It seems Black Mirror is making a comeback. Three years after the fifth season of the sci-fi anthology series arrived, Variety reports that Netflix has greenlit a sixth season.
Details are scant for now, though it seems casting is in progress for a season that's expected to have more episodes than season five's three instalments. The new episodes are said to be even more cinematic in scope than previous ones as well.
Critics have suggested Black Mirror was running out of steam in later seasons, with its previously incisive criticism of where technology was headed perhaps waning. The long gap between seasons might have helped the creative team develop more impactful ideas and scripts.
The lengthy delay between seasons isn't only because of creative reasons, though (if that has indeed been a problem). Black Mirror has been held up due to a rights issue. In January 2020, creator Charlie Brooker and executive producer Annabel Jones left their production company House of Tomorrow, which had backing from Endemol.
The duo set up a new production company, Broke and Bones, which quickly struck a long-term deal with Netflix. However, Endemol retained the rights to Black Mirror, meaning Brooker and Jones were unable to produce more episodes until they or Netflix struck a deal with Endemol's new owner, Banijay Group.
In the meantime, Brooker and Jones have developed other projects for Netflix. They created a year-in-review special called Death to 2020(a spin on Brooker's previous Wipe series), which had a sequel last year. Brooker was also behind an interactive animated project called Cat Burglar, which required players to get trivia questions correct to advance the story.
Netflix will surely be glad Brooker and Jones are working on Black Mirror again, however. The company scooped up the series, which debuted on the UK's Channel 4, in 2015. Since then, Black Mirror has won eight Emmys and a host of other awards, including for Bandersnatch, one of Netflix's first forays into interactive programming.
TP-Link is better known for its WiFi routers than its smart home gear, but it's aiming to change that reputation. The company has formally launched a Tapo smart home line that revolves around budget 2K-resolution security cameras. Indoors, you can pick from the stationary Tapo C110 ($30) or the pan-and-tilt motion of the Tapo C210 ($35). Venture outdoors and you can choose between the basic night vision and IP66 weather resistance of the Tapo C310 ($50) or upgrade to the Tapo C320WS ($60, pictured) with a starlight sensor, spotlights and two-way audio. All of the cameras can record on microSD storage up to 256GB or use a Tapo Care subscription with 30 days of video history and perks like baby crying detection.
TP-Link
There's also a new LED-based RGB light strip, the Tapo Smart L900-10 (shown at middle), for gamers and anyone else hoping to liven up their rooms. The $45 pack offers a 32.8-foot strip with support for 16 million colors, dimming and music sync.
All of the Tapo models are available now. The security cameras won't challenge higher-end rivals with 4K and similar upgrades, but they may be good values if you're looking for alternatives to Wyze and other budget-focused brands.
Sony has revealed the first games set to arrive with the launch of its new PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscriptions services, and it's an impressive lineup. PlayStation Studios titles include Demon's Souls (PS5) and Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut (PS4/PS5), along with third-party games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla (PS4/PS5) and NBA 2K22 (PS4/PS5). Those games will arrive in the "launch time frame," starting May 24th, according to Sony, on the PlayStation Plus Extra ($15/month) and Premium ($18/month) tiers.
Along with the main lineup, PlayStation Plus Premium members will get access to classic games "with some titles that will show improved frame rates and higher-quality resolution compared to their original launch versions," Sony wrote. Some of those include Ape Escape, Hot Shots Golf, Tekken 2 and Worms Armageddon, along with remasters like Dark Cloud, Rogue Galaxy and Borderlands The Handsome Collection. Premium members will also get access to PS3 games like Infamous, Hot Shots and the Ratchet & Clank series.
As part of all that, Ubisoft announced that Ubisoft+ is coming to PlayStation Plus starting on May 24th. On top of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, titles arriving include The Division and For Honor, "as well as beloved classic games like Child of Light, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon, Watch Dogs, Werewolves Within, and more," Ubisoft wrote in its blog. Again, all of these titles will be available on the PlayStation Plus Extra and/or Premium tiers, but not the Essential ($10/month) plan.
Sony will also let Premium (aka Deluxe in certain regions) members get time-limited trials with two hours of gameplay available before purchasing. Some of those on offer include Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, Horizon Forbidden West, Cyberpunk 2077 and Tiny Tina's Wonderland.
All tiers including Essential, Extra and Premium/Deluxe will see monthly games, much as you get right now on PlayStation Plus. "We have yet to announce the monthly games for June, but stay tuned to PS Blog," Sony wrote.
On top of all that, new games will be added regularly, with updates on the first Tuesday of the month for PlayStation Plus Essential, and in the middle of each new month for Extra and Premium/Deluxe plans. The service is launching in Asia on May 24th, followed by Japan on June 2nd, North and South America on June 13th and Europe, Australia and New Zealand on June 23rd. There's more information available at the PlayStation Plus website and for a full list of games coming on launch, check Sony's announcement post.
Are you tempted by an air fryer, but fear you might just get another ill-fated kitchen gadget that takes up space in your tiny kitchen? We’re here to help you out. The air fryer, which comes in several different shapes and sizes, can be a versatile addition to many kitchens, once you know what it’s capable of.
First of all, let’s clear one thing up: it’s not frying. Not really. Air fryers are more like smaller convection ovens, ones that are often pod-shaped. Most work by combining a heating element and fan, which means the hot air can usually better crisp the outside of food than other methods. They often reach higher top temperatures than toaster ovens – which is part of the appeal.
For most recipes, a thin layer of oil (usually sprayed) helps to replicate that fried look and feel better. However, it will rarely taste precisely like the deep-fried version. Don’t let that put you off, though, because the air fryer, in its many forms, combines some of the best parts of other cooking processes and brings them together into an energy-efficient way of cooking dinner. Or breakfast. Or lunch.
What to look for in an air fryer
Convection ovens
You can separate most air fryers into two types and each has different pros and cons. Convection ovens are usually ovens with air fryer settings and features. They might have higher temperature settings to ensure that food crisps and cooks more like actually fried food. Most convection ovens are larger than dedicated air fryers, defeating some of the purpose of those looking to shrink cooking appliance surface area. Still, they are often more versatile and most have finer controls for temperatures, timings and even fan speed.
You may never need a built-in oven if you have a decent convection oven. They often have the volume to handle roasts, entire chickens or tray bakes, and simply cook more, capacity-wise, making them more versatile than the pod-shaped competition.
The flip side of that is that you’ll need the counter space to house them. It also means you can use traditional oven accessories, like baking trays or cake tins, that you might already own.
Pod-shaped air fryers
Pod-shaped air fryersare what you imagine when you think “air fryer.” They look like a cool, space-age kitchen gadget, bigger than a kettle but smaller than a toaster oven. Many use a drawer to hold ingredients while cooking, usually a mesh sheet or a more solid, non-stick tray with holes to allow the heated air to circulate. With a few exceptions, most require you to open the drawer while things cook and flip or shake half-cooked items to ensure the even distribution of heat to everything.
That’s one of a few caveats. Most pod-shaped air fryers – there are a few exceptions – don’t have a window to see how things are cooking, so you’ll need to closely scrutinize things as they cook, opening the device to check progress. These machines also generally use less energy – there’s less space to heat – and many have parts that can be put directly into a dishwasher.
Some of the larger pod-shaped air fryers offer two separate compartments, which is especially useful for anyone planning to cook an entire meal with the appliance. You could cook a couple of chicken wings while simultaneously rustling up enough fries for everyone. Naturally, those options take up more space, and they’re usually heavy enough to stop you from storing them in cupboards or shelves elsewhere.
As mentioned earlier, you might have to buy extra things to make these pod fryers work the way you want them to. Some of the bigger manufacturers, like Philips and Ninja, offer convenient additions, but you’ll have to pay for them.
Fabián Ponce via Getty Images
Air fryer pros and cons
Beyond the strengths and weaknesses of individual models, air fryers are pretty easy to use from the outset. Most models come with a convenient cooking time booklet covering most of the major foods you’ll be air frying.
One of the early selling points is the ability to cook fries, wings and other delights with less fat than other methods. As air fryers need to circulate heated air, the trays and cooking plates have holes that can also let oil and fat drain out of meats, meaning less fat when you finally plate things up. For most cooking situations, you will likely need to lightly spray food with a vegetable oil. If you don’t, there’s the chance that things will burn or char. The oil will keep things moist on the surface, and we advise refreshing things with a bit of oil spray when you turn items during cooking.
Most air fryers are easy to clean – especially in comparison to deep or shallow fryer. We’ll get into cleaning guidance a little later.
With a smaller space to heat, air fryers are generally more energy-efficient than using larger appliances like ovens. And if you don’t have an oven, air fryers are much more affordable – especially the pod options.
There are, however, some drawbacks. While air fryers are easy enough to use, they take time to master. You will adjust cooking times for even the simplest things – like frozen fries. If you’re the kind of person that loves to find inspiration from the internet, in our experience, you can pretty much throw their timings out of the window. There are a lot of air fryer options, and factors like how fast they heat and how well distributed that heat is can – and will – affect cooking.
There’s also a space limitation to air fryers. This is not a TARDIS – there’s simply less space than most traditional ovens and many deep fat fryers. If you have a bigger family, you’ll probably want to go for a bigger model of air fryer – possibly one that has multiple cooking areas.
You may also struggle to cook many items through as the heat settings will cook the surface of dishes long before it’s cooked right through. If you’re planning to cook an entire bird or a roast, please get a meat thermometer!
The best accessories for your air fryer
Beyond official accessories from the manufacturer, try to pick up silicone-tipped tools. Tongs are ideal, as is a silicon spatula to gently loosen food that might get stuck on the sides of the air fryer. These silicone mats will also help stop things from sticking to the wire racks on some air fryers. They have holes to ensure the heated air is still able to circulate around the food.
Silicone trivets are also useful for resting any cooked food on while you sort out the rest of the meal. And if you find yourself needing oil spray, but don’t feel like repeatedly buying tiny bottles, you can decant your favorite vegetable oil into a permanent mister like this.
yulka3ice via Getty Images
The best way to clean an air fryer
We’re keeping things simple here. Yes, you could power cleaners from the grocery store, they could damage the surface of your air fryer. Likewise, metal scourers or brushes could strip away non-stick protection. Remember to unplug the device and let it cool completely.
Remove the trays, baskets and everything else from inside. If the manufacturer says the parts are dishwasher safe – and you have a dishwasher – the job is pretty much done.
Otherwise, wash each part in a mixture of warm water, with a splash of Dawn or another strong dish soap. Use a soft-bristled brush to pull away any greasy deposits or bits of food stuck to any surfaces. Remember to rinse everything. Otherwise, your next batch of wings could have a mild Dawn aftertaste. Trust us.
Take a microfiber cloth and tackle the outer parts and handles that might also get a little messy after repeated uses. This is especially useful for oven-style air fryers – use the cloth to wipe down the inner sides.
If Dawn isn’t shifting oily stains, try mixing a small amount of baking soda with enough water to make a paste, and apply that so that it doesn’t seep into any electrical parts or the heating element. Leave it to work for a few seconds before using a damp cloth to pull any greasy spots away. Rinse out the cloth and wipe everything down again, and you should be ready for the next time you need to air fry.
How to find air fryer recipes
Beyond fries, nuggets and – a revelation – frozen gyoza, there are a few ways to find recipes for your new air fryer. First, we found that the air fryer instruction manuals often have cooking guides and recipe suggestions for you to test out in your new kitchen gadget. The good thing with these is that they were made for your air fryer model, meaning success should be all but guaranteed. They are often a little unimaginative, however.
Many of the top recipe sites and portals have no shortage of air fryer recipes, and there’s no harm in googling your favorite cuisine and adding the words “air fryer” on the end of the search string. We’ve picked up some reliable options from Delish, which also has a handy air fryer time converter for changing oven and traditional fryer recipes.
BBC Good Food is also worth browsing for some simple ideas, as is NYT Cooking, with the ability to directly search for air fryer suggestions.
And if you have a killer recipe or unique use for your air fryer, let us know in the comments. What’s the air fryer equivalent of the Instant Pot cheesecake? We’re ready to try it.
Engadget picks
Best overall: Instant Vortex Plus
Instant Brands
You probably know the “Instant” brand from the line of very popular Instant Pot multi-cookers, but did you know that the company makes great air fryers too? We’re especially impressed by the Instant Vortex Plus with ClearCook and OdorErase, which features a clear viewing window so you can see your food while it’s cooking, plus an odor-removing filter. In our testing, we found that it didn’t completely eliminate smells, but it seemed significantly less smoky when compared to our Breville Smart Oven Air. We love the intuitive controls, the easy-to-clean nonstick drawer basket, plus the roomy interior – it’s big enough to fit four chicken thighs. Plus, it heats up very quickly with virtually no preheating time.
A slightly more affordable option is its predecessor, the Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart. It lacks the viewing window and the odor-removing filters, but it still has the same intuitive controls and roomy nonstick interior. If you want an even bigger option, Instant also offers Instant Vortex Plus in a 10-quart model that has a viewing window and a rotisserie feature.
If you don’t have a lot of space or money to spare, Cosori’s Compact Air Fryer is a great option. As a 3.7-quart capacity machine, it doesn’t take up too much counter space and it can easily fit into a cabinet when you’re not using it. It has a traditional, square-ish pod design with a touch panel on the top half and a removable cooking basket on the bottom. I was impressed by how easy this air fryer was to use from start to finish. Learning how to program cooking modes and times was easy and using the basket is simple as well. It also has a handy release button that disconnects the basket from the base, which makes cleanup quick and simple. (Plus, the basket is dishwasher safe as well.)
This is a true air fryer in the sense that it has presets rather than a bunch of different cooking modes. It does have toast and bake, which are different from air fry, but otherwise you can choose from different food-specific presets like french fries, shrimp, frozen foods and more. While that’s not so great if you want a multipurpose device, it’s ideal if you’re just looking for an air fryer that can do exactly that very well. Not only was the Cosori machine fairly quiet, but it also only took between three and five minutes to preheat in most cases, and everything I cooked in it – from tofu nuggets to french fries – came out crispy and flavorful.
Most air fryers can make one thing at a time, but Ninja’s Dual Zone machine can handle two totally different foods simultaneously. Available in 8- and 10-quart capacities, the machine isn’t compact, so it won’t be a good option for those with small kitchens. However, if you have the counter space, it could be a good one to invest in especially if you cook for a large family. You can prep two different foods at the same time with totally different cooking modes, or use Match Cook to prepare foods in both chambers the same way. The heating zones are independent, so if you only want to fill up one side with french fries and leave the other empty, you can do that as well.
We appreciate how quickly the Ninja heats up (there’s little to no preheating time at all) and how it runs relatively quietly. It also has a feature called Smart Finish that will automatically adjust cooking times so that your chicken thighs in the first chamber and asparagus in the second will finish cooking at the same time, so you don’t have to wait for one part of your meal to be ready while the other gets cold. In general, dual-zone air fryers aren’t necessary for most people, but those who cook often will get a lot of use out of machines like this Ninja.
Now is a good moment to buy the MacBook Air M1 as a grad gift — or as a travel companion for yourself. Amazon is once again selling the base MacBook Air for $850 after a $100 discount at checkout. You'll have to be content with a gold model, but that's the lowest price we've seen in months.
The MacBook Air M1 remains a solid pick a year and a half after its debut. It's still fast, lasts ages on battery and is completely silent thanks to its fanless design. You can go a full day of work (or vacation) without plugging in. Toss in the quality display, an enjoyable keyboard and a top-tier trackpad and you'll have a strong all-rounder.
The 720p webcam, two USB-C ports and non-expandable memory/storage configuration may be limiting for some. And yes, the age is a consideration. While it's not clear just when Apple will upgrade the MacBook Air, there's no question the M1 variant has been around for a while and might get a replacement in the months ahead. At this price, though, it's still a safe choice if you like its blend of performance and portability.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Amazon is knocking up to 42 percent off most of the Fire TV Stick streaming devices in its lineup, making it a good time to update or increase your streaming capabilities. The deals start at $20 for the Fire TV Stick Lite ($10 or 33 percent off) to the Fire TV Stick 4K ($35 instead of $50) and the Fire TV Cube, available for $70 for a savings of 42 percent.
The best deal is on Amazon's best streaming device, the Fire TV Cube ($70). We gave it an 84 score when it first came out, thanks to the Dolby Vision and HDR+ support, speedy performance and more. It has the best processor out of all Fire TV devices and it includes an Ethernet adapter for reliable wired performance. In addition to using Alexa voice commands to control what your watching, the Fire TV Cube can effectively transform your TV into an Echo Show smart display. You can ask it to play music, control smart home devices, check in on video camera feeds and more.
If it's a cheaper model you're seeking for a spare bedroom, for instance, the Fire TV Stick Lite is available in two versions, with and without TV controls for $20 and $25 respectively. While 4K isn't on offer here, you get full HD streaming with all the popular services, with convenient TV controls for the latter version.
Moving up to 4K, the sweet spot is the Fire TV Stick 4K, on sale for $35 instead of $50, for a savings of 30 percent. You get Ultra HD support with Dolby Vision, HDR and HDR10+, along with Dolby Atmos surround sound — giving you a full home theater experience while taking up minimal room. It also offers Alexa Voice Remote with TV controls, smart home control and more. Taking that up a notch is the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, on sale for $45 or $10 off, which adds WiFi 6, live view picture-in-picture and 2GB of memory.
Finally, there's Amazon's Fire TV Recast on sale for $155, or 33 percent of the regular $230 price. On top of letting you stream Netflix, Prime Video and other services, you can connect an over-their-air antenna to view terrestrial TV channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS or the CW. It has a built-in DVR, letting you record any shows, and comes with 2 tuners and 500 GB (75 hours) of memory. It's Alexa enabled, letting you search for shows, control the channel guide and manage recordings.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Oh my, it might actually be happening. I’ve wanted this for a while, and Apple’s excuses for sticking with its Lightning connector get weaker each year. Now a report from Bloomberg says the company is testing new iPhones and adapters with USB-C — what MacBooks and iPads already use.
An adapter currently in testing could "let future iPhones work with accessories designed for the current Lightning connector" — you may recall the in-box adapters that appeared when Apple nixed the headphone port from its smartphones.
It’s probably not entirely altruistic. The EU has been pushing for a universal phone charging standard for years and recently proposed legislation that would make USB-C the de-facto charging port for all phones.
It’s unlikely to be part of the iPhone 14, though. The report suggests the port change wouldn’t arrive “until 2023 at the earliest." Subsequent comments from reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggest this could be part of a wider move away from Lightning ports, also used on Apple’s AirPods, mice and keyboards.
Peloton’s long-rumored (slightly leaked) rowing machine was the major announcement of this year’s Homecoming fan event. Having said that, we didn’t hear all that much about it. Expect a stylish rower with a huge screen, with a red cord attaching the handle to the machine.
It can’t land soon enough: The company has struggled to adapt to the pandemic recovery as people return to the gym and the office. Peloton revealed a massive $751.1 million loss in its latest quarter.
The iPod's death has been a long time coming. It's already been eight years since Apple discontinued the iconic iPod classic, but the final iPod is bowing out of the company’s stores now. We all know it changed Apple's fortunes and the music industry at large, but the iPod was, eventually, a victim of its own success.
The legendary F1 outfit will acquire the Mercedes-EQ team.
Ahead of Formula E’s Gen3 debut next season, McLaren Racing announced its move to Formula E for season nine, committing to prepping a team when the series’ new spec makes its first competitive laps. McLaren will acquire the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team — the world championship team. Driver Nyck de Vries also won the individual series title in 2021 to complete the double trophy season.
Battle interdimensional monsters in 'Zenless Zone Zero.'
On Friday, games studio HoYoverse shared the first trailer for Zenless Zone Zero, an action RPG in a modern urban setting. The game pits players against Ethereal, monstrous creatures borne from another dimension. HoYoverse hasn’t explicitly said how it plans to monetize Zenless Zone Zero, but it sounds like the game will employ a similar system to the one in Genshin Impact —one of the biggest free-to-play hits in recent years, which has also made money at the same time.
India’s Sources only 9% of its Semiconductor Requirements Locally, Claims IESA
Demand for semiconductors would escalate two folds because the telecom sector is already planning to unleash 5G technology soon by deploying cloud technology
The Semiconductor Industry will Have a Strong Growth in 2022 in all End Markets and Regions
Back in 2021, when the semiconductor shortages forced car-makers to halt a huge line of production, the semiconductor industry witnessed its importance and found the spotlight. Everywhere people were discussing the tiny product that helps in various car functions from interior lighting to seat control to blind-spot detection. Now, when the IT hardware and consumer electronic firms started witnessing chip shortages from 2020 and supply chain imbalance, the attention increased. Scores of challenges then surrounded the semiconductor industry and the shortage.
In February Apple unveiled Tap to Pay, a new feature that will enable merchants to accept payments with only an iPhone — something that could cut into the business of companies like Square. Now, it turns out that Apple is already testing the feature at its own Apple Park visitor center in Cupertino.
The Apple Park Visitor Center is one of the only apple retail stores in the US to support contactless pay straight from an iPhone. Awesome to see in person! pic.twitter.com/GiFDiL56OO
A video tweeted by user @NTFTWT, spotted by MacRumors, shows the system in action, with a customer making an Apple Pay payment directly to the iPhone of an Apple staffer. They simply needed to touch their iPhone to the other iPhone, with no payment terminal in sight.
As we detailed earlier, the technology requires an iPhone XS or later device. It works with Apple Pay, of course, but will also support contact-free credit and debit cards, third-party payment platforms and other digital wallets. Stripe has already detailed plans to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to business customers in the spring, with other platforms and apps scheduled to come later in 2022. Dutch processor Adyen will work with Lightspeed Commerce, Newstore and other commerce platforms to help them use Tap to Pay.
Apple promised a future iOS beta giving developers a look at Tap to Pay, but it has yet to release a date. Now that it seems to be operational at Apple's own office, though, it might be a sign that it'll launch soon in the US and around the world.
