Having somehow made it through a second year of global pandemic and political unrest, give the loved ones on your holiday shopping list the greatest gift of all: an alternative to doom-scrolling. In Engadget’s 2021 Media Gift Guide you’ll find a diverse selection of books — fiction and nonfiction alike — as well a host of streaming content suggestions that will keep their recipients entertained through the holidays and beyond. If you’ve got a book, show or movie that you think would make the perfect present, tell us all about it in the comments below!

Fiction

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

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NYT bestselling author, Rebecca Roanhorse — the literary force behind Star Wars: Resistance Reborn — has done it again. Her latest fantasy series, Between Earth and Sky, takes readers on an epic journey of trauma, healing, vengeance, and eventual redemption. The first book in the series, 2020’s Black Sun, weaves a masterfully engrossing — and markedly inclusive — tale that eschews the common Arthurian Legend retellings in favor of a unique fantasy world inspired by pre-Columbian America cultures. If you’ve got a fan of fantasy on your holiday shopping list, pick up Black Sun for them before the sequel, Fevered Star, drops next April.

Age of Madness trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

The ending of Game of Thrones was nothing short of a slap in the face to fans. I mean, really, all that and Bran wins? GTFOH. If you’ve got a fan of George “Double R” Martin on your holiday shopping list, do them a favor and turn them on to Joe Abercrombie’s Age of Madness trilogy. Set in a world in which the seeds of industrialization have just taken hold even as the age magic and mysticism stubbornly refuses to be uprooted, AoM tells a tale of mighty nations at war while the powerful elites who rule them vie for control over both their countries’ external fates and their courts’ internal politics. Packed with captivating characters, political intrigue, incredible reversals of fortune and stunning betrayals, Age of Madness is a grimdark masterpiece where everybody, for once, gets exactly what they deserve.

1414º by Paul Bradley Carr

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Whether we like it or not, this is Jeff Bezos’ world and the rest of us just live in it. Our current slate of 21st century techno-robber barons have achieved unfathomable wealth and unassailable power; but as Paul Bradley Carr’s latest novel, 1414º, illustrates, you can’t spend that money or wield that influence when you’re dead. If you’ve got a fan of high-tension whodunnits and techno-thrillers on your holiday shopping list, 1414º will be a surefire hit.

Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells

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Martha Wells can’t stop, won’t stop, dropping Murderbot hits. The reigning queen of hard sci-fi released Fugitive Telemetry — the sixth book in her Hugo, Nebula, Locus and Alex Award winning series — earlier this year and let me tell you from experience, it is a banger. Our self-aware SecUnit anti-hero is back in another standalone adventure, this time on the trail of a vicious murderer aboard Preservation (space) Station. If the sci-finatic on your holiday shopping lists enjoys space intrigue and robotic mysteries, you can’t go wrong with Fugitive Telemetry.

Undying Mercenaries series by B.V. Larson

The year is 2052 and Earth finds itself unwillingly annexed into a galactic empire it didn’t even know existed and is presented with a simple choice: provide our new alien overlords with a viable commercial product or face extermination. Thus, Earth’s mercenary legions are born. Armed with alien-made weaponry and a mysterious technology that allows soldiers to be reconstructed after being killed in battle — like reloading from a previous save point but far more gooey — Earth’s legions set out across the stars to fight the wars that the galaxy’s elder races are too self-important to fight themselves. Already 16 books deep, author B.V. Larson continues to lead the genre of military sci-fi from the front, so if you’ve got a fan of Starship Troopers, Aliens-style space marines, or Tom Cruise’s Edge of Tomorrow on your holiday shopping list, congrats! You can cross them off now.

Nonfiction

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Bright Galaxies, Dark Matter, and Beyond by Ashley Jean Yeager

Far from a household name, astronomer Vera Rubin’s pioneering research helped convince the scientific community of the possibility that dark matter — the mysterious materials that make up a vast majority of the universe but cannot be observed — actually exists. In Bright Galaxies, Dark Matter, and Beyond (not to be confused with Bright Galaxies, Dark Matter, a collection of Rubin’s own essays), author Ashley Jean Yeager takes readers on an inspiring biographical journey through the astronomer’s early year before examining the challenges she faced working in an often hostile, male-dominated field, and her eventual vindication and professional triumphs — looking at you Vera C. Rubin Observatory. If you’ve got a younger someone on your holiday shopping list who’s interested in pursuing STEM, this could well be the book that puts them on a path towards scientific greatness.

N-4 Down by Mark Piesing

During the Zeppelin’s heyday, airships weren't just a means of the well-to-do to slowly get to distant destinations in comfort and luxury, they also offered a new means of (albeit pokey) exploration. N-4 Down by Mark Piesing takes readers on a thrilling, nail-biting adventure of the largest arctic rescue operation in history as famed Norwegian explorer, Roald Amundsen, rushed to save the surviving crew of the airship Italia, which crashed during its attempt to land men at the North Pole in 1928. The history and aeronautical buffs on your holiday shopping list are going to absolutely love it.

Under a White Sky by Elizabeth Kolbert

For the last 10,000 years, humanity has had an unprecedented and largely destructive impact on the environment around us. But as climate change increasingly wreaks its own havoc on us in return, humanity must now work to reverse or at least mitigate the harm that we have caused. In Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Kolbert examines just what we can do to make things right with Mother Earth and avoid a catastrophic climate crisis.

The Quiet Zone by Stephen Kurczy

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Green Bank, West Virginia is, technologically speaking, stuck in the 1950s. And for good reason! This bucolic Appalachian town is home to the ultra-sensitive radio telescope at the Green Bank observatory, which necessitates that basically every device that can emit a radio signal — everything from iPads to microwaves — be heavily restricted. In The Quiet Zone, journalist and author Stephen Kurczy, embeds himself in Green Bank to give readers a firsthand look at what life could be like without our precious digital tech. The Quiet Zone is the perfect gift for the aspiring luddite on your holiday shopping list.

Streaming

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Given the myriad COVID-induced supply chain challenges that retailers are girding for this upcoming holiday season, finding physical copies of these titles could prove to be a bit of a challenge. So, perhaps consider gifting the book worms on your holiday shopping list the Kindle Paperwhite and a subscription to Amazon Kindle Unlimited? Virtually every one of the books listed above are available on the digital service along with millions of others as well as magazines and periodicals.

But there’s only so much one can read during those long winter nights so why not curl up on the couch with a nice cup of hot cocoa and watch some sterling examples of our new Golden Age of Television? If you’ve got a Trekkie on your holiday shopping list, you really can’t go wrong with a subscription to Paramount+. The $5 - $10 a month service unlocks a plethora of Star Trek shows including the Emmy award-winning Picard and the hilarious Lower Decks.

For the cinephile on your list, assuming you can’t get your hands on the upcoming Criterion 4K collections, an HBO Max subscription works just as well. For $10 a month, you’ll give the gift of a massive movie selection as well as popular weekly news and interview series like Pause with Sam Jay and This Week Tonight with John Oliver, not to mention incredible documentaries like Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street.

Got someone with small children on your gift list? Throw them a bone with a Disney+ subscription. The service hosts nearly the entirety of Disney’s massive, decades-deep archives along with new family-friendly series and episodes arriving daily.

Netflix will roll out a new TikTok-inspired featured that specifically targets its younger viewers this week, according to Bloomberg. The streaming giant is reportedly launching "Kids Clip" on its iOS app, which will show short video clips from its library of children's programming to help young viewers find something to watch. Bloomberg says the feature builds upon Fast Laughs, the comedy feed it launched earlier this year. 

Unlike Fast Laughs, however, Kids Clips videos will be horizontal instead of vertical and will take over the entire screen. In addition, kids will only be able to view 10 to 20 clips at any one time. Netflix will add new clips every day based on the current shows and movies available on the platform, as well as future ones slated to arrive on the service. Both features are part of the company's efforts to combat decision fatigue, which ails many of its subscribers. Netflix also launched a shuffle play feature called Play Something back in October to help viewers find something to watch based on their viewing patterns without having to scroll endlessly through the app. 

Netflix still refers Kids Clips as a "test," Bloomberg said, and it won't be available to all its users just yet. For now, it's rolling out in select markets, including the US, Canada, Australia, Ireland and Latin American countries. 

If you’re anything like us, the holiday shopping season never really gets easier. It always seems to sneak up when you’re unprepared and making your gift list is often an arduous process. Despite the warm feelings this time of year brings, it can be awash with stress as you try to find the right gifts for the right people, all while trying to stay within budget.

But hopefully our annual holiday gift guide can provide some ideas for the tech-loving individuals in your life. We’ve spent time pondering the best (and most fun) gadgets we’ve used this year and came up with more than 200 products worth recommending. You’ll find gifts for aspiring game streamers, amateur photographers, audiophiles, pet parents and more, as well as the best laptops, tablets and wearables. And for those with strict budgets, we have a roundup of all things under $100 in our guide along with additional ideas for stocking stuffers that come in under $50.

And for all you bargain hunters out there, Engadget will continue to cover the best tech deals throughout the holiday season. There have been a ton already as retailers have pushed up the start of the shopping season by an ungodly month (or two). But it’s safe to say that the weeks leading up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday will bring even more discounts. If you haven’t crossed everything off your shopping list yet, be sure to check out our Deals hub and @EngadgetDeals on Twitter to keep up with the latest sales.

Regardless of how and when you secure those final gifts, we hope our gift guide can make it easier for you to get there. And if you pick up something for yourself along the way, consider that a well- deserved reward for making it through yet another crazy year.

Engadget's 2021 holiday gift guide

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The best laptops and tablets to give as gifts

The best tech toys for kids

Seven tech charities to support this holiday season

The home theater gear worth gifting this year (even if the giftee is you)

The best smartwatches, fitness trackers and wearables to gift

The best board games to gift this holiday season

Small, affordable gadgets that make great stocking stuffers

The best gifts for the aspiring influencer in your life

The best gifts for the coffee nerd in your life

All the gear you need to game-stream like a pro

These are the audio gadgets to gift this season

The best digital gifts to send your friends and family

Thankfully, you don’t have to understand the world of social media in order to buy gifts for the TikTokers, Instagrammers, YouTubers and live streamers in your life. The basics of content creation are relatively simple — lights, camera, action — and the rest is all about personal style. And hashtags, of course. If your holiday list is filled with folks who live online, these are the gifts that are sure to make them.

Elgato Stream Deck MK.2

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Being a social media influencer is a busy business, and nothing helps organize all of those apps like Elgato’s Stream Deck MK.2. The Stream Deck features 15 customizable LCD buttons that can be used to easily launch and manage all sorts of crucial programs, such as YouTube, Spotify, PhotoShop and OBS. You can usually find the MK.2 for around $150, and it’s sold alongside seven faceplates that make it look cute even when it’s just sitting there, available for $10 each. — Jessica Conditt, Senior Editor

Fujifilm X-T4

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If you’re going all-in this holiday season, you might as well get the best. When it comes to APS-C cameras, it’s hard to beat Fujifilm’s X-T4. It captures incredibly sharp images with color-accurate results, plus it shoots video in 4K. It has the essential flip-out display and excellent image stabilization, and all-around, it’s considered among the best. If it helps, think of this one as an investment in your loved one’s small social media business. — J.C.

Illuminated Dreamz Custom TikTok sign

Illuminated Dreamz

Most of us will never be professional social media stars, but a custom LED-lit sign with your TikTok handle is cool enough you might just feel like one. The signs allow you to illuminate your handle in color-changing LEDs, alongside the TikTok logo, of course. And if your social media platform of choice isn’t TikTok, there are YouTube and Twitch options available, too. The sign even comes with a remote control so you can change up the lighting colors and settings to suit your mood — or your stream. — Karissa Bell, Senior Editor

Kawaii Cat Ring Light

Kawaii Lighting

You’ve probably seen your share of ring lights, but you probably haven’t seen one with built in cat ears. Is it a little extra? Yes. Is it the cutest ring light you’ve ever seen? Also yes. But besides being cute, Kawaii Lighting’s cat ring light is also a really solid ring light. At 65W with 10 levels of dimming, it can go from super-bright to just-bright-enough, and the included remote control should make it easy to change things up. It also comes with a 68-inch adjustable stand and three phone mounts built in so you can get the perfect angle (or angles) with each shot. — K.B.

Lightsmoon Line Lamp

Lightsmoon

Here’s where that personal style comes into play. The Line Lamp by Lightsmoon is an elegant, minimalist light that creates instant vibes. The Line Lamp is designed to fit in the corner of a room or near a wall, where its 150cm-tall bar glows against the surface, reflecting light all around. It supports a near-infinite range of colors and has more than 300 lighting effects, while the frame itself comes in black or white. — J.C.

Neewer Green Screen

Neewer

A green screen is the ideal way for a streamer or YouTuber to start stepping up their content. Having a physical green screen gives you way more flexibility to play with your background or just to get rid of anything distracting in your surroundings. This one is great because at about 60 inches wide and 78 inches tall, you’ll have plenty of space to work without feeling cramped. And, when you’re done, it folds up neatly into an easily portable aluminum case. — K.B.

Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition

Razer

Don’t ask about the cat ears — just support the person in your life who wants to wear them. Razer is an iconic gaming brand, making the Kraken BT Kitty Edition perfect for the live streamer or e-girl influencer in your life. The headset supports Bluetooth 5.0 (that’s what the “BT” stands for, though there’s also a black wired version for $150), it’s pink and it has two light-up cat ears right on top. The Kraken BT Kitty Edition uses Razer Chroma RGB to power the lights on the ears — both feline and the actual ear cups — meaning it’s all customizable as well. — J.C.

SoJourner Holographic Rave Fanny Pack

SoJourner

It takes a lot of accessories, gadgets and gear to manage a successful social presence, and the Holographic Rave Fanny Pack from SoJourner is the perfect way to keep it all contained in a trendy bag. The pack comes in a range of colorways to fit your loved one’s unique style, with three pockets and an adjustable waistband. Best of all, it’s only around $20. — J.C.

What Do You Meme TikTok Edition

What Do You Meme

What better gift for the social-obsessed than the TikTok edition of What Do You Meme. Like other iterations of the game, it borrows meme-worthy moments from IRL (in this case, TikToK) and players compete to come up with the funniest captions. The game itself is simple enough that even those with zero knowledge of TikTok can play, but should still have enough Easter eggs to keep the real fans engaged. As an added bonus, the TikTok version of the game also has QR codes on the back that will take you straight to the corresponding video on each card. — K.B.

It’s easy to think that the best gadget gifts are the fanciest and most expensive things. But there are plenty of options out there for the techie in your life that don’t require you to empty your wallet. If you’re struggling to come up with the right present for the early adopter in your life, we’ve gathered some of our favorite things that are both small and affordable. The best part? Everything comes in at $50 or less.

Chromecast with Google TV

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If you’re at a loss when it comes to a good, cheap gift for the techie in your life, you can’t go wrong with a Chromecast. The latest Chromecast with Google TV is the one to get right now and it doesn’t matter if your giftee uses Google products already. Like other Chromecasts, this one lets you stream movies and TV shows from major services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu andHBO Max, among many others.

The Google TV interface has always been pretty easy to navigate, but it’s simpler than ever thanks to the remote that now comes included with the Chromecast. It has an Assistant button, giving you quick access to voice commands, plus a circular D-pad, shortcut buttons for YouTube and Netflix, and support for HDMI-CEC and IR, allowing you to control your entire TV with it. And, unlike larger set-top boxes or smart TVs that your recipient may already have, the Chromecast is portable, so they can take it with them to make binge-watching their favorite shows easier when they’re not at home.

Apple AirTags

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Most of us have someone in our lives who misplaces everything — their keys, wallet, purse or backpack, the list goes on. If that person in your life happens to also own an iPhone, AirTags make great gifts and you can buy one for only $30. (You could even get an AirTag case for them, too, and still spend less than $50.) These quarter-sized Bluetooth trackers pair almost immediately with iOS devices and can then be tracked using the Find My app.

You can use them to keep track of nearly anything, but they work best on items that take clips or keyrings or things like backpacks that have small pockets. In addition to showing their location, the Find My app also lets you force the AirTag to play a loud chime so you can more easily find it in your home. And if you’re close enough to the missing item, Apple’s Precision Finding feature can literally guide you to it using the tech in your iPhone’s U1 chip.

KeySmart Classic key holder

KeySmart

Those who have a mess of jangling keys weighing down their pockets may benefit from a KeySmart holder. The $23 Classic model is the best for most people as it’s slim and holds up to 14 keys in a neat little sandwich of sorts, in between two aluminum and stainless steel pieces. It’s easy to stack all of your keys on either end of the KeySmart and, once installed, you can rotate out only the key you need to unlock your door. The Classic also comes with a loop ring so you can easily attach your stuffed KeySmart to something larger like your car key.

Anker Nano II GaN charger

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Chargers like the Nano II GaN 65W adapter from Anker may not be the first things that come to mind when you’re exploring tech gift ideas, but they are some of the most useful gadgets out there. We all have so many devices — phones, tablets, smartwatches, headphones, earbuds, and more — and most of them need regular charging. An extra charger like Anker’s lets you power up more devices at once, but it also does so more efficiently. The gallium nitride technology inside this small cube prevents it from overheating even when charging up a larger device like a MacBook Pro. It’s also 58 percent smaller than the MBP’s own charging adapter, so it’ll take up less space in a bag or backpack when you’re on the go.

Most bricks of this size aren’t able to support fast-charging for multiple devices, but the 65W capacity of this Nano II model makes it a good option for all of your devices. Just before publishing this story, the 65W model went up in price by a few dollars, pushing it over our $50 threshold — but Anker sells 45W and 30W models as well, so you can get the same charging technology for even less.

Anker USB-C to Lightning cable

Anker

As with chargers, we all could use an extra cable on hand in our living rooms, backpacks, on our desks at work or anywhere else where we need to power up. Anker’s got plenty of Powerline II charging cables for all types of devices, but arguably the two most useful are the MFi-certified USB-C to Lighting cable and the USB-C to C connector. The former supports fast-charging and has been tested to withstand the bends and twists necessary to fuel your iPhone in strange places. The latter can fast-charge many devices and it works with larger tablets and laptops as well, making it a good all-purpose cable for your various USB-C gadgets.

Joby GripTight One GorillaPod stand

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Joby’s GorillaPod stands aren’t just for aspiring social media stars or photographers. The GripTight One stand in particular is a handy tool that anyone will find useful when they need to take a quick family photo, prop their phone up to watch a YouTube video, or hold their phone at a better angle to take a selfie. Its clamp grip can hold all smartphones and its rubber feet prevent it from slipping. But the flexible legs are the kicker here — they let you wrap the stand around objects like railings so you can get the best angle possible when shooting photos or videos. And considering how compact and lightweight it is, Joby’s stand is one of the best options out there for a travel phone stand.

Mophie 15W Wireless Charging pad

Mophie

Charging pads are like charging cables: It never hurts to have an extra wireless charging pad lying around. Mophie’s 15W pad is one of the nicer looking ones we’ve seen with its rounded square design, ultrasuede finish and LED indicator light. It’s compact enough to fit on a crowded side table next to your couch or on your desk. With 15W of power, it’ll fast-charge most smartphones and it works with cases up to 3mm thick. And, since it supports the Qi standard, you can use it to power up almost anything else with a wireless charging case, like those wireless earbuds you just bought.

Bandai Original 90s Tamagotchi

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Suckers for ‘90s nostalgia will be thrilled to find an original Tamagotchi in their stocking. The digital pet from 1997 is back and, at least with this model, not much has changed. You’ll still be tasked with feeding, cleaning and taking care of your Tamagotchi using the three buttons on the egg-shaped device. Yes, you can even discipline the creature when it’s bothering you — just make sure not to neglect it to the point of starvation.

Bellroy Classic Pouch

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Some people have started to go back into the office and maybe you know someone who’s been trying to bring some small comforts from home into the workplace. Shuttling mice, charging cables, power banks and keys to and from anywhere can make it look like a bomb went off inside your bag. Bellroy’s Classic Pouch is a good way to tame that mess. Measuring 5.5 x 8.9 inches, this half-moon, zippered pouch can fit most small essentials that you’d want to keep with you at all times. Inside are a few organizational pockets, including one with a magnetic closure,. We also appreciate the nine sophisticated colors that it comes in, and many of the pouches are made of water-resistant, woven fabric created from recycled plastic bottles.

Samsung EVO Select microSDXC card (256GB)

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It can be easy to underestimate the value of having more storage. Flash drives, memory cards, portable SSDs and the like are gadgets that many people don’t have when they need it the most. Samsung’s EVO Select microSD card would make a good gift for any number of people in your life: photographers, gamers and all-around nerds. Samsung’s memory cards are some of the most reliable out there and also the most versatile — this one has read speeds up to 100MB/s and write speeds up to 90MB/s. That makes this a great option for those who want more storage on their smartphone or tablet. It also comes with a full-sized adapter so those with DSLR cameras will make good use out of it, too. Lastly, this would make a great gift for someone whose Nintendo Switch is packed with games, allowing them to download and play more titles than they could before.

Yubico Yubikey 5 NFC

Yubico

Having a good password isn’t always enough, which is why you should turn on two-factor authentication for your most precious accounts whenever possible. The Yubikey 5 NFC gives you a physical way to unlock your devices when you’re asked to authenticate for a second time. This particular model has NFC, so you can simply tap it to a compatible device to verify your identity. It’s also a USB-A dongle of sorts, so you can plug it into your laptop so you’ll always be recognized when you’re using it. Yubico sells a USB-C NFC version as well, but at $55 it’s just a bit too expensive for this guide. We also appreciate that the entire Yubikey NFC series works with Windows, Mac, Chrome OS and most mobile devices, and that the keys are made from durable water- and crush-resistant fiberglass.

PopSockets PopGrip for MagSafe

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Popsockets

If you scoffed at PopSockets when they first came out, you’re not alone. But these circular doodads are actually great ways to better grip and prop up your phone. The only “problem” with older PopSockets is that they were a bit inconvenient to take off if you wanted to go socket-free for a time. But those with new iPhones don’t have to deal with that annoyance anymore thanks to the PopGrip for MagSafe, which is basically just a magnetic version of the classic PopSocket. It’ll attach to the back of any compatible iPhone and pop off which ease whenever you want to switch out your case. Also, the PopSocket itself has a swappable top, so you can add more of your personality to it with some of the company’s many interchangeable tops.

In October, Microsoft and Adidas partnered to celebrate the Xbox's 20th anniversary with the first-ever pair of official Xbox footwear. For fans of the company's original 2001 console, the Forum Tech sneakers were a treat with their nostalgic green and black colorway. There was just one problem with the shoes: you couldn't buy them. Thankfully, that's not true of their latest collaboration, which will be available to buy in the US and Canada.

Microsoft describes the Xbox 360 Forum Mid as a "love letter to one of the most iconic gaming consoles in gaming history." That means plenty of details Xbox 360 fans will appreciate. Most noticeable is the Xbox button on the outer side of the shoes, but there are other fun touches, including the straps that replicate the console's optical drive. Another nifty inclusion is that each pair comes with four additional pairs of laces in red, yellow, green and blue, so all four controller face button colors are represented. Oh, and expect Easter Eggs. 

Sales of the Xbox 360 Forum Mid shoes will start on November 4th at 10am ET. You can grab them from the Adidas website. If you don't fancy yourself a sneakerhead, Microsoft is releasing other commemorative products to mark the Xbox brand's 20th birthday. On November 15th, the company will come out with a translucent Xbox Series X/S controller and headset.

So you've got all the gifts you need for the kids, your family and the friends who really matter. But it's been a tough year, surely you deserve some joy as well. Maybe it's time to upgrade that HDTV to a 4K OLED, or to finally move on from using sad TV speakers. It's time to treat yourself, in true Parks and Rec fashion. Here are some of the best home theater gadgets we'd recommend when budget isn't an issue.

Apple TV 4K

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While the latest Apple TV model isn’t a massive leap over its predecessor, there are a few updates that make it worthy of a holiday splurge. The redesigned Siri remote is a big improvement over the previous version, both app and streaming performance is quicker than ever and there’s support for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. As always, there’s deep integration with iOS, and HomeKit compatibility is a nice bonus. And when you tire of music and movies, the Apple TV also works as a gaming console with access to Apple Arcade and support for Bluetooth gamepads. — Billy Steele, Senior News Editor

BenQ HT2050A projector

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A projector is a great gift for any of the cinephiles or gamers in your life, and for around $800, the BenQ HT2050A is the best budget 1080p projector available. Its DLP tech delivers where it counts with the best contrast (ANSI 1,574:1) and color accuracy in its class, and is reasonably bright as well, with 2,200 lumens in "vivid" mode. On top of that, it comes with a 1.3x zoom and vertical lens shift option for maximum installation flexibility. It’s also a nice option for gaming, thanks to the relatively low 16 millisecond input lag. The drawbacks include slightly excessive fan noise, rainbow effect and red-tinted 3D. — Steve Dent, Associate Editor

65-inch LG C1 OLED TV

LG

If you're looking for the best possible TV to buy, there’s no question: Pick an OLED model. Personally I'd stick with LG's C1, the latest generation of the company's astounding OLED screens. Unlike LCD TVs, which rely on backlights, pixels on OLED TVs can turn themselves on and off individually. That allows them to capture inky blacks and deliver better contrast than most LCD panels. The C1 isn't much different from last year's CX line, but it's LG's most evolved OLED yet. It has a 120Hz refresh rate for speedy gaming, as well as support for G-SYNC and Freesync to avoid annoying frame stuttering. Its wide viewing angles also mean everyone can get a perfect picture, no matter where they're sitting. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Editor

Monoprice Monolith THX Atmos home theater speakers

Monoprice

Sometimes, a soundbar just doesn't cut it. No matter how many drivers you can cram in, or how good the virtual surround sound is, nothing beats the immersion of a full home theater speaker setup. Monoprice's Monolith series is one of the best options around: It sports a powerful center channel, your choice of towers or bookshelf speakers with upward-firing Dolby Atmos drivers, and subwoofers powerful enough to rattle your walls. There are tons of surround sound systems to choose from, but the beauty of the Monolith line is that it has all of the latest speaker tech and it’s reasonably priced, at least compared to other Hi-Fi systems. It used to be that you had to mix and match speakers to create an affordable surround setup. You can start small with a few towers and a subwoofer—and once you've got a complete system, you may never need to go to the cinema again. — D.H.

Optoma Cinemax P2

Optoma

With high brightness and ease of setup, ultra short throw projectors are all the rage right now — making one the ultimate gift for any movie lover. The CinemaX P2 is the best among those for the price thanks to a good combination of features. It delivers 3,000 lumens of brightness, while offering good contrast and accurate colors, with 80 percent DCI-P3 coverage. The 40-watt NuForce Dolby Digital 2.0 soundbar is one of the best on any ultra-short-throw projector and it’s relatively stylish in white. On the downside, while it does offer apps, they’re not as good as you’ll find on, say, Google’s Chromecast — though that’s an easy fix as it has three HDMI 2.0 ports. — S.D.

Roku Ultra

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If you're not a fan of the Apple TV, the Roku Ultra is the only other set-top box worth considering. It's fast enough to stream 4K video with Dolby Vision, and it supports just about every streaming app you'd want. It also has a solid remote with voice-search capabilities, and you can still access all of Apple's streaming video via the Apple TV app. And while Roku's interface isn't pretty, it's fast and gets the job done. — D.H.

Sonos Arc

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

Sonos finally introduced an upgrade to its aging Playbar last summer when it debuted the Arc. In addition to an updated design, the soundbar also supports Dolby Atmos which makes it an excellent choice for the living room. True to Sonos’ lineage, the Arc is also well-suited for music and you have the ability to add a subwoofer or satellite speakers as you see fit. It will also function as part of a new or existing Sonos multi-room setup and any time you add on to the main living room configuration, the Arc automatically adjusts to compensate for the extra gear. — B.S.

Sony HT-A7000 soundbar

Sony

Sony’s Atmos-enabled soundbars are among the best and its most recent top-end model is no different. The A7000 replaced the HT-ST5000 as the flagship in the company’s lineup, only this time, the soundbar doesn’t come with a wireless subwoofer in the box. Instead, Sony is offering you the ability to add to your home theater setup as needed. The company offers two subwoofer options, as well a pair of rear speakers. The A7000 on its own though, is a 7.1.2-channel unit equipped with HDMI 2.1 with eARC, plus both 8K and 4K/120 Hz passthrough. This means Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision are both in play as well as ample support for gaming. Plus, wireless connectivity includes Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect when you just need some tunes. — B.S.

65-inch TCL 6 Series smart TV

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget / TCL

If OLED is too rich for your blood, consider TCL's MiniLED-powered 6-series line. It features far more backlight zones than typical LCDs, which can lead to black and contrast levels that are approaching what you'd see from OLED. The lower cost is the big selling point here though, giving you enough leftover cash to invest in your sound system. It's a solid entry both for movie watching and gaming. The 6-series also includes some of the cheapest 8K TVs on the market, though we'd recommend holding out on 8K until more content is actually available. (Something that may take a long while.) — D.H.

Valencia Theater Seating Verona seats

Valencia Theater Seating

Where your butt sits is just as important to your home theater as your screen and sound setup. You'll want seats that you can lounge in for hours without hurting your back, and they need to be sturdy enough to survive real-world usage with pets and kids. Valencia's Verona seats are a solid option if you want to replicate the experience of high-end theaters with reclining seats. They're made out of genuine leather, and they offer separate reclining options for your back and head. And sure, they're pricey, but a decent couch will set you back just as much as three Veronas. And, let's face it, they'll be far more comfortable for movie watching and gaming than your typical West Elm option. — D.H.

Vizio M-Series 5.1 soundbar

Vizio

If you've got a smaller space, or you can't justify stringing wires around your living room for a complete home theater system, Vizio's M-series 5.1 soundbar kit offers plenty of value. It supports Dolby Atmos, for enveloping surround sound, and it comes with wireless rear channels and a subwoofer. Best of all, it's far cheaper than competing systems (though if you want, you can also step up to other Vizio Atmos options, like the rotating Elevate). Consider the M-series a solid entry into the world of surround sound (and one you won't feel too bad about replacing when you want bigger speakers). — D.H.

Even though Black Friday is over three weeks away, some major retailers are getting in on the action early. Among them is Amazon, which has slashed prices on its own devices. One of the products you can save on at the minute is the Kindle, which is $40 off at $50. Kindle Kids, meanwhile, is on sale for $60 (usually $110).

Amazon has also discounted several Fire tablets. Even though you can often find it for $60 (a decent deal in itself), the Fire HD 8 is half off at $45. As such, the tablet is currently less expensive than the $50 Fire 7, which has a smaller screen with lower resolution. Meanwhile, Fire HD 8 Plus, which offers wireless charging and 3GB of RAM rather than 2GB, is currently $55. The tablet typically costs $100, but Amazon often drops that to $80.

The kids versions of the tablets are on sale too. Fire HD 8 Kids ($70) is half price, as is Fire HD 8 Kids Pro ($70), which is for older children.

Elsewhere, you can pick up a Fire TV Stick 4K for $25 at the moment. The streaming device typically costs around $35, but it can cost as much as $50. As for Echo Glow, Amazon's nightlight, you can save $10, as it's down to $20. The lamp doesn't have a built-in microphone or speaker, but you can use a separate Alexa device to select the brightness and color.

Vaccine misinformation has been pervasive issue on Facebook for years, and it wasn't until earlier this year that the website finally introduced policies that would address the problem. Now, the social network has expanded those policies and its COVID-19 vaccination efforts to include kids shortly after the FDA authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages five to eleven.

In the coming weeks, it will send in-feed English and Spanish reminders to users in the US that the COVID-19 vaccine is now available for kids. Those reminders will also include a link that'll help users find the nearest vaccination site. Perhaps, more importantly, it will expand its anti-vaccine misinformation policies to remove claims that COVID-19 vaccines for kids do not exist and that the vaccine for children is untested. It will also remove any claim that COVID-19 vaccines can kill or seriously harm kids, that they're not effective for children at all and that anything other than a COVID-19 vaccine can inoculate children against the virus. 

Facebook says its fight against vaccine misinformation is part of an ongoing effort in partnership with the CDC, WHO and other health authorities. It promises to keep on updating its policies and ban any new claim about the COVID-19 vaccine for children that will emerge in the future. The website, which now operates under its parent company Meta, says it has removed more than 20 million pieces of content from Facebook and Instagram since the beginning of the pandemic. As of August 2021, it has also banned 3,000 accounts, groups and pages for repeatedly breaking its health misinformation policies. 

Facebook

Prepare to toss a coin to your favorite witcher. Netflix has shared the first full trailer for season two of The Witcher ahead of its December 17th debut. Unsurprisingly, the clip sees Geralt fighting plenty of monsters, including vampires, gargoyles and even a leshen at one point toward the end. It also reveals plenty of details about the story arc of the show’s sophomore season, teasing an escalating war between Nilfgaard and the Northern Kingdoms, Ciri’s training at Kaer Morhen and the return of Jaskier.

After the show’s initial success, a second season isn’t the only piece of Witcher content Netflix has in the pipeline. The streaming giant released The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, an animated prequel film starring Geralt’s mentor Vesemir, earlier this year. It also recently greenlit a third season of the show, announced a second animated movie and a “kids and family” series.