Valve has confirmed that Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) won’t support Mac and older Windows PCs. The game’s predecessor, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), ran on those machines, but the company said since the refreshed title “represents the largest technical leap in CS history,” users on those platforms are out of luck.

In addition to macOS, older hardware, “including DirectX 9 and 32-bit operating systems,” are discontinued. Valve described the abandonment as a “difficult decision” based on technological advances. The company notes that, when combined, users on those platforms represented less than one percent of active CS:GO players, suggesting the gaming behemoth didn’t view legacy support for those platforms as a cost-conscious move.

Valve will offer refunds to eligible players on those systems who bought the Prime Status Upgrade, an optional $15 boost that matches players with fellow subscribers while earning various bonuses. However, there are caveats. Mac users can only get their money back if “most of their CS:GO playtime was on macOS” between March 22 and September 27. Meanwhile, DirectX 9 and 32-bit Windows users must have bought Prime Status Upgrade from Steam between those dates. 

Valve will only offer refunds until December 1. In addition, the company notes that CD keys, gifted purchases and banned accounts are ineligible.

The legacy version of CS:GO, currently classified as a “frozen build,” is still available for players on the defunct platforms. But Valve says that version will lose support after January 1, 2024. Any functionality associated with the Game Coordinator (access to inventory) “may degrade and/or fail” after that date.

Valve launched Counter-Strike 2 in late September after months of hype. The enormous update offers enhanced graphics, upgraded maps and more believable smoke. It uses Valve’s in-house Source 2 engine for more believable lighting, sharper textures and updated geometry. CS2 replaced CS:GO on Steam.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/valve-has-no-plans-for-counter-strike-2-support-on-macs-or-older-windows-pcs-185307909.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Valve has no plans for Counter-Strike 2 support on Macs or older Windows PCs

Amazon’s October Prime Day sale is discounting many of Anker’s best accessories. So if you’re in the market for cables, portable chargers or power adapters, you can get a those devices for a lot less money right now. While most of these deals are just for Prime members, one or two are open to anyone. One notable deal is on the new Nano power bank with a built-in USB-C connector. Now that the iPhone 15 has USB-C charging, you can handle iPhone charging with the same accessories Android phones use. We’ve tested and recommended Anker products in plenty of our buying guides as they tend to be reliable, well-designed and reasonably priced buys. Here’s the best of what’s on offer for Anker’s Prime Day sale. 

Nano Power Bank with built-in USB-C

Anker’s Nano Power Bank comes with either a built-in USB-C connector, for iPhone 15 and Android phones or a built-in Lightning connector for iPhone 14 and earlier. They’re both on sale for Prime Day, but only for Prime Members. You’ll save 38 percent on the Lightning version and 25 percent on the USB-C version. Both will give your phone a partial charge whenever you need it.

Anker Prime 67W USB C Charger

The Prime 67W USB-C Charger comes with two USB-C ports and one USB-A and it’s 37 percent off, bringing its price from $60 to $38. Though keep in mind, you’ll need to be a Prime member to take advantage of the sale. 

Anker X Transformers USB-C 65W Charger, 735

The Anker 65W USB-C Charger 735 is 20 percent off right now for Prime members. We named this the best 65W fast charger you can buy after putting it through a slew of tests on five different devices. Of course, we didn’t test the one branded with the Transformers, but that can only make it faster, right?

Anker Lightning Cable (3-pack)

If you’re still rocking an iPhone 12, 13 or 14 and your cords are breaking at the seams, pick up Anker’s lightning cable three-pack for 20 percent off, dropping from $25 to $20.

Anker 765 USB C to USB C Cable

One of the best deals in the sale comes courtesy of Anker’s fast charging 765 USB-C to USB-C cable, which is down from $35 to $15 — a 57 percent discount for Prime members. It’s compatible with the new iPhone 15 models, along with the MacBook Pro 2021, iPad Pro, iPad Air 4th and Samsung’s Galaxy S23+ and Ultra.

Other notable deals

Then there’s Anker’s portable chargers currently on sale for every time you stay out later than expected or drain your battery playing games. The Prime 20K Power Bank is down to $22.40 from $28 and can juice up an iPhone 12 halfway in 30 minutes using USB and USB-C chargers. For $30 (down from $60), you can pick up Anker’s Magnetic Portable Charger 5K for wireless charging. Plus, the Prime Power Bank with 200W Output and a smart display has fallen from $130 to $90 for Prime Day — giving you high-speed charging with enough money left over to buy quality cables.

If you’re a Prime Member, you can also save on our pick for the best budget wireless charging stand, Anker’s 313 Wireless Charger. Don’t expect fast charging here — this tops out at 10W (and just 5W for iPhones). But you can position your phone in landscape orientation to take advantage of StandBy mode on iPhones. 

Your October Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Fall Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/anker-charging-accessories-get-discounts-up-to-57-from-prime-day-deals-184324221.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Anker charging accessories get discounts up to 57% from Prime Day deals

Star Trek: Prodigy has found a new streaming home with Netflix, after being both canceled by Paramount+ and completely deleted from the platform back in June. Not only will Netflix air the previously-released 20-episode first season later this year, but it’s also putting the final touches on the second season, which will stream sometime next year.

The initial cancellation came as a surprise, as Paramount had already greenlit a second season and those episodes were just about finished. Then it did that recent streamer thing where it went through and deleted all of the old episodes, kicking them to the dustbin of history. That may be possible for a lesser-known IP, like the criminally underrated Infinity Train, but this is Star Trek. Trekkers have been conducting successful campaigns to bring back shows ever since the original series was canned back in 1969. These are the same fans, after all, that helped Star Trek: The Animated Series and Star Trek: The Motion Picture get off the ground.

So they went to work, amplifying fan engagement across various social media sites. Prodigy’s creators have long held out hope for a new platform, and it looks like this optimism has finally paid off.

This is the last day of Amazon’s Prime Day sale of 2023 and all three models of the Apple Watch lineup are still seeing discounts as of right now. Apple just announced the Apple Watch Ultra 2 at its iPhone event last month, but it’s already $50 off for Prime, which is its lowest price yet. The other new wearable from Cupertino is the Apple Watch Series 9. That one is seeing a modest, $9 discount, but that’s not surprising for as new as it is. The budget model, the Apple Watch SE, wasn’t given a new iteration this time around, so the newest is still the second generation SE, which is down to $199 instead of its $250 MSRP. We’ve also included smartwatch deals from Samsung, Google and Withings, just in case you’re not an iPhone user (or have an Android user on your holiday gift list). Here are the best Prime Day deals on Apple Watches and smartwatches we could find this Prime Big Deal Days.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the brand’s newest high-end watch and has the same list price as last year’s model, which is $799. For Amazon’s sale, it’s down to $749 or $50 off, which is a new low. The new Ultra has the same S9 SiP (system-in-package) as the Series 9, which allows for on-board processing of Siri requests and will help offer more intuitive answers to questions about your health and activity data. The Ultra 2 comes with GPS and cellular connectivity and has a large 49mm case to accommodate its always-on Retina display and battery with a claimed 36-hour lifespan. Engadget’s Cherlynn Low particularly liked the new Modular Ultra watchface, which manages to make the most of the watch’s vast screen real estate.

Oddly, Apples first generation Apple Watch Ultra is not on sale for Prime Day. It’s still full price at $799 at Amazon right now, which means there’s very little reason not to go for the newest model if you’ve been thinking about getting Apple’s most premium wearable. 

Read our thoughts from our hands-on with the Apple Watch Ultra 2. 

Apple Watch Series 9

It only arrived last month, but the new Apple Watch 9 has already handily beaten out other contenders for the top spot in our guide to the best smartwatches. And now it’s on sale for $9 off the list price, thanks to Amazon’s second Prime Day. It’s a modest discount, but likely the largest you’ll find on a Apple’s brand new flagship wearable. That makes the 41mm case $390 and the 45mm size $420 instead of $429 on Apple’s site. One of the most notable updates to this model is the upcoming Double Tap feature that will let you answer calls or dismiss an alarm just by tapping your thumb and forefinger together.

Now that the Apple Watch Series 8 is no longer the brand’s most recent model, it’s seeing a significant discount. The list price is $399 for the 41mm GPS model, but the sale brings it down to $300 which is nearly $100 off.

Read Engadget’s full review of the Apple Watch 9 and the usefulness of Double Tap. 

Apple Watch SE

Apple didn’t release a new version of the Apple Watch SE, which makes the second generation the current budget watch in the brand’s official lineup. It’s usually $250 for the GPS-only model and 40mm case but October’s Prime sale brings that base model down to $199. If you want more room on the screen, you can grab the 44mm version, which is usually $270 but down to $229 during the sale.

In our Engadget review, we called the SE “the best smartwatch $250 can buy.” It doesn’t have the new Double Tap and on-board Siri features of the new watches, and it’s missing a few of the sensors you get with the higher-end models, such as blood oxygen, temperature sensing and EKG readings. You also don’t get an always-on-display.

Here’s our review of the Apple Watch SE (second gen). 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

For those who don’t carry an iPhone, the Galaxy Watch 6 is our favorite Android smartwatch. Samsung’s latest wearable was released a few months ago and typically goes for $300, but is down to $269 during Amazon’s sale. It’s lighter than the previous model with a brighter display, better battery life and a processor upgrade. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic returns the spinning bezel which Samsung removed on the Watch 5. That model usually sells for $400, but the sale brings it down to $369 instead.

Engadget’s Malak Saleh gave the Galaxy Watch 6 an 84 in her review, noting the expansion of the wellness and health features — though many of those updates simply bring the Galaxy Watch 6 up to the standards of its competitors like Apple Watch and Google’s Pixel wearables. Still it’s a comfortable, well-designed wearable with customizable workout routines that will give you a good amount of health data.

Here’s our full review of the Galaxy Watch 6.

Google Pixel Watch

The Google Pixel Watch 2 was announced last week and will ship this Thursday. That’s probably why the first generation of the Google Pixel Watch is 40 percent off. That brings it to $210 and an all-time low. While we liked the overall design, we found the rather short battery life concerning. Since the newer generation promises a slightly larger battery and more efficient use of it, you may want to go with the Google Pixel Watch 2, which we had a moment to try out during Google’s event. But it looks like that one isn’t discounted for Amazon’s sale and is currently selling for the full $350.

Here’s our review of the first generation Google Pixel Watch.  

Withings Steel

You can get the look of a classic analog watch combined with the health tracking features of a smartwatch by opting for Withings Steel HR Sport. The hybrid watch is usually $200, but the Prime sale brings it down to $160. Instead of displaying your health and workout stats on the watchface, the Steel HR Sport sends everything to the companion app on your phone. It can track heart rate, activities and workouts as well as monitor your sleep. Since it has no screen, Withings claims the battery can go for up to 25 days on a charge.

Your October Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Fall Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-deals-on-apple-watch-and-smartwatches-hit-their-lowest-prices-yet-182507971.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Amazon Prime Day deals on Apple Watch and smartwatches hit their lowest prices yet

A new rule proposed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would ban the sneaky fees some companies slap onto their services at checkout time. Thanks to these junk fees, which have crept into the process of everything from buying concert tickets to booking vacation rentals, the prices consumers initially see are often nowhere near what they end up paying. 

The Biden administration has been putting pressure on companies like Ticketmaster and Airbnb to improve their ways, and both recently committed to providing more transparency about their extra charges. The FTC wants to take things a step further by banning the common deceptive tactics altogether. The proposed rule targets both hidden, mandatory fees that aren’t properly disclosed upfront and ambiguous “bogus fees” that leave consumers unsure of what it is they actually had to pay more for. 

These practices are misleading, with companies often resorting to “bait-and-switch pricing and misrepresenting the nature and purpose of fees,” the FTC argues in the proposal notice. Under the proposed rule, businesses would have to include these additional fees in their advertised prices, explain what each fee is for and let customers know if any of it is refundable.

The FTC took comments from the public last year to assess the impact of junk fees and ultimately gathered over 12,000 responses to shape its proposal. It’s now opening up comments for 60 days so consumers can weigh in on the rule it’s put forth. “By hiding the total price, these junk fees make it harder for consumers to shop for the best product or service and punish businesses who are honest upfront,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. The proposed rule would “save people money and time, and make our markets more fair and competitive.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-ftc-wants-to-ban-hidden-junk-fees-that-jack-up-the-price-of-your-purchases-182058389.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The FTC wants to ban hidden ‘junk fees’ that jack up the price of your purchases