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AirPods Pro 2 are back on sale for $170

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Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 earbuds are on sale for just $170 via Amazon. This essentially ties a previous record-low price for 2025, which was $169. This purchase comes with the earbuds, four pairs of silicone tips in different sizes, a charging case, a lanyard loop and a USB-C cable.

We heaped a fair amount of praise on these earbuds in our official review, calling them “a worthwhile update.” The sound is better-than-ever, thanks to new drivers, amplifiers, transducers and audio algorithms. The transparency mode is absolutely stellar, largely helped by the company’s proprietary H2 chip.

The ANC is solid, particularly for earbuds. This is also thanks to that H2 chip, which allows the AirPods Pro to cancel twice as much noise as the first-gen model. These earbuds are made for Apple devices, so there’s seamless switching between, say, iPhones, iPads and Macs.

The touch gesture controls are neat, but there’s a learning curve. Give it a few days before throwing in the towel. The battery life is just average, but the charging case helps keep the music going. The primary downside here is age. The AirPods 2 Pro earbuds came out in 2022, so a refresh is likely on the horizon.

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/airpods-pro-2-are-back-on-sale-for-170-180055678.html?src=rss

EU Denies Picking on US Tech Giants

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Europe’s new tech rule aims to keep digital markets open and is not targeted at U.S. tech giants, EU antitrust and tech chiefs told U.S. congressmen, reminding them that U.S. enforcers have in recent years also cracked down on these companies. From a report: The comments by EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera and EU tech chief Henna Virkkunnen came after U.S. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan and Scott Fitzgerald, chairman of the subcommittee on the administrative state, regulatory reform and antitrust demanded clarifications on the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

“The DMA does not target U.S. companies,” Ribera and Virkkunnen wrote in a joint letter dated March 6 to Jordan and Fitzgerald seen by Reuters. “It applies to all companies which fulfil the clearly defined criteria for being designated as a gatekeeper in the European Union irrespective of where they are headquartered,” they said.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Bad vibes? Google may have screwed up haptics in the new Pixel Drop update

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Google released its scheduled March Pixel Drop earlier this week, adding AI scam detection, multi-camera streaming, and—possibly—buggy haptics. Pixel owners have been grumbling about the feel of vibrations, which have been described as “springy” and “hollow.” Others say the haptics have gotten distractingly harsh in some places.

Android devices have long trailed Apple when it comes to haptic feedback—the latter’s Taptic Engine generally puts other phones to shame with its power and precision. However, Google has made great progress with Pixel phones. It occasionally gloats about how much Pixel haptics have improved. It would seem that this attention to detail is not born out in the latest update, though.

Some of this confusion may be down to the addition of notification cooldown, a feature that was previously only in the Android 16 beta. This opt-out feature aims to reduce the annoyance of receiving multiple notifications in quick succession. The first ping you get in a two-minute period will be normal, but if you get another within a few seconds, it will have lower volume and vibration intensity. It tapers off until notifications don’t make any additional fuss. You can still find all those notifications in their usual home in the drop-down shade.

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The M4 MacBook Air Is a Much Better Value Than the Pro

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Earlier this week, I proclaimed the brand new M4 MacBook Air the best MacBook for most people. In short, that’s because Apple packages everything that’s already great about modern MacBook Airs with its latest M4 chip, all for a fantastic MSRP of $999.

The thing is, the M4 chip itself isn’t brand new: Apple first rolled it out with the iPad Pro last May, before introducing the M4 MacBook Pro in October. Before this week, Apple had cemented the MacBook Air as the previous generation brand: If you want an entry-level Apple computer, you could buy the M2 MacBook Air for $999, or the M3 MacBook Air for a little more. If you wanted M4, well, that’s “Pro” territory.

M4 vs. M4

No longer: Whether you buy a new MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, you’re getting the M4 chip. These chips are almost identical between Air and Pro, but with one caveat. The SoC (System on Chip) comes with a 10-core CPU (four performance cores and six efficiency cores) and a 16-core Neural Engine on all models, and a 10-core GPU on the Pro. You can get a 10-core GPU on the Air, but only if you pay extra. If you buy the entry-level $999 machine, you get an eight-core GPU. Those additional two GPU cores will cost you $100.

It’s a small difference, but a difference that, on paper, suggests better performance from the M4 MacBook Pro—especially for graphics-intensive tasks. If you work with animation or high-resolution video, or play AAA games, those two GPU cores on the Pro could come in handy. However, paper specs mean very little for real-world use: It’s when you see how these machines actually perform when put to the test do you know how big (or small) these differences really are.

We’ll need to wait for Apple to release the M4 MacBook Air before we see those real-world tests in action. But in the meantime, we do have some evidence that goes beyond the spec sheet. As reported by Wccftech, testers have uploaded Geekbench Metal benchmarks for the M4 MacBook Air to the internet—and the results are illuminating. This test examines a chip’s GPU performance via Apple’s Metal API. The eight-core M4 MacBook Air scored 54,864 on the test, while the 10-core M4 MacBook Pro scored 57,788. That’s a 5% gain for the MacBook Pro, which, while certainly nice to have, is not the huge jump you might expect from an additional two GPU cores—especially when you consider the Pro starts at $1,599.

Again, benchmarks don’t necessarily reflect real-world usage. Those two cores might push the Pro more than these results imply. Plus, the Pro has internal fans to keep the M4 chip cool under pressure. The Air doesn’t have fans, which means it may slow down performance if things get too hot sooner than the Pro would. We’ll simply need to see how these two machines stack up side-by-side when review units arrive.

Power and price

Regardless, the M4 MacBook Air is shaping up to be a powerhouse of a machine—especially for the price. The M4 MacBook Pro, for example, costs $600 more, and while you gain additional perks like a brighter, higher-quality display, double the storage, an HDMI port, and SDXC card slot, you might find you prefer the extra $600 in your wallet. Ignoring these perks, if you’re someone who is buying a Mac with power in mind, you no longer need to count out the Air. In fact, it should probably be your first choice, only ruled out if the work you do requires the extra “oomph” the Pro can offer.

To be clear, this comparison is between the M4 chip, not the M4 Pro chip. You can only get the M4 Pro in the MacBook Pro, and that model starts at $1,999. At that point, it’s a very different discussion.

AMD says top-tier Ryzen 9900X3D and 9950X3D CPUs arrive March 12 for $599 and $699

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AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D is probably the best CPU you can buy if you’re trying to put together a fast gaming PC, thanks to its eight Zen 5 CPU cores and extra helping of 3D V-Cache. You don’t really need more CPU cores than this to play games, and most games benefit from the extra cache more than they do from a bit of extra clock speed.

AMD announced today that it’s following up the 9800X3D with two higher-end X3D processors next week. The 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X3D are both launching on March 12 for $599 and $699, respectively, the same as the launch pricing for the last-generation 7900X3D and 7950X3D but a couple hundred dollars more expensive than the current street pricing for the Ryzen 9900X and 9950X.

AMD recommends the 9900X3D and 9950X3D to people whose gaming PCs also do other heavy-duty non-gaming work or for streamers whose gaming PCs are simultaneously running other apps. But they might also appeal to people who would normally just buy a 9800X3D because that processor has been difficult to find at its $479 MSRP since launching last fall. If a 9800X3D already costs nearly $600, why not spring for a faster chip if you can get one?

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Study Reveals Lab Size Impacts PhD Students’ Academic Careers

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PhD students trained in small research groups are more likely to remain in academia than those from larger labs, according to a comprehensive analysis published in Nature Human Behaviour.

The study, which examined 1.5 million scientists and 1.8 million mentorships across chemistry, physics and neuroscience, found that trainees from large research groups had 38-48% lower “survival rates” in academia between the 1980s and 1995 compared to their small-group counterparts.

However, researchers from larger labs who do stay in academia tend to achieve greater career success, publishing papers with higher citation rates and more frequently ranking among the most-cited scientists.

The research team, led by social-data scientist Roberta Sinatra from the University of Copenhagen, discovered that successful large-group scientists typically published more first-author papers with their mentors as last authors, suggesting they received substantial attention despite the group size.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The 10th-gen iPad is back on sale for an all-time low price of $260

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It’s been a busy week of Apple news with the company refreshing its Mac and iPad lineups. As a result, there are deals aplenty on older models as part of an apparent clear out. Take, for instance, the 10th-gen iPad. It’s $89 off at $260, bringing the tablet back down to its record-low price.

The biggest discount is on the blue and silver colorways. The pink one will run you an extra $9, while the yellow one is $279.

The 10th-gen iPad arrived in late 2022. At least until we put the new model through its paces, this is our current pick for the best budget iPad — a recommendation that automatically becomes a little stronger whenever it gets this kind of discount.

We gave this model a score of 85 in our review. We felt that the screen was somewhat lacking compared with those found in the likes of the iPad Air. However, we appreciated several updates such as the switch to a USB-C charging port and improved performance compared with the previous base iPad. Apple also moved the front-facing camera to the landscape edge, making video calls much more palatable when you’re using the tablet in that orientation.

If you just want an iPad to help you catch up on reading and email, control your smart home devices, watch videos and stream music, this is probably the one to go for. More resource-intensive tasks will require a more powerful tablet, but this one will handle the basics.

Meanwhile, if you’re interested in picking up the latest base iPad, you can pre-order one now. Our explainer details just how to do that. Apple has upgraded the chipset to an A16 and doubled the base storage to 128GB, but there’s no support for Apple Intelligence in the 11th-gen iPad.

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/the-10th-gen-ipad-is-back-on-sale-for-an-all-time-low-price-of-260-171121705.html?src=rss

Apple Deals Event: $900 Off iPad Pro, Watch Series 10 Slashed To All-Time Low

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Apple Deals Event: $900 Off iPad Pro, Watch Series 10 Slashed To All-Time Low
It seems like there’s always some kind of sales event going on, and that’s because their usually is. Such is the case right now at Best Buy, which has pivoted from Presidents Day bargains last month to a weekend-long ‘Apple Sales Event’ with some deep discounts in effect from now until Sunday. One of them is a huge discount on a decked out

A Watermelon Rocket-Powered Skateboard In Slow Motion

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This is a video documenting Slow Mo Guys (previously) Gav and Dan’s quest to build a watermelon rocket-powered skateboard. It consists of a watermelon zip-tied to a skateboard with its butt stuffed with sparklers. It does move, but when Dan tries to ride it the board’s MPS (miles per sparkler) leaves something to be desired. Namely, everything. So, if you were wondering if melon-rockets were going to be the engines of the future, the answer is a definitive ‘Absolutely’, and you’d invest in a watermelon farm now if you were smart.

Disney+ Hulu bundle drops to $12 for four months, plus more of the best streaming deals available now

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Whether you’re a true cord-cutter or you just want to watch the next season of Stranger Things when it (eventually? maybe?) drops, everyone’s on the lookout for streaming deals nowadays. Plenty have chosen VOD and live TV streaming services over traditional cable in recent years, but the savings that choice got you just a few years ago have somewhat evaporated now. Companies like Netflix, Disney, Max and others have been consistently raising prices to the point where you may question if streaming is even worth it anymore.

We at Engadget still think so, for many reasons, but you can (and should) be smart with your money at the same time. Streaming deals are an option, even if they don’t come around with the same regularity as discounts on AirPods do. If you’re looking to save money and still stream all of the content you want, Engadget can help by laying out the best streaming deals you can get right now, how you can save with bundles and everything you should know before paying for yet another streaming service.

True streaming deals can be hard to come by. Most often, they’ll pop up during the Black Friday shopping period. On occasion, we’ll see them sparingly throughout the year and they usually take the form of a discounted monthly or annual rate for a limited period of time. Also, true streaming deals are typically on the ad-supported versions of a service, but once in a while you’ll find a unicorn of a deal on a tier that has ad-free viewing.

If you’re able to wait for a deal before subscribing to a streaming service, we recommend doing so. You’ll save money upfront and in the long run, and you also have the option to cancel your subscription before the price goes back up to the normal rate. Maybe you find you like the service so much that you’re fine paying full price for it — that’s the ideal situation. But if you’re not compelled to keep that app on rotation in your smart TV, most streaming services make it easy for you to cancel at any time. With that said, these are the best streaming deals you can snag right now.

Starz (six months) for $18 ($28 off): Starz’s latest offer gives you six months of access for only $18, which shakes out to about $3 per month. This represents a 61-percent discount off the standard “semi-annual” plan, which puts six months of access up for $46. To get the offer, go to the Starz website and click on “claim special offer.” You’ll have to provide your email address before the discounted rates appear. As an alternative, you could opt for the monthly plan discount, which is currently $3 per month for a total of three months.

Sling Orange for $23/month for the first month (50 percent off): New customers can get Sling Orange or Sling Blue for half off the usual price for the first month, bringing the final prices to $23/month and $25.50/month, respectively. Orange is likely best for sports fans, with eight exclusive sports and family channels, while Blue includes 19 exclusive news and entertainment channels. You can get both Orange and Blue access also for half off for one month, or $33 total.

Fubo Essential for $60/month for the first month ($25 off): Fubo has introductory discounts on most of its packages, but Essential may be the best for most people. It offers access to 215 channels, unlimited cloud DVR and up to 10 simultaneous streams. Note that regional sports content is not included here; you’ll have to go up to Pro or Elite plans for that.

YouTube TV for $70/month for the first six months ($78 off): New subscribers can save a total of $78 when they sign up for YouTube TV’s base plan, which includes access to over 100 channels, unlimited DVR space and six household accounts with the ability to stream on three devices at once.

Spotify student discount – Premium + Hulu with ads for $6/month (72 percent off): Spotify’s student offer continues to be one of the best around, giving you access to the Premium tier of the music streamer and Hulu’s ad-supported plan for only $6 monthly. Purchased separately, you’d pay $22 per month for both of the services. Plus, the first month is free when you sign up.

Hulu student discount – subscribe for $2/month (75 percent off): Those with a valid student ID can get Hulu’s ad-supported tier for 75 percent off the typical rate. They’ll keep the same sale price for as long as they’re a student as well.

Max student discount – subscribe for $5/month (50 percent off): Max offers their ad-supported tier to students for half off the usual rate. You’ll just have to verify that you’re a student through Unidays, and make note that this offer is only good for up to 12 months of service.

There’s more consolidation happening now than ever before in the streaming space, and that means there are more streaming bundle options. These bundles offer you access to more content with one subscription price, but those prices are typically higher than paying for a single service by itself (obviously). It may be tempting to just get the bundle, but if only one of those services in the bundle speaks to you, you’ll spend less overall by just paying for the single service.

Speaking of a deep love for a single streaming service: if all of your favorite shows are on Peacock or the latest releases on Max consistently bring you joy, consider paying for one year upfront. Subscribing with an annual plan usually saves you money in the long term over paying on a monthly basis. Unfortunately, not all streaming services (looking at you, Netflix) have an annual subscription option. Here are some of the best streaming bundles you can get right now.

Disney+, Hulu, Max bundle with ads for $17/month: Ad-supported Max is included here, along with full, ad-supported access to Disney+ and Hulu. You’ll save 43 percent with this bundle, as opposed to paying for all three services individually.

Sling TV + Max starting at $53/month: Sling TV and Max have partnered on a discount that gives new subscribers 50 percent off their first month of Sling TV, plus $5 off monthly when you subscribe to the Sling TV + Max bundle. The standard price for the Sling Blue + Max duo is roughly $58/month, so you’ll get a monthly discount of $5 off that. In addition, for the first month only, you’ll get half off the price of the bundle. The promotion also applies to the Sling Orange & Blue + Max package, which has a standard price of $73/month.

Paramount+ with Showtime for $13/month or $120/year: This includes everything in Paramount+’s Essential plan, except the ads, and also provides access to Showtime content, live CBS streams and download features.

Hulu + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN+ for $96/month: This streaming bundle amalgamation is a bit confusing but it does offer a lot: you get live TV streaming via Hulu’s service plus access to the following VOD services: Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+. Out of those three, only ESPN+ will have ads.

Disney+ and Hulu Duo Premium for $20/month: This bundle removes the ads from both Disney+ and Hulu (with the exception of select live and linear content) and allows you to download content for offline viewing. You’ll save 43 percent with this bundle, as opposed to paying for both ad-free tiers individually.

Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Trio Basic for $17/month: You get full access to Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ content with this package, albeit with ads across the board. This bundle price is 47 percent off the total price of all three separate subscriptions.

Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Trio Premium for $27/month: Similarly to the Duo bundles, the Premium version of the Trio removes ads from most content in Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, and you can download content for offline viewing. This price represents a 43-percent savings when compared to paying for all three ad-free tiers separately.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/best-streaming-service-deals-133028980.html?src=rss

The best 2-in-1 laptops and tablets for 2025

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While the excitement around 2-in-1 systems has cooled a bit over the years, they’re still useful solutions for anyone who wants a device that can act as both a tablet and a traditional laptop. In tablet mode, they’re handy for jotting down notes and drawing pictures, and in their full laptop configurations, they can let you manage e-mail and write as you would with a traditional notebook. Whether you’re a student, creative or just want a more flexible setup, a 2-in-1 solution gives you the best of both worlds without having to carry multiple devices.

We’ve tested and reviewed some of the top 2-in-1 options out there from brands like HP, Microsoft, Samsung and Apple. Whether you’re looking for a Windows PC that can occasionally act like a tablet, or traditional slates that can be empowered with keyboard accessories, we’ve rounded up the best models to consider.

When you’re shopping for a 2-in-1 system, there are some basic criteria to keep in mind. First off, consider the type of machine you’re looking for. Do you want something that can look like a traditional Windows laptop, but also has a screen that can twist into different orientations? (We often call these convertibles.) Or do you want a standalone tablet that works with a separate keyboard attachment? Tablet setups are typically lighter, but they’re often harder to use on your lap since they rely on kickstands or awkward cases.

Also, while some 2-in-1s offer built-in LTE or 5G connectivity, not everyone will want to pay the premium for it. An integrated cellular radio makes checking emails or replying to messages on the go far more convenient. But it also often costs more — and that’s on top of what you’ll pay for data. And as for 5G, you can hold off on it unless you live within range of a mmWave beacon. Coverage is still spotty and existing nationwide networks use the slower sub-6 technology that’s barely faster than LTE. For now, tethering a PC to your phone is still the best way to get online.

When it comes to tablet keyboards, you’ll also have to make peace with the fact that they’ll never feel as responsive as full-fledged laptop options. Their keys are shallower, and their layouts are often a bit different than typical PCs. Again, there’s a cost for portability.

See Also:

Sometimes, getting a third-party tablet keyboard might be just as good, and they’re often cheaper than first-party offerings. If you’re looking to save some money, Logitech’s Slim Folio is an affordable option for iPads, and if you don’t need your keyboard to attach to your tablet, Logitech’s K780 Multi-Device wireless keyboard is also a good pick.

While we’ve typically made sure to include a budget 2-in-1 in previous years, this time there isn’t a great choice. We would usually pick a Surface Go, but the latest model is still too expensive. Other alternatives, like cheaper Android tablets, are underpowered and don’t offer a great multitasking interface. If you want something around $500 that’s thin, lightweight and long-lasting, you’re better off this year looking at a traditional laptop (like those on our best budget PCs list). Alternatively, you might consider one of our top picks for the best Chromebooks, either as a back-to-school option or for basic tasks.

February 2025: We’ve retitled this guide to “Best 2-in-1 laptops and tablets” to be more accurate, and we’ve also updated the introduction and “Factors to consider” section to refer to convertible laptops and detachable tablet options.

June 2024: We updated our top picks to include the Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ edition.

Nathan Ingraham contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-2-in-1-laptops-173038508.html?src=rss

Nine of the Strangest Tax Deductions You Might Qualify For

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With tax season in full swing, smart filers are looking to maximize every deduction available to them. We’re all familiar with common tax deductions like mortgage interest, charitable donations, and retirement contributions. However, there are plenty of unexpected deductions and other little-known uses for pre-tax money.

Andy Phillips, Vice President of H&R Block’s Tax Institute, shares some more unexpected facts about deductions. For instance, people who are wrongfully incarcerated may be able to exclude settlement money they receive to compensate them. And if you’re just starting to repay your student loans for the first time, you might not know that most taxpayers can deduct up to $2,500 of student loan interest payments each year. 

Here are some more of the strangest tax deductions people have claimed and actually gotten away with.

Gambling losses

While gambling winnings are taxable income, the IRS allows taxpayers to deduct their gambling losses up to the amount of their winnings. This deduction is often claimed by professional gamblers and those who frequent casinos.

Your pool or hot tub

If you are self-employed and use your backyard pool or hot tub to entertain clients or employees, you may be able to deduct a portion of your operating costs and even the initial installation. Just make sure to carefully document the business uses.

Snacks

Daycares can deduct set amounts for the breakfast, lunch, and snacks provided to children in their care. 

Tampons

Menstrual care products like tampons and pads are qualified expenses you can pay with your health savings account.

Pet care for service animals

For the most part, deducting medical expenses for pets is not allowed as a medical expense on your tax return. The only exception is when an animal is a certified service animal, like a guide dog, to assist you. Service animals generally aren’t considered pets though. If you have a physical disability or are hearing or visually impaired, you can deduct medical expenses for your pets if they are certified service animals. Expenses that may be covered include purchasing, training, and maintenance of the animal which includes food, grooming, and medical care.

Some cosmetic surgeries

A taxpayer can deduct medical expenses for cosmetic surgery necessary to improve a deformity arising from, or directly related to, a congenital abnormality, a personal injury resulting from an accident or trauma, or a disfiguring disease. Breast reconstruction after cancer and vision correction surgery are examples of a deductible surgery.

Clarinet lessons

Believe it or not, the IRS has allowed deductions for clarinet lessons as a medical expense in certain circumstances where the lessons were recommended by a doctor to help treat a health condition like stammering or neurological issues. You’ll need a physician’s letter to claim this one.

EV chargers

If you install an electric vehicle charger in your home, you may be eligible for a tax credit. Similarly, while you can’t just run an extension cord out the window and make bank letting people charge their EVs, there are other ways to monetize a home EV charger.

Construction expenses

If you build a house, construction expenses you can include are the land, materials, architect fees, building inspection fees, and building permit fees. 

The bottom line

Remember to keep accurate records and consult with a tax professional if you have any questions or concerns. While the above deductions might not apply to you, there are still plenty of deductions to make sure you’re taking advantage of—like home office perks or retirement contributions. And if you want to avoid the April 15 scramble, be sure to check out the best filing services for 2025.