YouTube TV has warned viewers that channels including ABC, ESPN, FX and others may disappear by 11:59 PM on December 17th if it can't come to terms with Disney over carriage fees. If that happens, YouTube TV will lower its price by $15 (from $65 to $50) while Disney content remains off the service. 

"Disney is an important partner for us. We are in active conversations with them and are working hard to keep their content on YouTube TV," it said in a press release. "Our ask of Disney, as with all of our partners, is to treat YouTube TV like any other TV provider — by offering us the same rates that services of a similar size pay, across Disney’s channels for as long as we carry them. If Disney offers us equitable terms, we’ll renew our agreement with them." 

The Google-owned platform said that it's "optimistic" it can reach a deal with Disney and that it has a "highly successful track record of negotiating such agreements with providers." That said, YouTube TV has also seen some failed negotiations, such as when it disappeared off new Roku devices in April 2021 before finally returning in December.

Google came to terms with Roku just before the main YouTube app disappeared, so there's some hope that it can reach a deal with Disney ahead of the December 17 deadline. Just in case, though, YouTube TV said that users might want to sign up for the $14 Disney Bundle to keep access to ABC and other channels. 

YouTube TV launched only recently in April of 2017, but with four million subscribers, it's become one of the top cord-cutting services along with Disney's Hulu, according to The Hollywood Reporter. If the parties can't come to terms, some 25 channels could disappear. 

CD Projekt's GOG storefront has launched its Winter Sale with big savings on popular PC games. Starting today, you can pick up titles like Disco Elysium - The Final Cut, Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 GOTY and get savings of up to 80 percent. 

A couple of deals in particular stand out. Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is marked down 55 percent from its regular $40 price to just $18. That's a good choice if you have an older computers, as developer ZA/UM introduced an update last year that lets you run it on decade old PCs. A couple of other solid picks include Cyberpunk 2077, which is just $30 for a savings of 50 percent, and Metro Exodus - Gold Edition — now on sale for a mere $14.80, or 63 percent off. 

You can also pick up Kingdom Come: Deliverance Royal Edition for just $13.59, for a savings of 66 percent over the regular price. As a reminder, that title is an RPG similar to series like The Witcher and Elder Scrolls, but grounded in “historical accuracy” rather than fantasy. Another good option is Control Ultimate Edition, a supernatural action game about forces overtaking a secretive government building called the Federal Bureau of Control. That game can now be found for $12, or 70 percent off the regular $40 price. 

That's far from all, as GOG also has Divinity: Original Sin 2, The Riftbreaker, Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous, Blade Runner, Mortal Shell and other titles at big savings. For a complete list, check out GOG's Winter Sale right here. 

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

After shutting down third-party PS5 console covers with legal threats, Sony has launched its own official $55 PlayStation five colors, the company announced. Those will go along with the DualSense controls it launched earlier this year, and introduce three new colors in the same galaxy-inspired theme.

The console covers (and matching controllers) will come in Midnight Black, Cosmic Red, Nova Pink, Starlight Blue and Galactic Purple. "Simply remove your original white PS5 console covers and click your new ones into place," the company said. "The PS5 console covers will be available for both the PS5 with the Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive and the PS5 Digital Edition." 

The Midnight Black and Cosmic Red PS5 console covers will be available starting in January 2022 in specific regions, including the USA, Canada, UK, France, Australia and China. The Nova Pink, Galactic Purple, and Starlight Blue models will launch in those same locations during the first half of 2022.

As you may remember, Sony recently launched new DualSense wireless controllers in Cosmic Red and Midnight Black. Now, it will also release new controllers in the other three colors (Nova Pink, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple) for $75 globally in January 2022 at participating retailers. 

As a reminder, last year a company called PlateStation unveiled replacement PS5 covers in colors like cherry red, black and jungle camo. However, the company subsequently announced on Twitter that it would be canceling all orders and processing refunds "due to patent and intellectual property issues" with Sony.

Now we can see why Sony asserted its IP rights so strongly. Given that it can't sell as many PS5 consoles as it would like due to semiconductor shortages, accessories like this will provide another revenue stream. Yes, console color and design aren't that important, but the new covers are a good option for the many folks who aren't that keen on white. Pre-orders are now open for the new controller colors ($75) and first two console covers ($55) — if you're planning to get one, let us know below. 

NVIDIA’s Shield TV Pro is a multi-talented Android TV device that can not just stream Netflix, but also work as a Plex Server and run NVIDIA’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service. The biggest drawback is the $200 price, and it rarely goes on sale. Luckily, you can pick one up today for $180 at Best Buy, matching one of the lowest prices we've ever seen. 

The Shield TV Pro is one of the best streaming devices out there, with support for Chromecast streaming, 4K HDR Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio support. You also get the fast Tegra X1+ processor that can do 4K upscaling while ensuring that GeForce Now gaming works smoothly. It also comes with a comfortable triangular remote with support for voice control via Google Assistant and other services. Finally, it comes with 16GB of expandable storage so that you can stream your own content. 

If the Shield TV Pro is still too much, NVIDIA's regular Shield TV is also on sale for $130 at both Best Buy and Amazon. That model can't work as a Plex server, but it otherwise offers the same features as the Shield TV Pro, like 4K HDR Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, along with the voice-controlled remote. Other features include a gigabit ethernet port and a microSD card slot for storage expansion.

Both of those products are great all-around streamers, but if you're in the Apple ecosystem, the 2021 Apple TV 4K is still on sale for $150. As mentioned before, it's one of the best high-end streaming boxes available thanks to the A12 Bionic processor that delivers faster performance than ever. It also supports Dolby Atmos sound, 60 fps Dolby Vision, AirPlay 3, screen mirroring and HomeKit..

Apple brought some design chops back to the iMac lineup with the 24-inch 2021 M1 models, and a pretty good dose of extra performance, too. If you've been looking at getting an 8-core model for productivity or creative chores but found the $1,500 price a tad much, there's good news. The 8GB version with 256GB of storage is now available at Amazon for $1,400, the lowest price we've seen yet. 

The 2021 iMac M1 received an excellent Engadget review score for a variety of reason. With a new M1 chip also found on Apple's MacBooks, it delivers formidable performance for activities ranging from spreadsheets to video editing to gaming. It even loads quickly, waking up almost instantly from sleep mode and getting to the desktop in around 25 seconds from a cold start. On top of that, it's 50 percent quieter than past models.

It's also got a fresh new design, with slimmer bezels and a more refined look. The new 24-inch, 4.5K Retina display is also excellent, thanks to the full DCI-P3 color gamut coverage and 500-nit brightness. Another nice upgrade is the new 1080p FaceTime Camera with larger image sensors and AI tricks that improve exposure, color and noise levels. 

The drawbacks are few, but they include a lack of HDR on the display, a port selection limited to USB-C and the Magic Mouse and Keyboard that can be uncomfortable to use. Also, if you were hoping to pick up a colorful version of the iMac, only the silver model is on sale, alas. Still, it's a nice little saving for deal hunters on a model we haven't seen discounted very often. 

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

MGM Resorts is letting applicants try out casino and hotel jobs in virtual reality (VR) before signing on, Business Insider has reported. It's part of a new effort to reduce employee attrition during the "great resignation" that has caused labor shortages in the US and elsewhere during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The casino and resort group is using headsets from a VR company called Strivr that specializes in virtual training for industry health and safety, customer service and more. The idea is to let employees experience typical job activities so that they know what to expect. "It can be very difficult just to verbally explain the types of positions or show a video," MGM Resorts' chief HR officer Laura Lee told BI. Using VR, by contrast, lets applicants "throw a headset on and really experience the job."

MGM plans to use the headsets at its offices and possibly career fairs, starting in January. The idea is to let potential customer service employees experience key aspects of the job, both positive and negative. For instance, the MGM Resorts VR module would include interactions with difficult guests, something that has reportedly become more common with COVID.

The negative interactions could discourage some candidates, but MGM expects that it would also allow for better hiring decisions. The use of the tech "might've resolved some turnover we experienced when people accepted positions and then realized it wasn't quite what they thought it would be," said Lee.

MGM plans to use the tech for its proposed $9.1 billion hotel, resort and casino in Osaka, Japan. It would be the first casino in the nation, so potential employees may not be familiar with typical jobs. As such, the VR option could be offered to candidates (it won't be required) to show them customer-oriented functions like hotel check-ins and gaming operations.

VR might not be the hit everyone expected in the consumer space, but it's certainly caught on with enterprises, particularly for training. MGM also uses Strivr's tech for customer-interaction training with new employees, saying it allows them to fail without consequences while learning a role. "Virtual Reality gives employees the opportunity to think and correct themselves without getting stressed or worried that they did something wrong," Lee said in a Strivr webinar. 

Becoming an astronaut requires perfect 20/20 vision, but unfortunately, the effects of space can cause astronauts to return to Earth with degraded eyesight. Now, researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a sleeping bag that that could prevent or reduce those problems by effectively sucking fluid out of astronauts' heads.

More than half of NASA astronauts that went to the International Space Station (ISS) for more than six months have developed vision problems to varying degrees. In one case, astronaut John Philips returned from a six month stint about the ISS in 2005 with his vision reduced from 20/20 to 20/100, as the BBC reported. 

For multi-year trips to Mars, for example, this could become an issue. "It would be a disaster if astronauts had such severe impairments that they couldn't see what they're doing and it compromised the mission," lead researcher Dr. Benjamin Levine told the BBC.

UT Southwestern/NASA

Fluids tend to accumulate in the head when you sleep, but on Earth, gravity pulls them back down into the body when you get up. In the low gravity of space, though, more than a half gallon of fluid collects in the head. That in turn applies pressure to the eyeball, causing flattening that can lead to vision impairment — a disorder called spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome, or SANS. Dr. Levine discovered SANS by flying cancer patients aboard zero-G parabolic flights. They still had ports in their heads to receive chemotherapy, which gave researchers an access point to measure pressure within their brains.

To combat SANS, researchers collaborated with outdoor gear manufacturer REI to develop a sleeping bag that fits around the waist, enclosing the lower body. A vacuum cleaner-like suction device is then activated that draws fluid toward the feet, preventing it from accumulating in the head.  

Around a dozen people volunteered to test the technology, and the results were positive. Some questions need to be answered before NASA brings the technology aboard the ISS, including the optimal amount of time astronauts should spend in the sleeping bag each day. They also need to determine if every astronaut should use one, or just those at risk of developing SANS.

Still, Dr. Levine is hopeful that SANS will no longer be an issue by the time NASA is ready to go to Mars. "This is perhaps one of the most mission-critical medical issues that has been discovered in the last decade for the space program," he said in a statement. 

Sonic the Hedgehog turned out to be one of the biggest movies of 2020, despite serious CG character issues that caused a three-month delay. Now, Paramount has dropped the first trailer for the sequel that gives us our first look at a new character, Knuckles, voiced by none other than Idris Elba.

The trailer shows Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and his new sidekick Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessy). He's once again taking on Dr. Robotnik, aka, Eggman (Jim Carrey) who's seeking a classic Sonic McGuffin, the Chaos Emeralds. However, Robotnik has an Echidna up his sleeve in the form of Knuckles, who shows off his brute strength and weirdly elegant speaking voice. (Elba promised that his Knuckles wouldn't sound sexy, but he is more posh than ever.) 

The first Sonic film became one of the most successful video game adaptations ever, so there's a lot riding on the sequel. Luckily, the slick trailer indicates that we won't be seeing any of the CGI issues that plagued the first film. The sequel is set to be released on April 8, 2022. 

A UK appeals court has reversed a previous ruling that Wikileaks founder shouldn't be extradited to the US due to mental health concerns, the Associated Press has reported. The decision opens the door for Assange to be extradited to the US, where he'd face charges of espionage over Wikileaks' publication of government documents. 

Lower court Judge Vanessa Baraitser originally ruled that the US criminal justice system presented a risk to Assange's physical wellbeing. "The overall impression is of a depressed and sometimes despairing man, who is genuinely fearful about his future," the judge ruled in January. "For all of these reasons I find that Mr. Assange’s risk of committing suicide, if an extradition order were to be made, to be substantial."

In its appeal, however, the US government argued that Assange had no history of "serious and enduring mental illness" that would suggest any risk of self-harm. US lawyers also told British judges that if they extradited Assange, he could serve his US prison sentence in his home country of Australia. 

The High Court in London decided that those assurances were enough to guarantee Assange would be treated humanely. The final decision for his extradition is now in the hands of the UK home secretary, though Assange has the option of appealing. Assange's camp has argued that his work constitutes journalism and so his extradition would be a violation of press freedom.

The US government indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges along with one charge of computer misuse over Wikileaks' publication of leaked military and diplomatic documents. The maximum penalty is 175 years in prison, though US lawyers said "the longest sentence ever imposed for this offense is 63 months." Assange was denied bail for risk of flight and is being held at London’s high-security Belmarsh Prison.

Despite big improvements, particularly with the Siri remote, the 2021 Apple TV 4K is still a pretty expensive set-top streaming device at $179. If you've been waiting for a sale to pick one up, you can grab one right now for $150 at Amazon — the lowest price we've seen yet. 

With an Engadget review score of 90, the 2021 Apple TV 4K is one of the best high-end streaming boxes available, especially if you're in the Apple ecosystem. The A12 Bionic processor delivers performance that's faster than ever, and it supports Dolby Atmos sound, 60 fps Dolby Vision, AirPlay 3 and screen mirroring. With HomeKit support, you can also ask Siri to do things like show you video feeds or open your smart lock. 

The biggest improvement over the last model is the redesigned Siri remote. It's larger and less fiddly to use, but also touch sensitive so you can easily swipe between options. Better still, Apple's Siri voice assistant actually works well with Apple TV 4K, ably handling commands like "Play 'The Morning Show'" or "Show me some new horror films." 

As mentioned, the biggest drawback is the price. Most rival products are cheaper, even high-end models like the Roku Ultra that's currently on sale for $66. Other options are considerably less, like Google's Chromecast with Google TV that finally comes with a remote ($39 right now), or Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K, on sale right now for $35. Still, Apple TV 4K is loaded with useful features, particularly for Apple users, and today's deal is the best we've seen so far.

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