Posts with «author_name|sarah fielding» label

Apple's M4 MacBook Air drops to a new record-low price

Those waiting for a good deal on Apple's latest M4 MacBook Air should check out Amazon now. The online retailer has the new MacBook Air for $100 off, down to $899 from $999, which is the best discount we've seen. At the moment, the discount is only available on the midnight color option.

Apple only released the MacBook Air M4 in Mid-March and it's already our pick for 2025's best MacBook overall. We gave it in a 92 in our review thanks to features like its 13.6-inch liquid retina display and slim build — it weighs 2.7 pounds and is 0.44 inches thick. But, it's the M4 chip that really gives this MacBook Air a boost. The 13-inch model has a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. Plus, it lasted over 18 hours while playing HD video. 

If you're looking for something a little bigger and with more RAM, then it might be worth getting the 15-inch MacBook Air M4. It's currently down to $1,449 from $1,599 and offers 24GB of RAM, compared to the 13-inch's 16GB. Similarly to the 13-inch deal, this one is also only available at the discounted price in the midnight colorway.

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/apples-m4-macbook-air-drops-to-a-new-record-low-price-144625480.html?src=rss

Strava can predict your race finish times

Strava has had a few new developments recently, including buying personalized running plan app Runna. Now, it has launched a new training feature for distance runners called Performance Predictions, which gives estimated finish times for difference race lengths. 

The app will now offer possible times for a 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon — so, now, it's not only your own goals you have to live up to but Strava's as well. No pressure. Strava is providing these predictions using a machine learning model (shocking) which looks at over 100 data points from the individual and the performance of similar runners on the app. The times should change after every run and based on rest periods. 

Strava claims that users logged almost 1 billion runs on its app last year, so it should be helpful to some (and apply added pressure to others). Subscribers can access it in Strava's Progress tab. It will also show you how much those numbers have recently changed based and your average time per mile. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/strava-can-predict-your-race-finish-times-120007844.html?src=rss

Nintendo, somehow, underestimates demand for Switch 2 pre-orders

Despite an eight year anticipatory wait, Nintendo is still "surprised" at just how many people want the Switch 2. The company has announced that about 2.2 million people have entered a pre-order lottery in Japan alone, far more than the number of consoles it can deliver on June 5, aka launch day. 

Nintendo will announce the winners tomorrow, April 24, and anyone not chosen will be entered into a second drawing. However, that still won't provide enough spots for every entrant. "In response to this demand, we are currently working on further strengthening our production system," the company wrote on X in a post translated from Japanese. "We plan to continue producing and shipping a considerable number of Nintendo Switch 2 units in the future. We apologize for the delay in our ability to meet your expectations." The company further notes that other retailers should begin pre-orders on the 24th. 

Nintendo has faced a few hurdles around pre-orders for the Switch 2. It delayed them in the US following President Trump's extreme tariffs and uncertainty about price. Now, the company has confirmed pre-orders in the US and Canada will also begin on April 24 and the Switch 2 will maintain its $450 price tag. Though, this might result in a loss for Nintendo.

A lack of supply and heavy demand could also bring exploitative resellers. Such was the case with other big ticket consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. They were both listed on sites like eBay and Amazon for up to $1,700. Nintendo's SNES Mini and NES Mini were for sale on eBay for more than double their sticker price. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-somehow-underestimates-demand-for-switch-2-pre-orders-141030573.html?src=rss

Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft is back on sale for a record-low price

Amazon has sold Kindle ereaders for almost two decades but it wasn't until last year that it went beyond black and white. The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition came out in October and — despite a previous screen issue that seems fixed — it's a great product overall. Our biggest quip is the price, $280 for the 32GB edition, compared to $200 for the 32GB Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, for example. 

Now, a new sale is easing the strain on our wallets, dropping the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition to $225 — a 20 percent discount and record-low price. The deal is the same whether or not you opt for three months free of Kindle Unlimited. The seven-inch display touts "paper-like color," up to eight weeks of use in one charge and has an an IPX8 waterproof rating. Plus, it's especially nice for graphic novel readers who want to get the full effect. 

Amazon is also running two types of book sales. If you have one of their ereaders, then you can get three times the amount of points every time you buy a Kindle book between today and Friday, April 25. If ereaders aren't your thing then you can check out Amazon's Book Sale, on through Monday, April 28. 

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-kindle-colorsoft-is-back-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-125807447.html?src=rss

Meta's Oversight Board criticizes company's 'hastily announced' hate speech policy changes

Meta's Oversight Board has deemed Meta was right to leave up two videos reported for hate speech and harassment, though it recommends changes for the company. The decision follows revisions Meta made in January to its Hateful Conduct Policy.

The Board started looking into the two posts last August. One of the videos showed a trans woman being confronted in a bathroom by another woman who misgenders the trans woman and asks why they should be allowed to use the women's room. The included caption states that the trans woman is a "male student who thinks he's a girl." The second is of a trans woman winning a track race with onlookers disapproving. That caption similarly calls the individual, a "boy who thinks he's a girl" and names the person (who is a minor).

In its decision, the Board claims that "public debate on policies around transgender peoples' rights and inclusion is permitted, with offensive viewpoints protected under international human rights law on freedom of expression." Yes, you did read "offensive viewpoints" and "permitted" in the same sentence. It goes on to state that a majority of the Board couldn't find a strong enough "link" between removing these posts and limiting harm to trans individuals and that they didn't "represent" harassment or bullying.

"Transgender women and girls' access to women's bathrooms and participation in sports are the subjects of ongoing public debate that involves various human rights concerns. It is appropriate that a high threshold be required to suppress such speech," the decision continues.

The Board states that Meta's recent "hastily announced" policy changes didn't influence its decision but that it is concerned about content and implementation. "Meta should identify how the policy and enforcement updates may adversely impact the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, including minors, especially where these populations are at heightened risk," the Board states. "It should adopt measures to prevent and/or mitigate these risks and monitor their effectiveness. Finally, Meta should update the Board every six months on its progress, reporting on this publicly at the earliest opportunity."

The Board also calls out a specific line in Meta's updated policy which states, "We do allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation, given political and religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality and common non-serious usage of words such as 'weird.'" It recommends Meta remove the word "transgenderism," a term organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign called out as signaling "a disturbing alignment with anti-LGBTQ+ political rhetoric."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/metas-oversight-board-criticizes-companys-hastily-announced-hate-speech-policy-changes-120042137.html?src=rss

Casetify's latest AirPods case is a Darth Vader head

May the 4th be with you is almost upon us, so get ready for an influx of Stars Wars paraphernalia. That includes new merch, such as Casetify's collaboration with Star Wars. Yes, starting today, Star Wars fans can get a series of branded accessories for devices ranging from iPhones to wireless chargers. 

One of the most over-the-top items available is a Darth Vader AirPods holder. As you can see above, it's an entire stand for your AirPods that almost looks like a little bobblehead doll. But, it fits your AirPod case (which can also be Star Wars themed) and leaves space for the keychain to poke out. Plus, Casetify claims it's "complete with authentic breathing sound effects" — a purchase that truly falls under the category of something you never knew you needed. 

The Darth Vader head follows similar Casetify products, including a stand that looks like RX-78-2 from Gundam. It also held both AirPods and another case from the anime collaboration. A separate roll out with Neon Genesis Evangelion included an AirPods case based on the head of Evangelion Unit-01.

As for the Star Wars collection, you can check out all the products below and purchase items starting at $32. Some of the themed accessories will be available to buy in bundles. 

Casetify

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/casetifys-latest-airpods-case-is-a-darth-vader-head-080012607.html?src=rss

Apple's M4 MacBook Air is cheaper than ever right now

If you've been waiting to pick up Apple's latest MacBook Air M4 then your patience has paid off. Right now, the 13-inch model is down to $939 from $999 — a six percent discount. It's an all-time low price for the 13-inch MacBook Air M4, dropping to $10 less than it cost during Amazon's Spring Sale. The deal is available for the laptop in Starlight, Midnight and Sky Blue, so just not Silver. 

Apple only released the MacBook Air M4 in Mid-March and it's already our pick for 2025's best MacBook overall. We gave it in a 92 in our review thanks to features like its 13.6-inch liquid retina display and slim build — it weighs 2.7 pounds and is 0.44 inches thick. But, it's the M4 chip that really gives this MacBook Air a boost. The 13-inch model has a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. Plus, it lasted over 18 hours while playing HD video. 

If you're looking for something a little bigger and with more RAM, then it might be worth getting the 15-inch MacBook Air M4. It's currently down to $1,499 from $1,599 and offers 24GB of RAM, compared to the 13-inch's 16GB. The only catch: This deal is just for the Starlight model (though the Midnight version is only $20 more at $1,519). 

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/apples-m4-macbook-air-is-cheaper-than-ever-right-now-144625495.html?src=rss

The Google TV Streamer 4K is on sale for a record-low price

Sure, it's getting warmer outside but, if you ask me, there's no reason that should get in the way of watching TV. With that in mind, we're very excited to see that our favorite all-in-one streaming device is now on sale.

Right now, you can get the Google TV Streamer 4K for $79, down from $100 — a 21 percent discount. This deal is the lowest price we've seen since the device went on sale in October of last year. The low price is (unsurprisingly) available on Amazon, but is also the same if you purchase it directly from Google.

We gave the Google TV streamer 4K an 87 in our review thanks to features like its great interface that keeps everything organized and clear, even across different streaming sources. It also has a simple, easy-to-use remote and switches between content very quickly. However, it does require an HDMI cord (which is not included) and doesn't work with Wi-Fi 6 or 6E. 

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-google-tv-streamer-4k-is-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-133539103.html?src=rss

Google's NotebookLM gets Gemini 1.5 and extra tools

Google first launched NotebookLM, its AI-powered research tool, in summer 2023 and now the company is expanding its capabilities and access. In a new blog post, Google announced that NotebookLM is officially running on Gemini 1.5 Pro, an upgrade from the original Gemini Pro model that brings a host of new features. The research and writing assistant has also expanded to over 200 countries and territories. 

NoteBookLM works differently than many other AI-powered tools in that it only takes from the resources you provide, rather than a plethora of general knowledge. The research assistant has always accepted files such as transcripts, research notes and corporate documents from Google Docs or in PDF format, but now you can also upload Google Slides and web URLs. 

Other new features include letting you ask questions about images, charts and diagrams, along with including images in citations as further supporting evidence. Then there's a boost to inline citations, which now bring you directly to the supporting passages so you can confirm the AI knows what it's talking about. Plus there's Notebook Guide, which will convert your sources into clear formats like FAQs and briefing docs. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-notebooklm-gets-gemini-15-and-extra-tools-133054595.html?src=rss

Google Sheets' new tool lets you set specific rules for notifications.

I'm the first to admit that the amount of joy Google Sheets brings me is a bit odd, but I use it for everything from tracking my earnings to planning trip budgets with friends. So, I'm excited to see that Google is making it easier to get notified about specific changes to my spreadsheet without me learning to code (something I've just never gotten into). The company has announced that Google Sheets is getting conditional notifications, meaning you can set rules in spreadsheets that send emails when certain things happen.

For example, you could set it to send you an email notification when a number drops below or above a certain amount or when a column's value changes at all. You can also set rules that align more with a project manager tool, like getting a notification when a task's status or owner changes. This tool only requires edit access, with anyone able to set notifications for themselves or others by entering their email addresses. Don't worry, you can unsubscribe if someone starts sending you unwanted notifications.

To use conditional notifications, go to tools and then conditional notifications or just right-click in a cell. From there, click add rule (you can name the rule or let Google auto-label it) and then select a custom range or column. You can add additional criteria for the rule, such as exactly what a box should say for you to receive a notification. Then, you can manually input email addresses or select a column containing them. However, Google warns that if you do the latter, the number of cells must match the number included in the rule. So, if you have three cells in the rule, you can only highlight three cells with email addresses. If you get confused, Google gets into all the nitty-gritty of it here.

Google Sheet's conditional formatting is available to anyone with the following workplaces: Businesses Standard and Plus, Education Plus and Enterprise Starter, Standard, Plus or Essential. It started rolling out for Rapid Release domains on June 4 and will begin showing up for Standard Release domains on June 18. In both cases, conditional formatting might take up to 15 days to appear.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-sheets-new-tool-lets-you-set-specific-rules-for-notifications-133030113.html?src=rss