Those looking to upgrade from an aging tablet to a new iPad could do much worse than the new iPad A16. We already consider it the best budget iPad at its standard going rate, but currently it's on sale for $299 at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy. That's the lowest price we've tracked and $50 off Apple's MSRP. Note that this deal applies to the entry-level configuration, which includes 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM, and covers all four of the device's color options.

Apple released the iPad A16 back in March, and we've since named it the budget pick in our iPad buying guide. It's not quite as refined or powerful as the iPad Air, as it's a bit slower for more involved tasks, and its non-laminated display has a harder time fending off glare. That said, it costs significantly less, and it's still more than enough tablet for the things most people do with an iPad. We gave it a score of 84 in our review.

Apple didn't increase the price of this latest base iPad compared to the previous model, but it added 2GB of RAM, doubled the storage space and slotted in a more powerful chipset that's fast enough for most common tasks, including moderate gaming and lighter media editing. However, the iPad doesn't support Apple Intelligence — which may be a positive or negative, depending on your feelings about generative AI.

The build quality is still as solid as ever, while the battery lasts around 10 hours on a charge, depending on the tasks you carry out with it. On the downside, the accessory situation isn't ideal. It only supports the more basic USB-C and first-gen Apple Pencils, neither of which can charge wirelessly when you magnetically attach them to the tablet's side — instead, you'll need a USB-C cable and/or USB-C to Lightning adapter to juice those up. The Magic Keyboard support isn't great either, as the model that works with this base iPad is tough to stabilize on your lap.

Still, if the accessory fussiness doesn't bother you, this might be the right iPad for your needs. Sure, the iPad Air and Pro lineups have more powerful chipsets, but if all you're looking for is an iPad to watch some movies on while you're flying or to read the news without breaking the bank, this should be the way to go.

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.

Spotify is getting into gameplay — kind of — through a partnership with EA Sports. The music streaming platform has teamed up with the sports video game maker to give users integrated streaming access while playing EA Sports FC 25. 

This partnership should allow players on the PS5 and Xbox Series X or S to access Spotify music, podcasts and audiobooks. The only catch? It's currently a pilot program and only available to users in Australia and Saudi Arabia. Oh and it's exclusive to Spotify Premium subscribers. 

Applicable players will see a new Spotify tab in the main menu section and can log into their accounts there. They can then access Spotify from the set-up or pause menus — so they will have to interrupt gameplay to choose a song. The latter is also where gamers can skip or pick a new track. These tracks will show up as a small icon at the top of the screen. 

Players can opt out of the game's default audio in favor of their Spotify playlist. However, Spotify cautions that "certain music" won't be available right now. 

The free story DLC for Sea of Stars, the excellent Chrono Trigger-inspired indie RPG, will be available to download starting May 20. You might fear that a free expansion is going to be light on content, but the new Throes of the Watchmaker quest clocks in at eight hours. It’s a substantial add-on for those who have rolled credits on the main campaign, which you’ll need to do before the quest unlocks.

The DLC reunites the main game’s protagonists Zale and Valere, who journey into a miniature clockwork world designed by the titular Watchmaker. His magical invention is threatened by an ominous cursed carnival, and it’s up to the now experienced Solstice Warriors to save the day.

As well as a brand new area to explore, the expansion introduces a new playable character in Artificer, a laser-wielding robotic sharpshooter who joins the party on their quest to save the land of Horloge. And to really drive home the circus theme of the piece, Zale swaps his sword for juggling balls, while Valere becomes an acrobat. There are new combat abilities and combos to master for each character, tied together by a progression loop that is separate from the main game.

Sea of Stars composer Eric W. Brown returns for the DLC with an all-new score that includes additional original songs from co-composer Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger fame.

Sea of Stars made a huge splash when it arrived back in August 2023. Heavily inspired by SNES-era RPGs, it cleverly takes the best bits of the genre — gorgeous pixel art, a proper overworld map, memorable music — while doing away with the more controversial ‘90s tropes, like grinding and random battles. The turn-based combat system incorporates Mario & Luigi-style timed button inputs, and allows you to reduce the damage received from incoming attacks by breaking “locks” with specific attacks of your own.

Throes of the Watchmaker is the second Sea of Stars DLC add-on, following the (also free) Dawn of Equinox update, which added local co-op and combat refinements. The full game is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, and costs $35.

US automakers will get some relief from US President Donald Trump's tariffs, according to a new White House fact sheet. Prior to his new executive order, manufacturers had to pay a 25 percent tariff on any parts used in any US-assembled vehicles. Now, they'll be able to deduct up to an amount equal to 3.75 percent of the price of a new US made car until April 30, 2026, and 2.5 percent until April 30, 2027. In addition, automakers will only be required to pay tariffs on steel or auto parts (not both as before), depending on which is higher. 

The new rules reportedly came at the request of manufacturers, who said they need time to move parts production to the US. "We just wanted to help them during this little transition, short term. We didn’t want to penalize them," Trump told reporters. 

The 3.75 percent figures was reached by multiplying 15 percent of imported parts that make up a vehicle's sale price by the current 25 percent import tax. So if a $40,000 car had $6,000 or 15 percent of imported parts, the manufacturer would effectively pay no tariffs, but any higher percentage of foreign parts would result in some tariff being paid. The White House said the rebates wouldn't cost taxpayers anything since they'd come out of tariffs collected.

The White House pointed out that the US trade deficit on auto parts was $93.5 billion in 2024. A large chunk of those ($19.5 billion worth) came from Canada, and large numbers of US vehicles are also built in that country. However, the reason that US automakers manufacture cars and car parts in Canada is because it's cheaper, largely because of the high cost of employee healthcare in the US. So, even if automakers manufacture more parts in the US, car prices are still likely to go up. 

The average price for a new vehicle in the US was $47,462 last month, according to The Associated Press. One noted analyst predicted that the original 25 percent tariffs could add $4,711 to the cost of a vehicle, while also boosting the cost of ownership and maintenance. 

During an earnings call, Samsung's chief financial officer Soon-cheol Park told reporters that "ongoing uncertainty surrounding US tariff policies continues to pose a potential risk of demand slowdown." According to Financial Times, Park said that US tariff policies and stronger export controls against artificial intelligence products are expected to have an impact on product demand in the second half of the year. In addition to a downward trend on sales, the company also expects tariffs to raise prices for the components it uses on its mobile phones, which will have further impact on its revenue. 

Samsung's call discussed its results for the first quarter of 2025, which ended on March 31. The company posted KRW 79.14 trillion in revenue ($55.6 billion), an all-time quarterly high mostly due to strong Galaxy S25 sales. It also posted KRW 6.7 trillion ($4.7 billion) in profit, which is slightly lower than the previous quarter's KRW 6.5 trillion ($4.6 billion). 

Despite the record revenue, Samsung's chip business already took a hit due to tougher US export controls to China on chips used in hardware for artificial intelligence. The division posted KRW 1.1 trillion ($774 million) in operating profit, down from KRW 2.9 trillion ($2 billion) last quarter. Financial Times previously reported that Samsung had a boost in profit in the first quarter of the year thanks to Chinese customers stockpiling memory chips ahead of US tariffs, but the impact of US export restrictions overshadowed the increase in orders. The publication has also noted that the tariffs the US will be imposing on semiconductors and consumer electronics will lead to an increase in prices of its smartphones and TVs, which are mostly made in Vietnam and Mexico, respectively. 

Toyota and Waymo have announced that they've entered a preliminary agreement, along with the former's mobility tech subsidiary, Woven by Toyota, Inc. To be clear, they're not in the midst of developing anything yet — they're still exploring a potential collaboration between them. Ultimately, however, the goal is to develop a new autonomous vehicle platform together, presumably for robotaxies. They're also aiming to "leverage Waymo's autonomous technology and Toyota's vehicle expertise" for future personal vehicles. 

In their announcement, the companies said they're looking to incorporate aspects of Waymo's technology into Toyota vehicles meant for sale to consumers, as well as to accelerate the development and adoption of driver assistance and automated driving technologies. Waymo's work, so far, has been focused on developing robotaxis that riders can hail through an app. The Alphabet-owned company currently operates Waymo One, a fully autonomous ride-hailing service, in San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles. It deploys Waymo One vehicles through Uber in Austin, and it's planning to expand the service to Las Vegas, San Diego, Miami and Atlanta sometime this year. This potential partnership could expand the reach of Waymo's tech.

"Waymo's mission is to be the world's most trusted driver. This requires global partners like Toyota that share our commitment to improving road safety and expanding accessible transportation. We look forward to exploring this strategic partnership, incorporating their vehicles into our ride-hailing fleet and bringing the magic of Waymo's autonomous driving technology to Toyota customers," said Tekedra Mawakana, the co-CEO of Waymo. 

Google Wallet has supported copies of US passports since December and now its UK residents' turn. The company has announced that UK passports will soon be available as digital passes in Google Wallets on Android devices. 

To start, Google is partnering with Rail Delivery Group, which provides Railcards — or discount passes — for a range of travelers. Applying for a Railcard requires identity verification (some of them are also age-based) and individuals should be able to use their digital ID for proof. 

Google also announced further updates and features to its Wallet. More states, including Montana and Arkansas, will soon have the ability to put their government IDs in their Google Wallet, and places like Georgia and Maryland will be able to use their digital IDs at the DMV. While travelers can use US passports stored on Google Wallet at select airports, Google cautions that ID passes for UK passports won't work at TSA for now. 

The company is also bringing Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology to Google Wallet. It should also for quick age verification while "ensuring there is no way to link the age back to your identity." Google might use it with its own products or when verifying a person's age on partner apps. 

X (formerly Twitter) has been leaning into video content more and more since Elon Musk took over. The latest shift, announced by X's engineering account, sees the platform rolling out 4K video uploads to some of its creators. 

The new video resolution should soon be available for all premium subscribers. Currently, they can share videos in 1080p that are a max of 8GB in size and about three hours in length. X has also taken steps such as creating a vertical videos feed a la TikTok and Instagram Reels. 

If you're one of the many people done with the platform — and want nothing to do with Musk — then you can delete your X account. We have a step-by-step guide on how to fully deactivate your profile and clear most of your tweets (posts?) from X. 

Immersion blenders (or hand blenders) might not be absolutely essential in every good kitchen arsenal. But they can unlock faster and easier ways of making soups, smoothies, sauces and more. Plus, they’re smaller than their countertop brethren, which often makes them a better choice for RVs, boats or apartments where space is a premium. Finally, because cleaning them is usually as simple as running them in a bowl of hot soapy water, there’s less hassle, too. To help you figure out which immersion blender is right for you, we’ve put together a list of our favorite models across a variety of needs and use cases.

Best immersion blenders for 2025

Which immersion blender is right for you?

Before you even think about buying a new kitchen appliance, it’s important to figure out how you’re going to use it and where it fits in with any gadgets you already own. In an ideal world, everyone would have a dedicated food processor, countertop blender and a stand mixer. But the reality is that many people don’t have the room or the budget.

While handheld blenders and traditional, full-size blenders have a lot of overlap, there are strengths and weaknesses to both. For example, if you’re looking to make smoothies every day, a countertop blender might be a better choice. The bigger pitchers make it easier to blend drinks for multiple people at once, while larger motors will make short work of ice and frozen fruit. Additionally, more expensive options like those from Vitamix, All-Clad, Ninja or Robocoupe can even cook soup during the blending process using the heat generated from the blender’s motor, which isn’t something you can do with an immersion model. I’d even go so far as to say that if you have the space for it and don’t already own one, a regular blender is probably the best option for most people.

That said, immersion blenders are often less expensive and, thanks to a wide variety of accessories offered by some manufacturers, they can be great multitaskers. A whisk attachment allows you to make whipped cream or meringues quickly without needing an electric hand mixer, or risk getting tendonitis in your elbow doing it manually. Some immersion blenders also come with food processing bowls, so you can easily throw together things like small batches of hummus, salad dressings or homemade pesto in minutes. And because immersion blenders are smaller and less bulky than traditional models, they're a great choice for apartment dwellers or anyone with limited storage or counter space. That means if you’re simply trying to expand your culinary repertoire without blowing up your budget, an immersion blender can be a great way to try something new without committing too hard.

Corded or cordless?

Similar to figuring out if you should get a blender or not, trying to decide between a corded or cordless model depends a lot on the other gadgets you already own. Corded versions typically have more powerful motors, which makes them great for people who don’t have a countertop blender or food processor. But if you do own one of both of those, cordless is the way to go. Not only do you get the convenience of not worrying about wires, but the ease of use makes it fast and easy to whip out your immersion blender to add some extra texture to a sauce, or puree a large pot of soup without having to do it in batches.

A quick word about safety

No one should be ashamed of being nervous around a device that is essentially a motorized blending wand with a spinning blade at the end. But with proper care and use, an immersion blender doesn’t have to be much more dangerous than a chef’s knife. The most important safety tip is to make sure you always keep the sharp blades pointed down and away from you or anyone else nearby. That includes your hands, along with any utensils (like a spoon), that might be in or around your mixing bowl.

Thankfully, all consumer immersion blenders are designed to prevent their blade from directly hitting the vessel holding your food (be it a mixing bowl or a pot). However, to be extra safe, you should avoid blending things in glass containers or nonstick cookware, as glass can chip or shatter while the metal blades and shroud of an immersion blender can damage teflon and ceramic.

You’ll also want to make sure you keep water away from the plug or outlet of corded immersion blenders. And if you want to remove the blade or clear away any food that might have gotten tangled, first make sure the blender is off, disconnected from its power source (either its battery or wall socket) and in safety mode with a lock button or other feature.

On the bright side, cleaning an immersion is rather simple and straightforward. All you have to do is fill up a bowl or cup with soapy water, submerge the immersion blender, and then run it for 10 to 20 seconds. That’s it. If it’s still not clean, you can repeat that process again until it is. And if hand washing is too much work, the blending wand on a lot of models (including all of the ones on this list) are dishwasher safe too.

Whether you're diving into intense VR workouts, exploring distant galaxies or just chilling in a virtual cinema, the right accessories can seriously upgrade your experience. The best VR accessories aren’t just about flashy extras — they can make your headset more comfortable, extend your play sessions and even improve performance. From better audio and charging docks to adjustable head straps and controller grips, these add-ons help you get the most out of your virtual adventures.

Depending on your setup, some accessories are almost essential. If your headset feels front-heavy, a new strap can ease the pressure. If your controllers are always running out of juice, a charging station could be a game-changer. And if you love playing for hours, sweat-resistant face covers or cooling fans can keep things comfortable. Whether you’re a Meta Quest user, a PC VR enthusiast or just getting started, we’ve rounded up the best VR accessories to help level up your experience.

Table of contents

• Best VR accessories for 2025

• Best VR controller accessories

• Best VR headset upgrades

• Best VR fitness accessories

• Best VR cables, chargers and batteries

• VR accessories FAQs

Best VR accessories for 2025

Best VR controller accessories

Best VR headset upgrades

Best VR fitness accessories

Best VR cables, chargers and batteries

VR accessories FAQs

What equipment do you need for VR?

What you need depends on the VR headset you buy. Some devices, like the Meta Quest 3, are entirely standalone, which means you don't need anything but the headset itself to use it. Other VR headsets need to be connected to a system from which it can draw power and run software. Some systems, like the HP Reverb G2, must connect to a PC, while others like the PS VR2 can connect to gaming consoles like the PS5. Most VR headsets come with the basic controllers you'll need to control actions and movement in virtual worlds.

What's the difference between PC VR, Smartphone VR and Gaming Console VR?

The main difference between those three VR systems is the main machine that allows the VR headset to run. PC VR headsets require a PC, like a gaming laptop or desktop, to run, while smartphone and gaming console VR systems require smartphones and gaming consoles, respectively, to work.

Do all VR headsets need a phone?

No, not all VR headsets need a phone to work. Many VR headsets have build in displays that sit in front of your eyes and basically act as your window into the virtual world.