfway through is the worst time to lose access to your device because you can't remember your username or password.

Unpair wireless accessories

Most people connect their phone to many other gadgets via Bluetooth. There are obvious ones, like smartwatches and wireless headphones, but you might also have your phone paired with something like a car stereo or a portable speaker. All of them should be unpaired from the phone you're about to trade in.

If you use your phone in two-factor authentication for sensitive accounts, you'll want to make sure that you disconnect the device from those services, too.

Log out of apps and services

Next, you'll sign out of the device's cloud-based service. For iPhone owners, that's iCloud, and on Android, it's the Google suite. This will avoid any confusion with your new device. You'll also want to turn off Find My on iPhones or Find My Device on Android phones. iPhone users should also deregister iMessage on their old iPhone, particularly if they’re moving to a non-Apple smartphone. These steps might seem unnecessary when you'll end up wiping your device entirely, but you don't want to risk having your personal information accidentally made available to whoever might get your phone next.

Also, if you are under a plan that protects your phone, such as Apple Care or Preferred Care, you can usually cancel that coverage early. You'll get a refund on any unexpired coverage, and given how expensive gadgets can be now, it's worth getting that money back if you can.

Swap to the new device

At this point, your to-do list will vary. If you're planning to trade up to a newer model from the same manufacturer and you already have your new phone, then you'll want to transfer your data before moving on to wiping your old phone. Either in the store or on your own, in most cases you can wirelessly migrate your data from the old device to the new one.

If you're changing lanes between the Apple and Google universes, you can also do most data swapping yourself. There's a Google Play app called Move to iOS and one in the App Store called Android Switch that can walk you through the process. Just be sure that your device meets the requirements to use those programs.

However, if you aren't immediately setting up a new device, then you can skip this and move on to the next phase.

Factory reset your old device

Once you double-check that you have everything backed up (seriously, don't take chances on this), then it's time to perform a factory reset. This will remove all of your data and apps, and bring the phone back to its original state. It’s ideal to do this reset as the final step of trading in, selling or recycling a device.

Whatever phone model you have, the reset option will be in the Settings app. It will commonly be nested under a tab like General or About, or you can search “reset” within Settings to find exactly where it is on your device.

Remove any accessories

This might seem obvious, but right before handing off your phone, make sure that you remove any accessories. Cases, grips and screen protectors should stay with you, not with the phone when it goes to its new home.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/how-to-prepare-your-phone-for-trade-in-120000724.html?src=rss

Finding good laptops can feel overwhelming, especially with so many options to choose from. Whether you need a lightweight machine for work, a business laptop for productivity, or something with plenty of storage for all of your projects, there are plenty of options. Modern laptops are more powerful and efficient than ever, offering a mix of portability, performance, and features tailored to different needs. From sleek ultrabooks to gaming beasts and budget-friendly options, there's no shortage of great choices.

Out of all of the notebooks we've tested and reviewed recently, we consider Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air M4 to be the best laptop for most people, and this is still the case for our top picks to start off the new year. It's powerful enough to handle most tasks (even light video editing); it has a great screen and built-in speakers; and its battery could last over 18hours (depending on what you're doing, of course). The MacBook Air M4 is also one of the lightest and thinnest systems we've reviewed, and it's dead silent, thanks to a fanless design.

Of course, not everyone wants a MacBook, and there are excellent Windows laptops and Chromebooks out there, too. Windows systems offer a range of configurations, from budget to high-end UHD screens with stunning IPS panels that boast high nits for vivid brightness. Chromebooks, on the other hand, tend to be more affordable and are great for users who mostly work online. Whether you need a powerhouse for creative work, a compact system for note-taking, or a laptop that can handle family movie night, there’s something for everyone in today’s laptop market.

Table of contents

• Best laptops of 2025

• How we test and pick laptops

• Factors to consider when choosing a laptop

• Best laptops specs comparison chart

• Other laptops we’ve tested

• Laptop FAQs

• Recent updates

Best laptops of 2025

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How we test laptops

Engadget has been reviewing laptops for two decades, and while the definition of what a portable PC is has changed considerably since, our obsession with testing their limits and serving up informative buying advice remains the same. Be it a hybrid tablet like Microsoft's Surface machines, a rotating 2-in-1 convertible like HP's Spectre x360s or a plain old clamshell notebook, our review process follows similar beats. How does it look and feel? How fast is it? Whether it’s a Windows device powered by an Intel Core i5 or higher, a MacBook or a Chromebook, we aim to answer the most important question: Is it actually worth your hard-earned cash? We also pay close attention to portability, webcam quality and display features, including IPS panels and nits of brightness, as they can make a big difference in daily use.

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Factors to consider when choosing a laptop Price

You can expect to spend between $1,000 and $1,800 for a new laptop these days, depending on the configuration. If you're looking for more of a workhorse, that could cost you well over $2,000 for additional RAM, storage, as well as a beefier graphics card and CPU. But you can also find some good laptops under $1,000 if you're willing to overlook build quality (or buy a refurbished or previous generation machine, which we highly recommend). Systems with AMD chips tend to come in cheaper than their Intel counterparts, but the bulk of their cost will come down to other components like RAM and storage.

I’ve included our favorite affordable model in this best laptop buying guide, but we have a list of the best budget laptops that you can check out as well.

Operating system: Apple, Windows or Chrome OS

There's a good chance you've already committed to an operating system, but my advice is to be as flexible as possible. These days, most major software is compatible with both Macs and PCs. (Of course, it's another story if you've become dependent on an Apple-only app like Final Cut Pro.) Web-based apps, naturally, will work on any platform with an internet browser.

If you're an Apple-loyalist, there aren't many reasons to consider Windows laptops (unless you want a secondary gaming machine). But for Windows users, macOS is becoming more tempting every year. Apple's MacBooks, powered by its M-series Silicon chips, are among the fastest and most efficient laptops we've ever seen. They're incredibly well-built and have outstanding battery life to boot. MacOS itself is also an easy platform to learn, especially if you're used to iOS and iPadOS.

That brings up another point: iPhone users may want to consider Macs because of the seamless integration with Apple's other platforms. You can't respond to iMessage conversations easily or hop into FaceTime chats on Windows PCs, but doing so is simple on Macs. (Microsoft's Phone Link app lets you send iOS users individual texts, but not media or group chats.) Android users, meanwhile, may be better off with Windows, as Phone Link can make calls, synchronize all your texts and also access your phone's photos.

If cloud gaming is your priority, Windows laptops with NVIDIA’s GeForce Now or Xbox Cloud Gaming compatibility may offer more flexibility and decent performance, especially when paired with fast internet speeds. Chromebooks also make a compelling case here as an affordable, lightweight solution for casual cloud gaming sessions.

As for whether you’ll want a PC with a dedicated Copilot AI button on the keyboard, that depends on how often you see yourself using Microsoft’s generative tools. Given we’re only just seeing the first slate of AI PCs, it would be wiser to wait out the hype and see what improvements might come over time.

And what about ChromeOS? Chromebooks are a smart and (typically) inexpensive way to do things like web browsing and hopping on a few video chats, but for most, they're not the best choice as a primary computer. There aren't many apps or games that work offline, and they also don't work with powerful software suites like Adobe's (you can use the stripped-down Adobe Express and Photoshop online tools, though).

Chromebooks are great secondary machines to use alongside a more powerful Mac or PC, and they're popular in schools because they're cheap and easy for IT workers to manage. And if all you need is web browsing access, or a notebook for a kid, a Chromebook might be enough.

If, for some reason, you’re looking for a powerful ChromeOS system, there are also Chromebook Plus models to consider. These machines sport faster processors and more RAM than typical Google notebooks, and they can also tap into a few of the company’s online AI features, like AI image generation and photo processing.

Ports and connectivity

These days, most laptops ship with a few USB-C ports, which can handle both charging and speedy data transfers. Apple's MacBooks also include a separate connection for MagSafe power, and you'll find custom power connections on some PCs like Microsoft's Surface. Older USB Type-A connections are less common now, but they still pop up in systems like HP's Spectre x360 14, as well as many models from ASUS.

For gamers or creators who rely on discrete graphics, ensuring your laptop has the right ports for external monitors or GPUs is crucial. DisplayPort or HDMI connections can also ensure you’re ready for dual- or multi-screen setups for more immersive experiences. Similarly, if you want to save high-resolution files or install multiple games, you might need to consider additional hard drive space; external hard drives are pretty affordable, as long as you have a proper port to connect them.

If you're a fan of wired headphones, it's worth keeping a close eye on headphone jack availability. Many lightweight laptops, like Dell's XPS 13, don’t have the 3.5mm socket entirely. They usually include a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, but that's a clunky solution, and it also takes up a USB port. Sure, most people use wireless earbuds and cans today, but it's still helpful to have a wired one around for when those devices run out of juice.

Most laptops today offer Wi-Fi 6 or 6E and Bluetooth 5.0 or later, which should mean faster and more stable connections if you have compatible routers and devices. While Wi-Fi 7 routers have started appearing, that spec hasn't made its way into laptops yet. As for cellular coverage, there are notebooks like the Surface Pro 9 and Samsung Galaxy Book models that offer integrated 5G. But from our testing, that feature may not be worth the cost of a separate data plan. Instead, you could tether to your smartphone or invest in a wireless hotspot that can keep multiple devices online.

Laptop size and weight

So how portable do you want your laptop to be? That's the ultimate question you need to ask when choosing between various screen sizes. 13-inch machines have become a solid starting point for most shoppers — it's enough real estate for the majority of tasks like emailing and writing, and it also helps keep machines relatively light (typically between two to three pounds). Thanks to manufacturing advancements, these dainty machines sometimes even come with larger screens (the smaller MacBook Air actually has a 13.6-inch display).

If you have trouble seeing fine text, we’d recommend going for a display larger than 13 inches. ASUS’s Zephyrus G14 is a solid 14-inch option for gamers, and we’re also seeing more productivity-focused machines aim for that size, like the XPS 14 and MacBook Pro. While 14-inch notebooks are a bit heavier than 13-inch models, coming in between three to four pounds, their screens are noticeably roomier.

For artists, or anyone else who needs a large canvas, a 15-inch laptop may make the most sense. They typically weigh between 3.5 and 4.5 pounds, but that extra heft may be worth it to fit wider video editing timelines or Photoshop windows. And, as you'd expect, you'll also pay a bit more for a 15-inch notebook compared to smaller ones (the 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,199, while the smaller model goes for $999). PC makers are also replacing 15-inch systems with 16-inch versions, which will give you even more space to work.

If you're in the market for a business laptop, size and portability might be key considerations. A lightweight yet powerful system with a long battery life can make a world of difference if you travel frequently for work.

You can still find laptops with 17-inch or 18-inch screens, but those are typically gaming systems or souped-up workstations. They're not meant for mere computing mortals.

Battery life

A laptop's battery life depends on several factors: The power draw from the screen and other hardware, the optimizations used to avoid unnecessary power drain, and, of course, the size of the actual battery. One of our favorite systems, the Dell XPS 13, lasted 13 hours and 15 minutes in the PCMark 10 battery benchmark. In real-world testing, I was able to use it for a day and a half without needing a recharge. The MacBook Air 13-inch, meanwhile, more than 18 hours in our benchmark and kept running for more than two work days of my typical workflow. In general, you should expect a modern laptop to last at least eight hours.

If battery life is your absolute priority, I'd strongly suggest looking at Macs over Windows PCs. Apple's M-series chips are essentially mobile hardware, with all of the power efficiency you'd expect from something originally designed for phones. Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon chips could help Windows PCs compete with Apple’s astonishing battery life, but we’ve yet to see those in action. Chromebooks also typically get decent battery life (as long as you don’t overstuff them with power-draining tabs).

Refresh rate

A laptop's refresh rate refers to the amount of times its screen is cycled every second. Modern displays like IPS LCDs and OLEDs support 60Hz refresh rates at a minimum, but we're seeing more devices offering 120Hz, 240Hz and beyond. The higher the number, the faster the screen is refreshed, which ultimately leads to a smoother experience while mousing around or scrolling through web pages. (If you want to get a sense of what a slow refresh rate looks like, just grab an e-reader like the Kindle and try to flip between book pages.)

While high refresh rates used to be reserved for gaming laptops, nowadays we're seeing more mainstream machines like the XPS 13 offer 120Hz (or variable rates that move between 60Hz and 120Hz). If there's one knock against the MacBook Air, it's that it's still stuck at 60Hz.

CPU

If you’re buying a new laptop, you’ll want to make sure it’s powered by the latest CPUs. For Windows PCs, that includes Intel’s Core Ultra chips for thin-and-light machines or the 14th-gen HX chips for beefier systems. The Core Ultra series have NPUs for handling AI tasks, while the HX hardware does not – they’re based on Intel’s previous chip architecture, and they’re more focused on delivering raw horsepower. Intel's older 13th-gen and 12th-gen laptop chips also don't have NPUs, so keep that in mind if you're looking at used systems.

You'll also see AMD's Ryzen 8000 and 9000 chips in plenty of new systems like the ASUS Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14. Those CPUs mainly target gaming laptops and high performance systems, while you'll still find AMD’s older Ryzen 7000 chips in ultraportables. AMD's main advantage is that its chips also include Radeon graphics, which are far more capable than Intel's Arc hardware (though those are getting better).

Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus are also an option in Copilot+ PCs (more on those below). Since they’re based on mobile chip designs, they’re likely also more power efficient than AMD and Intel’s hardware. In the past, we’ve avoided recommending Snapdragon chips because they led to a slow and frustrating Windows experience. But Microsoft claims it’s rebuilt Windows 11 around Snapdragon’s Arm-based architecture, which should lead to far faster performance and better app compatibility.

As for Apple's laptops, you'll be choosing between the M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max, each of which is progressively more powerful.

GPU

A GPU, or graphics processing unit, is the component that communicates directly with a laptop's display. Laptop CPUs all have some form of integrated GPU: Intel has either its standard graphics or beefier Arc hardware, while AMD's chips include fast Radeon mobile graphics. If you want to play demanding games at high speeds (measured in frames per second, or fps), or if you need some extra power for rendering video or 3D models, you can configure a laptop with a dedicated GPU like NVIDIA's RTX 40-series hardware or AMD's Radeon RX 7000. Just be sure to leave room in your budget if you want a powerful GPU, as they typically add $300 or more to the cost of a laptop.

Apple's M-series chips, meanwhile, have GPU cores that can perform as well as NVIDIA’s and AMD's lower-end dedicated GPUs. That's quite the accomplishment for systems like this (especially the MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro), and it's another reason we highly recommend Apple's notebooks.

AI PCs, NPUs and Copilot+

Simply put, an AI PC is a computer equipped with a neural processing unit (NPU), which is designed to handle AI-related tasks. Much like how GPUs tackle heavy-duty gaming and rendering workloads, NPUs are designed to handle the complex math necessary for AI workloads. They’re also far more power efficient than CPUs or GPUs, which could lead to better battery performance in laptops. While many factors go into NPU performance, for the most part we measure their potential speed by TOPS (tera operations per second).

We were primed for AI PCs based on the chips Intel and AMD announced in 2023. Intel unveiled its "Core Ultra" CPUs in December, its first to include an NPU for AI work. AMD also announced its Ryzen 8040 AI mobile chips that month (and it couldn't help but say they were faster than Intel's new hardware). But in May, Microsoft announced its Copilot+ initiative, which is pushing major PC makers to deliver premium AI PCs with specifications including 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSDs and NPUs with at least 40 TOPS of AI performance.

Copilot+ is more than just a marketing term: Microsoft is also launching AI-powered features in Windows 11 that take advantage of powerful NPUs. That includes Recall, which can help you locate anything you’ve done on your PC (whenever it finally launches), as well as Cocreator in Paint, which can generate AI images based on text prompts and doodles.

If you buy an AI PC that isn’t Copilot+ certified, you’ll still be able to use some features like Windows Studio Effects, which can blur your background in video calls or keep you in frame. Developers like Adobe and Audacity are also building features into their apps that can take advantage of NPUs.

At the time of this post, Chromebook Plus notebooks can also access a few of Google’s online AI features, like image generation and photo processing.

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Other laptops we tested that didn't make the cut ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Aside from its lovely OLED screen, the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED doesn't stand out from the crowded laptop field in any way. It just looks dull and boring, especially compared to the strikingly beautiful ASUS Zephyrus G14, which also came out this year. While you can probably find the Zenbook 14 for a decent price, I'd recommend holding out for something with a bit more personality (and with a less wobbly screen hinge).

Razer Blade 14

The Razer Blade has almost everything you'd want in a 14-inch gaming notebook, but it's far pricier than the Zephyrus G14 on this list, and it doesn’t even have an SD card reader. It would be a solid competitor once its price falls a bit, and it's certainly a great option if you just have to have a jet-black laptop.

Framework Laptop 16

Framework gave its modularity magic to the Laptop 16, delivering a gaming notebook where almost every single component is user replaceable. But you'll have to pay a pretty penny to snag it with upgraded hardware, and its optional Radeon 7700S GPU was surprisingly slow.

Alienware m16 R2

The Alienware m16 r2 has been revamped with a slimmer case, but it’s otherwise a fairly typical gaming laptop. It’s a solid option for Alienware fans, but you’ll find better hardware and deals elsewhere.

ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024)

The Zenbook Duo is a fascinating dual-screened notebook, and according to my colleague Sam Rutherford it’s the first of its kind that’s worth buying. But its unique hardware isn’t really meant for mainstream consumers, and Windows 11 still doesn’t support multi-screen setups well enough to make full use of the Zenbook Duo’s ample canvas.

Dell XPS 16

Dell’s XPS 16 is big and beautiful, but it’s far too expensive compared to the competition. Plus, it uses a capacitive row of function keys that you basically can’t see under bright light and has too few ports for a machine of this size.

See Also:

• Best Gaming Laptops for 2025

• Best Cheap Windows Laptops

• Best 2-in-1 Laptops for 2025

• Best Chromebooks

• Best Laptops for College Students

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Laptop FAQs What is the average battery life of a laptop per charge?

It’s hard to come up with an average battery life for laptops, since that will ultimately depend on what you’re doing with them. An ultraportable like the MacBook Air that sips power can last around 20 hours in our battery benchmark, and around two full work days of real-world usage. But a gaming laptop may last only a few hours if you’re actively playing something while on battery. At this point, Macs are delivering far better battery life than PCs, thanks to Apple’s Silicon chips, but Microsoft claims Copilot+ systems with Qualcomm chips will also get over 20 hours of batter life.

How much RAM do I really need?

The more RAM you have, the more things your computer can do simultaneously. For that reason, we recommend buying PCs and Macs with at least 16GB of RAM. That gives you enough memory to have several applications open at once, as well as web browsers filled with RAM-hogging tabs. Many PC games also require at least 16GB of RAM. While you could use a system with 8GB of RAM for basic tasks, you’ll quickly run into slowdowns and error messages as your apps stack up. Many laptops, especially ultraportables, don’t let you upgrade RAM, too – so you’ll have to buy an entirely new computer if you didn’t equip enough memory at the start.

If you’re a hardcore gamer, programmer or planning to render videos or 3D models, then you may want to go for 32GB of RAM or more. And if you just need a secondary laptop for lighter work – perhaps a no-frills system for writing – then you can probably get by with 8GB. Just be sure to keep those browser tabs in check.

What is the best storage capacity for a laptop?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to laptop storage. You’ll typically find configurations between 256GB and 1TB SSDs (solid state drives) on most laptops, and I’d recommend most people get at least 512GB. That’ll be enough space for large apps, music and video files without stressing your system too much. If you’re a media hoarder, or want to play a ton of games, then it’s definitely worth getting a 1TB SSD.

If you’ll mainly be streaming your shows and music, and would rather invest in RAM or other hardware, then 256GB of storage would be serviceable. I’d recommend staying away from any machine with 128GB of storage though. Most of that will be taken up by the operating system, and you’ll likely run into issues cramming in large apps after a few months.

We recommend springing for extra built-in storage or investing in a portable SSD for backing up your most important files. It's also worth noting that Chromebooks tend to come with less built-in storage — 32GB, 64GB or 128GB — since ChromeOS encourages users to save their files in the cloud rather than on the device. In that case, 128GB is plenty.

What's a good price range for a decent laptop in 2025?

You can expect to spend between $1,000 and $1,800 for a typical 13-inch laptop today. As I explained above, you'll pay more if you want to stuff in more RAM or better GPU hardware. But you can also find deals below $1,000 if you look for refurbished or older-generation models.

What’s the difference between macOS and Windows? Which is better?

Simply put, macOS is the operating system in all of Apple's notebooks and desktops, while Windows powers the vast majority of PCs. You'll also find Chromebooks running Google's ChromeOS, but those are basically just web browsers running on top of Linux.

Debating the differences between Windows and Macs is something PC nerds have been doing since the '80s, so we won't be declaring a winner here. There are some small, negligible distinctions, like using a Command versus a Control key, how file explorers work and concerns about viruses and security. For the most part, those are minor issues or have become moot thanks to better built-in security.

But if you care more about playing the newest games, you'll want to have a Windows system. If you're more focused on creative apps, like Photoshop, Premiere and Final Cut Pro, then macOS may be a better fit (especially if you're running an iPhone).

What are the best laptop brands?

There is no single "best" laptop brand, but judging from this guide alone, we're generally impressed by notebooks from Apple, Dell and ASUS. They all offer fast, reliable and sturdy machines. HP also makes some eye-catching devices if you want an option that’s the most aesthetic. Those four brands, along with Lenovo and Acer, dominate laptop sales worldwide. We'd avoid systems from any retail store brands, or companies that don't have a major presence in the US.

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Best laptops specs comparison chart

Product

Tested configuration

Tested battery life

Rated battery life

Apple MacBook Air M4 (13-inch)

Apple M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

18.25 hours

Up to 18 hours

Dell XPS 13

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

13 hours

Up to 18 hours

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070

7.5 hours

10 hours

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5

13th-gen Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage

6 hours

10 hours

HP Pavilion Aero

AMD Ryzen 5800U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Up to 9.75 hours

Up to 10.5 hours

Apple MacBook Pro M4 (14-inch)

Apple M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

34 hours

24 hours

HP Spectre x360 14

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD

5 hours

Up to 13 hours

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 1

Intel Core Ultra 7 165U, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Up to 13 hours

"All day battery life"

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Recent updates

March 2025: Updated to include the M4-powered MacBook Air.

November 2024: Updated to include the M4-powered MacBook Pros.

August 2024: Updated to include the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-laptops-120008636.html?src=rss

NASA's SPHEREx observatory is now in space for a two year year mission to create a 3D map of the entire celestial sky. The telescope left the ground on top of a Falcon 9 rocket from a launch pad in California, four years after NASA announced that a SpaceX flight will launch the mission, along with NASA's PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) microsatellites. SPHEREx separated from SpaceX's vehicle at 12AM Eastern time on March 12 and will remain in low Earth orbit, where it will maintain a position relative to the sun that will remain the same throughout the year.

View of @NASA's SPHEREx and Earth shortly after deployment pic.twitter.com/TT2pyVX43Q

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 12, 2025

Every 98-minute orbit the observatory makes will allow it to view a 360-degree strip of the sky in both optical as well as near-infrared light. The telescope can capture more 360-degree strips as the Earth moves around the sun, enabling it to map the entire celestial sky within six months. SPHEREx was designed to image the entire sky every six months in two years, with its goal being to create a 3D map of over 450 million galaxies. The telescope will also image and gather information on over 100 million stars in the Milky Way.

SPHEREx's map is bound to be colorful: It will separate infrared light emitted by the stars and galaxies into 102 individual colors using a technique called spectroscopy. NASA likens it to the "way a prism splits sunlight into a rainbow." The agency says observing the objects in different colors will reveal various properties about them, such as their composition. For galaxies, their colors could help scientists determine their distance from our planet. The data SPHEREx provides will give scientists information about what happened right after the Big Bang and could provide evidence of cosmic inflation, or the rapid expansion of the early universe. SPHEREx will shed its telescope lens' protective cover in four days and will start its science operations in a little over a month once its temperature has cooled down. 

Meanwhile, the four PUNCH satellites, which will also take on a Sun-synchronous orbit, will map the sun's corona by taking polarized white-light images of the celestial object. It will gather data to help us better understand how the corona turns into solar wind, which could lead to accurate predictions of space weather events affecting spacecraft orbiting the Earth. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasas-spherex-space-telescope-launched-into-orbit-by-a-spacex-falcon-9-rocket-055518752.html?src=rss

The Remote Desktop app for Windows is (almost) dead; long live the Windows app. Microsoft said on Monday that its legacy Remote Desktop client, which has already been replaced on other platforms, will no longer be supported on Windows after May 27, 2025. But you aren't losing any functionality here. You can still do tech support for your parents using built-in Windows functionality or the modern Windows app, which is somehow both the simplest and most confusing naming convention Microsoft's marketing team could have mustered.

"Starting May 27, 2025, the Remote Desktop app for Windows from the Microsoft Store will no longer be supported or available for download and installation," Microsoft's Hilary Braun wrote on its Windows IT Pro Blog. "Users must transition to Windows App to ensure continued access to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop and Microsoft Dev Box."

The company says connections to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop and Microsoft Dev Box via the Remote Desktop app from the Microsoft Store will be blocked in the Remote Desktop app on the app's expiration date of May 27. For all other users, it will continue working but will no longer be supported.

Increasing the confusion, Windows has a built-in Remote Desktop Connection app that will remain the only way to use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connections after May 27. But Microsoft will eventually incorporate that into the Windows app.

As Thurrot.com notes, Microsoft warned that it would eventually replace the Remote Desktop with the Windows app when the operating system's namesake app launched last fall. The new app even arrived as an update to the Remote Desktop client on Apple's App Store.

As for the, uh, interestingly named Windows app, the company likely chose that branding because it wants to move Windows increasingly to the cloud. Its Windows 365 service, introduced in 2021, even lets you stream a virtual version of the OS from any device. So, calling the unified app used to access cloud and remote PCs "Windows app" seems maybe slightly less bizarre from that angle.

Still, a Reddit thread from the Windows app's September launch held some entertaining reactions from the company's fans. "Microsoft needs to collect all the staff responsible for naming or renaming their products in the past 15 years and shoot them into the sun," u/AlignedHurdle posted. Meanwhile, u/Shoddy_Eye7866 seized an opportunity to use the Xzibit meme: "Yo dawg, I heard you like Windows, so I took Windows App and put in your Windows so you can Windows while you Windows."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/microsoft-is-phasing-out-its-remote-desktop-app-in-may-211320714.html?src=rss

iRobot just announced some new Roomba vacuums and they feature interesting capabilities. The Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo Robot is being advertised as "the industry's first onboard mechanical debris-compacting system." In other words, it squeezes dust and debris together like, well, a garbage compactor.

This allows users to go eight weeks without having to empty the vacuum. It also eliminates the need for a dedicated debris bin. 

iRobot

Otherwise, the 205 is a full-featured hybrid vacuum/mop. There’s a 4-stage vacuuming system with ClearView LiDAR for improved navigation. The company says this unit offers "250 percent more power-lifting suction and improved cleaning performance" when compared to Roomba 600 series robots.

The Roomba Plus 405 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock is another hybrid, but this one pays special attention to the mopping capabilities. It includes the company’s new DualClean mop pads that spin at 200 RPM for some extra oomph. It also comes with Roomba’s AutoWash dock, which washes and dries the mop pads on its own. This tech was first used in last year’s Roomba Combo 10 Max. 

iRobot

The company also announced the 505 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock, which is better at cleaning edges. To coincide with these new products, the Roomba Home app is getting some much-needed upgrades. The redesign should allow for "more intuitive control, the ability to create routines and schedules, access to real-time monitoring of their device and advanced customized cleaning options."

The Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo Robot starts at $469 and the Roomba Plus 405 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock costs $800. The 505 costs a whopping $1,000. Preorders go live on March 18 via iRobot or select retailers. The company also announced a new entry-level vacuum called the Roomba 105 that costs $319.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/roombas-irobot-205-robovac-can-go-eight-weeks-without-being-emptied-210014269.html?src=rss

One day after X went down for hours, security researchers are throwing cold water on Elon Musk’s public comments about who might be behind the DDoS attack. On Monday, as X was still struggling to remain online, Musk said in a post that the site had been brought down by a “massive cyberattack” executed by “a large, coordinated group and/or a country.” Later that day, in an interview with Fox News, he said the attack involved "IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area."

He never provided evidence for either claim. But, in a new report from Wired, security researchers offered a very different view on the attack. Security experts interviewed by the publication said that they had seen little evidence that Ukrainian IP addresses played a significant role in the DDoS attack, with one researcher saying the country wasn’t even in the top 20 countries of origin involved.

The report also suggests that, despite Musk’s assertion there were “a lot of resources” involved, X may have inadvertently left its systems susceptible to a DDoS attack like the one that happened Monday. “X origin servers, which respond to web requests, weren't properly secured behind the company's Cloudflare DDoS protection and were publicly visible,” Wired writes. “As a result, attackers could target them directly. X has since secured the servers.”

Notably, this wouldn’t be the first time Musk has blamed an unspecified “cyberattack” when faced with an embarrassing failure of X’s systems. Last year, Musk blamed a “massive DDoS attack” for crashing a planned livestream with Donald Trump, who was running for president at the time. Musk never explained how a DDoS attack could bring down only one feature on the site. The Verge later reported that there had been no such attack.

X didn’t respond to a request for comment.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/security-researchers-arent-buying-musks-spin-on-the-cyberattack-that-took-down-x-203402687.html?src=rss

Electric vehicle company Rivian is rolling out new software today. The lead feature is Enhanced Highway Assist, which controls steering, acceleration, and braking on compatible highways. It relies on an infrared camera in the rearview mirror to ensure that the driver is still paying attention to the road, even though their hands don't need to be on the wheel. This resource is only rolling out to Rivian's Gen 2 vehicles; the blog post did not address whether it would also come to Gen 1.

There's also a new driving mode for Rivian's Performance Dual-Motor lineup. Rally Mode is now available as one of the Off-Road Mode options. When enabled, the vehicle will provide heightened responses to steering and throttle on a range of terrains. Several Dual-Motor vehicles are also getting the option for a post-purchase performance upgrade that introduces three new drive modes: Rally, Sport and Soft Sand. This performance upgrade is a one-time cost of $5,000.

Both Gen 2 and Gen 1 are getting other elements of the software update. Side mirror auto-tilt when the car is reversing, allowing a driver better visibility of their wheels and the curb when parallel parking, and tire puncture detection are part of the package. Rivian is also adding an option to change wheel type in the mobile app's Settings menu to receive more-accurate driving range estimates.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/rivians-latest-update-offers-hands-free-highway-driving-201926973.html?src=rss