Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro have dipped to under $200 in a deal from Amazon. The AirPods Pro, which normally cost $250, are $60 off right now, bringing the price down to just $190. That’s the same price we saw during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. The AirPods Pro offer a number of premium features over the standard AirPods, including active noise cancellation for when you want to shut out the world, and an impressive transparency mode for when you want to hear your surroundings.
Billy Steele/Engadget
The second-generation AirPods Pro came out in 2022 and brought Apple’s H2 chip to the earbuds for a notable performance boost. It offers Adaptive Audio, which will automatically switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode based on what’s going on around you. With Conversation Awareness, they can lower the volume when you’re speaking and make it so other people’s voices are easier to hear.
We gave this version of the AirPods Pro a , and it’s one of our picks for the on the market. The second-generation AirPods Pro are dust, sweat and water resistant, so they should hold up well for workouts, and they achieve better battery life than the previous generation. They can get about six hours of battery life with features like ANC enabled, and that goes up to as much as 30 hours with the charging case. Apple says popping the AirPods Pro in the case for 5 minutes will give you an hour of additional listening or talking time.
AirPods Pro also offer Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking for more immersive listening while you’re watching TV or movies. The gesture controls that were introduced with this generation of the earbuds might take some getting used to, though. With AirPods Pro, you can adjust the volume by swiping the touch control.
On Monday, April 8, a total solar eclipse will be visible across a swath of North America, from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the easternmost reaches of Canada. And in those few minutes of daytime darkness, all sorts of interesting phenomena are known to occur — phenomena NASA would like our help measuring.
During a total solar eclipse, temperatures may drop and winds may slow down or change their course. Animals have been observed to behave unusually — you might hear crickets start their evening chatter a few hours early. Even radio communications can be disrupted due to changes in the ionosphere while the sun’s light is blocked. And, the sun’s corona — its outermost atmosphere — will come into view, presenting scientists (and those of us helping them) with a rare opportunity to study this layer that’s normally invisible to the naked eye.
NASA has lots of research efforts planned for the eclipse, and has sponsored a handful of citizen science campaigns that anyone can take part in if they’re in or near the path of totality, or the areas where people on the ground can watch the sun become completely obscured by the moon. The path of totality crosses 13 US states, including parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. It’s an event of some significance; the next time a total solar eclipse passes over that much of the contiguous US won’t be until 2045.
All you’ll need to join in is equipment you already own, like a smartphone, and a few minutes set aside before the eclipse to go through the training materials.
NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio
Help measure the shape of the sun
One such citizen science project is , a concerted effort to measure the true shape of the sun. While the sun is closer to being a perfect sphere than other celestial bodies that have been observed, it’s still technically an oblate spheroid, being a smidge wider along its equator. The SunSketcher team plans to get a more precise measurement by crowd-sourcing observations of Baily’s Beads, or the little spots of sunlight that peek out from behind the moon at certain points in the eclipse.
The Baily’s Bead effect is “the last piece of the sun seen before totality and the first to appear after totality,” NASA explained in a . “For a few seconds, these glimmers of light look like beads along the moon’s edge.” They’re visible thanks to the uneven topographical features on the lunar surface.
You’ll need to download the free SunSketcher app, which is available for iOS and Android on the and . Then, a few minutes before totality (the exact time is location-dependent), put your phone on Do Not Disturb, hit “Start” in the app and prop up the phone in a place where it has a good view of the sun. After that, leave it be until the eclipse is over — the app will automatically take pictures of Baily’s Beads as they show up.
There’s a on the SunSketcher website if you want to familiarize yourself with the process beforehand. When it’s all said and done, the pictures will be uploaded to SunSketcher’s server. They’ll eventually be combined with observations from all over to “create an evolving pattern of beads” that may be able to shed better light on the size and shape of the sun.
The SunSketcher images probably won’t blow you away, so if you’re hoping to get some great pictures of the eclipse, you’ll want to have another camera on hand for that (with the appropriate filters to protect your eyes and the device’s sensors).
NASA / Aubrey Gemignani
Record changes in your surroundings
Eclipse-watchers can also use their smartphones to record the environmental changes that take place when the sun dips behind the moon as part of a challenge run by Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (Globe). You’ll need an air temperature thermometer as well for this task, and can start logging observations in the days before the eclipse if you feel like being extra thorough.
Temperatures at the surface can, in some cases, drop as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit during a total solar eclipse, according to NASA. And certain types of clouds have been observed to dissipate during these brief cooldowns, resulting in unexpectedly clear skies in the moments before totality. Data collected with the help of citizen scientists during the 2017 total solar eclipse showed that experienced a less extreme drop in surface temperatures.
To participate this time around, download the Globe Observer app from the or , and then open the Globe Eclipse tool from the in-app menu. There, you’ll be able to jot down your temperature measurements and take photos of the sky to record any changes in cloud cover, and make notes about the wind conditions. Plan to dedicate a few hours to this one — NASA asks that you include observations from 1-2 hours before and after the eclipse in addition to what you’ll record during. “You will measure temperature every 5-10 minutes and clouds every 15-30 minutes or whenever you see change,” NASA says.
You can keep using the Globe Observer app for citizen science beyond eclipse day, too. There are programs running all year round for recording observations of things like clouds, land use, mosquito habitats and tree heights. The eclipse tool, though, is only available when there’s an eclipse happening.
Listen to the sounds of wildlife
Observations going back nearly 100 years have added support to the idea that total solar eclipses temporarily throw some animals out of whack. Inspired by a 1935 study that gathered observations on animal behavior during an eclipse three years prior, the is inviting members of the public to take note of what they hear before, during and after totality, and share their findings.
To be an for the project, it’s recommended that you first sign up on the website and go through the brief training materials so you can get a sense of what type of information the project is looking for. The website also has printable field notes pages you can use to record your observations on eclipse day. You should start taking notes down at least 10 minutes before totality. Only after the eclipse is over will you need to fill out the webform to submit your observations along with your latitude and longitude.
If you happen to have an AudioMoth acoustic monitoring device and a spare microSD card lying around, you can go a step further and record the actual sounds of the environment during the eclipse as a . You’ll need to set everything up early — the project says to do it on Saturday, April 6 before noon — and let it record until at least 5PM local time on April 10. At that point, you can turn it off, submit your notes online and mail in the SD card. All of the details for submission can be found on the project’s website.
NASA
Take photos of the solar corona
The is an initiative designed to study the sun’s corona and plasma plumes from locations in the path of totality, building off of a previous campaign from the 2017 total solar eclipse. It’s already selected a team of 100 Science Team Alpha Recruits (STARs) who underwent training and were given 3D-printed tracking mounts for their cameras to shoot the best possible images. But, the project will still be accepting photo submissions from any enthusiasts who have a DSLR (and a solar filter) and want to participate.
The is pretty exhaustive, so don’t wait until eclipse day to start figuring out your setup. You’ll be able to submit your photos after the eclipse through a form on the website.
However you choose to spend the eclipse, whether you’re collecting data for a citizen science mission or just planning to kick back and observe, make sure you have everything in place well ahead of the time. While the partial eclipse phases will last over an hour, totality will be over and done in about 3.5-4.5 minutes depending on where you’re watching from. You wouldn’t want to miss out on some of that time because you were fumbling with your camera.
Totality will start shortly after 11AM local time (2PM ET) for western Mexico, moving northeastward over the subsequent two-or-so hours before exiting land near Newfoundland, Canada around 5:30PM local time. There will still be something to see for people outside the path of totality, too. Most of the US will be treated to a partial eclipse that day. You can find out exactly when the eclipse will be visible from your location with , along with the percentage of sun coverage you can expect to witness.
On April 8, a solar eclipse will darken the skies. This is a rare astronomical event: The last North American total solar eclipse was on August 21, 2017, and there won’t be another on visible on the continent until 2044. The path of totality — where the sun will be fully blocked by the moon — covers over 30 million people in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Those lucky folks may see the sun’s corona and a “diamond ring” — both dramatic sights. Other regions will experience partial eclipses, with the level depending on how close you are to totality. Watching the moon eat into the sun, even a bit, is still a spectacular sight.
So, which cities and regions will experience totality, and when? What’s the weather forecast in those areas? And if you do have a clear view, how can you safely watch and record the event?
Where in the US will you experience the solar eclipse totality, and when?
The good news is that many major centers are in the 100-mile-wide band of totality, so millions of people will be able to see a full solar eclipse. It follows a northeast path, so Mexico’s Pacific coast will get the first views in Mazatlan starting at around 10:57 AM PDT (total eclipse starting at 12:07 PDT), followed by the city of Torreón (all times local).
The total eclipse moves into the United states at 12:10 PM CDT (Eagle Pass, Texas), then hits Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas — three out of five of the most populous Texas cities. From there, it moves into Little Rock, Arkansas, followed by select parts of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana (including Indianapolis).
NASA
Ohio cities Dayton, Toledo and Cleveland get the full show, followed by Erie, Pennsylvania, then Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse in New York along with Maine. Canada is in on the fun too, with parts of southern Ontario (Hamilton, Niagara Falls) and Quebec (Montreal) getting the totality, along with New Brunswick, PEI and finally, Bonavista, Labrador at 4:03 PM NDT (Newfoundland Time).
If you’re elsewhere on the continent and can’t travel, know that the closer you are to the band of totality, the more the sun will be obscured by the moon (this map shows how much of the eclipse you’ll get depending where you are on the continent).
An impressive list of major centers are within 200 miles of totality, so they’ll get a 90 percent or better eclipse (Houston, St. Louis, Memphis, Nashville, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Toronto, New York, Boston).
Anyone in the US south, midwest and northeast should get a decent spectacle, as will folks in Canada’s southeast and Atlantic coast. Even if you’re not in those regions, you might still see (and can capture) a mini eclipse.
How long with the 2024 solar eclipse last?
From the beginning when the moon first starts to cover the sun (partial eclipse) until the end when the two bodies part ways is a good long time – up to two hours and forty minutes in Dallas, and 2:18 in Caribou, Maine.
However, totality itself is brief, with the duration dependent on how close you are to the center of the totality band and the time of day. It’s at just under four minutes in Dallas, less than three minutes in Presque Island, Maine and a mere minute and 12 seconds in Montreal. As such, you’ll need to be ready and hope that the skies are clear during that brief window.
What’s the weather forecast in my area?
It’s still early for an accurate forecast, but a week is enough to get a general idea by region. Suffice to say, April isn’t the ideal month for clear skies. That said, an eclipse can still be visible through light cloud cover, and even if it’s thick, the sky will grow dramatically dark.
Unfortunately, the odds of precipitation are indeed above average across most of the band of the eclipse. Forecasts predict that the chances for clear skies are better the farther northeast you live, the opposite of historical trends.
To wit, Dallas has showers forecast throughout the day (58 percent), which would mean continuous cloud cover and no clear view if that holds. That improves a bit when you get to Indianapolis (partly cloudy, 24 percent chance of rain), with things better still in Buffalo, New York (partly cloudy, 11 percent).
Things are looking good right now in Montreal, though, with mostly sunny skies and only a 9 percent chance of rain, and the same goes for Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Niagara Falls also figures to have decent weather during the eclipse (mostly sunny, 18 percent) and is in the path of totality, which has led to the city declaring a state of emergency out of caution. Officials estimate that a million people could pour into the area, creating potentially dangerous crowds.
How can I watch the solar eclipse at home?
Staring at the sun is obviously dangerous for your vision, and doing so during an eclipse can be just as harmful. Even though you may not feel discomfort immediately, you may damage your eyes via an affliction called solar retinopathy. That can lead to serious consequences like eye pain, blind spots, blurred vision and more.
American Astronomical Society
To view it safely, you must purchase a pair of approved solar eclipse glasses based on an international safety standard called ISO 12312-2 (regular sunglasses won’t do). That dictates the maximum luminous transmittance, along with the range of permissible wavelength transmittance (UVA, UVB and infrared).
There’s certainly still time to grab a pair if you don’t have them already. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) has many recommendations for manufacturers and vendors, both online and at retail chains.
Warby Parker, for one, is offering free glasses (limit two per person while supplies last). You can also find them at Staples, Lowes and Walmart, or online at B&H and multiple science and astronomy stores.
The AAS advises against searching for the lowest price on Amazon or eBay, however, in case you get a bad knock off. “Before you buy a solar viewer or filter online, we recommend that you make sure that (1) the seller is identified on the site and (2) the seller is listed on this page,” it says on its Solar Eclipse Across America site.
How to watch the solar eclipse safely without glasses
Canadian Space Agency
It’s possible to view an eclipse without glasses via indirect means, as well. The simplest way is by punching a small round hole in a piece of thick paper or cardboard, then positioning it so the sun shines through the hole onto the ground or a flat surface (you can also attach a piece of foil with a hole, as NASA shows here). That will project an image of the Sun’s disc, letting you see the eclipse in real time.
The same pinhole principle would let you use anything with perforated holes, like a colander, projecting dozens of tiny eclipses on a surface. Trees can do the same thing, casting weird leaf shadows with little solar eclipse chunks out of them.
Benjamin Seigh/Wikimedia
For a bit better experience, you can build a crude box projector. With that, the sun shines through a hole in tin foil onto a white card, and you can look through a larger hole at the card, with the sun behind you. The Canadian Space Agency explains exactly how to make that.
Never, ever view an eclipse directly through a pair of binoculars or a telescope, as that’s a guaranteed way to damage your eyes. That said, you can use a pair of binoculars or a telescope to project the sun onto a piece of paper, as shown in this video.
How to take photos or video of the solar eclipse
Unfortunately, you can’t just point your smartphone or camera at the sun to record the eclipse, as the brightness will overwhelm the sensor and ruin the image (and possibly damage the sensor). Luckily, you can shield your camera just as you do your eyes.
The cheapest way to do that is to buy an extra set of eclipse glasses, then cut out an eyepiece from one and tape it over the smartphone (or other camera) lens. That will reduce the light levels enough to see detail in the sun throughout the partial eclipse and totality.
You can also purchase dedicated smartphone solar filters like the VisiSolar Photo Filter, which are designed for cameras and not direct viewing. Another choice is the Solar Snap Eclipse App Kit, which also offers an app that aids in photographing the eclipsed sun. It’s advisable to also wear solar glasses when setting up your smartphone or camera to protect your eyes.
If you’re shooting the eclipse with a dedicated mirrorless or DSLR camera, you’ll need either a mylar, 16-stop ND (neutral density) or hydrogen alpha solar filter. Again, do not look directly into a DSLR’s optical viewfinder at the sun if the lens doesn’t have one of those filters attached (the electronic viewfinder on a mirrorless camera is safe).
To photograph the eclipse with a smartphone, turn the flash off and put the camera into ultrawide or wide mode so it stays in frame. Do NOT look directly at the sun to line up your camera if you’re not wearing solar eclipse glasses.
Don’t use the digital zoom to try to make the eclipse bigger, as you’ll lose resolution (you can zoom in later in your photo editing app). Once focus is set on the sun, use your smartphone’s focus lock feature so that it doesn’t “hunt” for focus and blur the eclipse.
During totality, the “diamond ring” effect only lasts a split second, so use the burst mode of your camera or you’ll likely miss the shot. And try to capture RAW (rather than JPEG) images to keep the maximum detail possible for later editing. Some iPhone and Android smartphones have RAW capability built-in, if not, you can use a third-party app.
If you decide to capture video, you’ll need a filter as well, of course. But you should also use a tripod, as shooting handheld will induce blur and result in a shaky video. Even a cheap tripod will do the trick, along with a simple smartphone holder. Capture the highest resolution you can (4K or even 8K) at the highest quality possible. You’ll also capture any cheering, shouting, etc. — a precious souvenir you can look back on again and again.
More resources
There are plenty of government and private sites with more information about the eclipse, starting with the AAS’s eclipse site, detailing things like eye safety, imaging, resources and even a totality app — an “interactive map that shows what you’ll see at any location in North America for the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024.”
As another week winds to a close, it’s time for Engadget’s roundup of the best deals we spotted this week. There’s no giant sale happening right now, but we still found a few decent discounts on some of our recommended tech, including 40 percent off a year’s subscription to Max’s streaming service, $130 off our favorite Android tablet and a new low price on our top mouse for gaming. If you’ve been considering a foldable phone but have been (understandably) turned off by the high prices, a both Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google’s Pixel Fold are currently on sale and going for $400 and $500 off, respectively. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Max
Max will run its 40-percent-off promotion until Tuesday, April 9. If you think you’ll watch the streaming service a fair amount in the next twelve months, you may want to take advantage. Any new subscriber can get the deal, but some returning and existing customers are eligible too. If you previously had a plan through the Apple App Store or Google Play, and are returning, you can save. If you’re a current member and signed up for your subscription through Max’s site, you’re eligible.
All three tiers are seeing the discount, including the top-tier, ad-free plan with 4K support, which is now $140 annually instead of $240. The mid-level plan is also ad-free but doesn’t support 4K content and that one is $105 for the year, instead of $192. The cheapest plan is ad-supported and down to $70 yearly, instead of $120.
If you need extra storage for a device that takes microSD cards, here’s a good price on a terabyte. The 1TB version of Lexar’s Professional 1066x card is now down to $76.49 on Amazon which is a 47 percent discount off the list price (though it regularly goes for $85) and the lowest price we’ve tracked.
The Professional 1066x is not a formal pick in our microSD card guide, as it’s a bit slower than our top choices, though not drastically. Those top picks are Samsung’s Pro Plus and Pro Ultimate, but neither are seeing much of a discount right now. Other storage that is on sale includes sales on more Lexar gear, Seagate cards and Crucial RAM.
The entry-level, second-generation Apple AirPods from 2019 are down to $89 from their full price of $129 at Amazon and Walmart (note they regularly sell for $99). The sale isn’t an all-time low, but beats the lowest we’ve seen this year by a dollar. These don’t have active noise cancellation or transparency mode, have an older chip and the audio isn’t as good as the later generations. But if you’re just looking for a pair of buds that work well with Siri at a sub-$100 price, this could be the way to go.
For upgraded sound, check out the third-generation Apple AirPods which are 13 percent of making them $149 from their $169 list price. In addition to better sound, these add an hour of battery life and Spatial Audio support.
Apple’s top-of-the-line second-gen AirPods Pro are marked down to $199 from $249 at Amazon and down to $200 at Target — a 20 percent discount that they’ve seen for many months now. They are our top pick for earbuds for iOS and deliver active noise canceling, great sound with an H2 chip and a MagSafe USB-C charging case.
The top gaming mouse in our buyer’s guide is down to $40 after a 43 percent discount which matches the all-time low. The Razer Basilisk V3 offers a complete blend of price, performance, build quality and comfort. We liked its sturdy body and textured matte finish. Plus the grip is comfortable and likely will be for most people, though perhaps not for those with the smallest hands. Also the buttons are relatively quiet and not tiring to press repeatedly, an important consideration in a gaming mouse.
Our top Android tablet is now on sale. Currently, Amazon, Best Buy and Samsung’s own site are selling the base-model Galaxy Tab S9 for $670. That’s $130 off the list price and the lowest price we’ve seen yet, beating the previous low it hit a few weeks ago. The Tab S9 family is our top choice for Android tablets, thanks to their multitasking abilities, aided by DeX mode that adds PC-like function and a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. The OLED displays are gorgeous and the included S Pen makes note taking and drawing rather pleasant. Add accessories like a keyboard case and you’re getting a tablet that acts a lot like a PC.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A9+ is also on sale and down to $170 instead of $220 at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy. That’s the lowest priced we’ve tracked, though the discount has been around for a few weeks now. The deal applies to the base model in either Graphite or Sliver with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which is expandable with a microSD card. If you want a little more RAM for gaming and heavier use, you may want to go for the model with 8GB of memory. That model is down to $220 after a $50 discount.
We named the Tb A9+ the budget pick in our Android tablet buying guide because it covers the basics well. It has an 11-inch LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The battery is decent but the charging rate is rather slow at 15W.
A decent key light can improve how you look on camera and now Logitech’s Litra Beam is $10 off and down to $90, which is only $5 more than the lowest price we’ve seen.
It’s a stylish-looking accessory with a three-way adjustable stand, allowing you to adjust the height, tilt and rotation. It can run on either USB or AC power so you can put it wherever makes sense for your setup. The device uses TrueSoft tech, which, according to Logitech, provides “balanced, full-spectrum LED light with cinematic color accuracy for a natural, radiant look across all skin tones.” The frameless diffuser should mitigate harsh shadows, too.
The JBL Charge 5 is back down to $130 at Amazon and directly from JBL. That’s not an all-time low, but still $30 or so less than it’s been selling for lately. The Charge 5 is a mid-range pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. It packs a big sound for its roughly two-pound size and it’s IP67-rated, so it can survive a dunk in water. The battery is big enough to supply up to 20 hours of listening and can even lend a little refill to your phone if you need it. The new low price may have something to do with the release of the Wi-Fi-enabled version — this one just connects via Bluetooth only.
A robot vacuum can be a low-effort way to start your spring cleaning, which makes this sale on Shark robovacs particularly timely. One notable deal is a 44 percent discount on Shark’s AI Robot Vacuum and Mop. That brings it down to $270 from $480, which is just $20 more than its all-time low price. It’s pretty similar to one of the top picks in our guide to robot vacuums, Shark’s $700 Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop, except the discounted model doesn’t have a self emptying base.
If you’ve been thinking of getting a folding phone, now might be a good time to shop. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is $400 off the list price at Amazon, dropping the base model with 256GB of storage down to $1,400 instead of $1,800 — that’s still not cheap for a phone, but the savings does take out some of the sting.
It’s a solid phone though we do wish Samsung was doing more to take advantage of its head start in the foldable space — or at least brought down the price. Amazon is also selling Google’s entry in the foldable race, the Pixel Fold for $500 off.
If you have Wi-Fi dead spots in your home and aren’t ready to pony up for a mesh system, you may want to look into an extender. The RE700X model of TP-Link’s AX300 Wi-Fi extender is on sale for $90 after a 25 percent discount. That’s within a dollar of the all-time low it hit last year as part of Black Friday sales. This is a variation of the extender we named the best overall in our guide and lacks adjustable antennae, but the other specs are the same.
We liked the AX3000 for its their coverage range, Wi-Fi 6 support and a high max speed of up to 2402 Mbps on the 5GHz band and 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz band.
One of our favorite ereaders, the Kobo Libra 2, is down to $170 directly from Kobo. That’s a $20 discount, though not an all-time low. We recommend the Libra 2 in our ereader buying guide as the best model with buttons. It has a premium feel, a waterproof design and an ergonomic build that’s a pleasure to hold for long periods of time.
The 7-inch, 300 dpi display is crisp and the built-in integration with Overdrive makes it easy to borrow, download and read ebooks from your local library. Plus the Kobo store has a selection that’s nearly as vast as Kindle — it’s just missing the self-published and Amazon-published titles.
Smartphones don’t have to cost as much as the rent on a Santa Monica studio apartment — you can easily find one at Cleveland rental prices. The OnePlus Nord N30 5G is our pick for the best cheap phone you can buy and right now it’s $50 off, making that recommendation even more relevant. That isn’t a record low price, but its close. The discount comes as part of a larger sale on OnePlus phones and earbuds.
The Nord N30 5G offers has a relatively speedy Snapdragon 695 5G processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. There’s also a 16MP front-facing camera and, a 108MP main and 2MP macro lens on the back.
According to Sony’s PS5 landing page, this deal should have expired at the end of March, but here we are nearly a week into April and it’s still live as of this writing. A bundle pairing the PlayStation 5 with a digital copy of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is still $50 off, bringing the standard console down to $449 and the disc-drive-less version down to $399.
There are rumors of a “PS5 Pro” but the current model can still play many games at 4K and/or 60fps, and its library has steadily improved over time. Spider-Man 2 is of the system’s more acclaimed exclusives; we called it “perfectly balanced” in our review. The game normally goes for $70 on its own.
The Meta Quest 2 VR headset is $199 at Amazon and Walmart, a $50 discount, but sadly, the sweeter deal that included a Meta Quest store credit in addition to the discount has expired.
The Quest 2 is the budget pick in our guide to VR headsets. It’s not as sharp, fast or feature-rich as the newer Meta Quest 3, but it can still run just about all the platform’s best games and apps and serves as a good introduction to VR.
The base model, 256GB Pixel Fold is $500 off and down to $1,299 at Amazon and the Google Store. The 512GB version is also $500 off and down to $1,419. The previous low for both versions was $100 more.
The Pixel Fold is the runner up in our foldable phone buying guide and we gave it a score of 85 in our review last year. It has a 5.8-inch cover display and a 7.6-inch interior display. We found it takes better pictures than the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5, and the wider shape makes it easier to use the exterior screen than the Galaxy’s thinner design. However Samsung’s foldable phone has a brighter screen and faster performance. The Galaxy Fold 5 is on sale for $1,400.
If you’re looking for an air fryer that could very well replace your oven, you’d do well to check out the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. Right now it’s down for $320, which is an $80 discount that matches the best price we’ve seen. You can get the same deal at Amazon, Best Buy and Williams Sonoma. This made the list in our guide to the best air fryers as an option that can toast, broil, roast and bake in addition to air frying. It’s big enough to cook a 14-pound turkey or fit a five-quart dutch oven just keep in mind that it’s rather large, taking up a cubic foot of space with its 40-pound girth.
There’s still time to get a free TV from Samsung when you pre-order one of their new models for 2024. Until April 11, Samsung will throw in a 65-inch 4K TV when you pre-order a new OLED, 8K, 4K or Frame TVs for 2024. We hesitate to call this a great deal: Many of the better Samsung TVs from last year are now available for much cheaper, and we can’t say how much of an upgrade the new models will be until we see more reviews drop. On paper, they don’t look to be huge leaps, though the top-end S95D OLED TV may be notable for its new anti-glare panel. The freebie TV is also a basic entry-level model from 2022, the Samsung TU690T.
Still, this is a decent sweetener if you’re willing to pay for one of the latest models and could use any sort of large screen for a secondary room around the house. The offer may be particularly appealing if you want a new Frame TV, as the previous version is currently going for the same price as the 2024 model. You can read more about this discount here.
One of the Anker chargers from last month’s sale is still on sale, though it’s $2 more than the low it hit in March. The 735 Nano 2 65W wall charger goes for $56 at full price but now, thanks to a 29 percent discount and an additional 15 percent, on-page coupon, it’s down to $34. It has three ports, including two USB-C connections and one standard USB-A connection.
The Apple Vision Pro is an impressive piece of hardware, and the eye-tracking/hand gesture input combo is fantastic for navigating menus and the like. It’s not so great for gaming. There haven’t been many easy ways to connect a third-party controller for playing iPad or cloud games. This is changing, however, as accessory manufacturer 8BitDo just announced Vision Pro compatibility for a number of its controllers.
These accessories are officially supported by Apple, so they should work as soon as you make a Bluetooth connection. No muss and no fuss. All told, eight devices got the Apple seal of approval here. One such gadget is the company’s Ultimate Bluetooth Controller, which we basically called the perfect gamepad for PC.
8BitDo
Other compatible devices include various iterations of the SN30 Pro controller, the Lite 2 and the NES-inspired N30 Pro 2. The integration isn’t just for game controllers, as 8BitDo also announced AVP compatibility for its Retro Mechanical Keyboard. Of course, the Vision Pro works out of the box with most Bluetooth keyboards.
This is pretty big news, however, as media consumption is one of the best parts of the Vision Pro experience. Video games fall squarely in that category. Just about every iPad title works on the device. If playing Cut the Rope on a giant virtual screen doesn’t do it for you, the headset also integrates with Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now for access to AAA titles.
8BitDo announced official controller support for Apple devices last year, though this was primarily for smartphones, tablets and Mac computers. The integration was thanks to new controller firmware and Apple’s recent iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, tvOS 16.3 and macOS 13.2 updates. It looks like all of the accessories that work with iPhones and iPads also work with the Vision Pro.
This article contains affiliate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission.
We highlight Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A9+ in our Android tablet buying guide for those who just want a competent slate for as little money as possible. If that describes you, take note: The 11-inch device is now on sale for $170 at several retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy. This deal has technically been available for a couple of weeks, but it still represents the lowest price we’ve tracked. For reference, Samsung typically sells the tablet for $220. Both the Graphite and Silver finishes are discounted.
Samsung
This matches the lowest price we’ve seen for the top budget pick in our Android tablet buying guide. Another version with more RAM and storage is also on sale for $220, another all-time low.
Do note, though, that this price applies the base model, which includes 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The latter is expandable with a microSD card, but the limited memory can cause some stutters if you want to push the the tablet for anything beyond casual streaming and web browsing. Samsung sells a higher-spec model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage: That one will be a better buy for gaming and more involved use, and it’s also $50 off at $220, another all-time low.
As my colleague Sam Rutherford notes in our buying guide, the Galaxy Tab A9+ isn’t likely to wow you in any one area, but it covers the basics well. Its 11-inch LCD display is well-sized and has a faster-than-usual 90Hz refresh rate, which helps the UI feel smooth to scroll through. The screen has a wide 16:10 aspect ratio, so it’s better suited to landscape mode than the 4:3 display on an iPad. The metal and plastic frame is slick for the price, while the 7,040mAh battery should hold up for a day or two of casual use. And though no Android tablet really nails the software experience, most people should find Samsung’s One UI to be cleaner than something like Amazon’s Fire OS. The company says it’ll provide OS updates through the eventual Android 16 and security updates through October 2027.
That said, this is still a cheap tablet. The Galaxy Tab A9+’s Snapdragon 695 chip is speedy enough but no powerhouse, and its charging speed tops out at a relatively meager 15W. There’s no fingerprint reader, included stylus or formal water-resistance rating, either. If you’re not beholden to Android, one of Apple’s iPads will still be more well-rounded (though we expect to see new models arrive in the coming weeks). Still, at these prices, the Galaxy Tab A9+ is a solid buy if you’re on a tighter budget.
Having a fancy webcam is all well and good, but another thing you might need to seriously upgrade the quality of your video calls and livestreams is a decent key light. It will illuminate your face to help you stand out from the background and help the camera discern your features more clearly. You don’t need to break the bank to get a decent key light either. is currently $10 off at $90. That’s only $5 more than the lowest price we’ve seen for it.
Logitech
Logitech’s Litra Beam is a solid key light for a decent price.
looks a bit like an LED reading lamp and it would be a fairly stylish addition to many setups. It has a three-way adjustable stand, allowing you to tweak the height, tilt and rotation as needed, while its ability to run on either USB or AC power gives you more placement options.
The device uses TrueSoft tech, which, according to Logitech, provides “balanced, full-spectrum LED light with cinematic color accuracy for a natural, radiant look across all skin tones.” A frameless diffuser helps mitigate harsh shadows, according to the company.
You’ll be able to adjust the Litra Beam’s brightness, color temperature, presets and other settings through the Logitech G Hub desktop app, which also allows you to manage multiple lights at once. In addition, the key light has five physical buttons on the rear for quick switching between brightness and color temperature settings.
A new Carbon Majors Database report, which examines carbon dioxide emissions, found that just 57 companies were responsible for 80 percent of the global carbon dioxide emissions between 2016 and 2022. ExxonMobil, which topped the list of United States companies, contributed 1.4 percent of all global carbon dioxide emissions. It has net zero emissions targets.
Nearly 200 parties adopted the 2015 Paris Agreement, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, 58 of the 100 state- and investor-owned companies in the Carbon Majors Database have since increased their production.
The International Energy Agency found coal consumption increased by eight percent over the seven years to 8.3 billion tons — a record high. State-owned Coal India is one of the top three carbon dioxide producers. Russia’s state-owned energy company Gazprom and state-owned oil firm Saudi Aramco rounded out the group.
You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!
When you apply sports logic to a music festival.
YouTube
YouTube is hyping its exclusive Coachella streaming coverage, which starts next week. The headlining feature is the platform’s multiview experience (already familiar to sports fans) — but who wants to watch up to four stages simultaneously, with audio for one of them. It’s… a music festival. Coachella runs from April 12 to 14 and April 19 to 21.
If you want 4K 200Hz display, you’ll need an extra $1,700 and a bit of time.
Razer
Finally, after a reveal at CES, the 2024 edition of the Razor Blade 18 arrives for $3,099. The base system has an i9-14900HX processor, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, Wi-Fi 7, a triple-fan cooling system and a six-speaker array with THX spatial audio support. You can equip the laptop with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 (the base model has a 4070 graphics card). In what Razer claims is a first for a laptop, there’s Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, but only if you opt for a 4080 or 4090 GPU.
Eight offices in Santa Clara, California were affected by the layoffs.
Over 700 people at Apple have recently lost their jobs, mostly from offices in Santa Clara. The location that dealt with the company’s electric vehicle projects has lost 371 people. There may not be enough space at that new home robot project.
Virtual reality is interesting again. After a few years of stagnation, it’s worth considering an immersive VR headset. The Meta Quest 3 delivers excellent standalone virtual reality for $500, while Apple has thrown down the gauntlet with the Vision Pro, a $3,500 stab at combining VR and augmented reality (AR). Those who have an original Quest should consider upgrading, and while it’s not really feasible for most people, the Vision Pro provides a glimpse at where the entire category might be headed. We’ve tested and reviewed all of the big players in the VR game; this buyer’s guide will help you decide which is the best VR headset for you.
How we test VR headsets
I tend to judge VR headsets on a few basic criteria: Ergonomics, immersion and controls. It’s not that hard to shove a mobile display into a plastic headset and strap some cheap elastic headbands onto it. But it takes skill to craft something that’s well balanced and doesn’t feel uncomfortable after 30 minutes.
My test for ergonomics is fairly simple: How long can I wear a headset until I start to feel discomfort? For the most ergonomic devices, like the Quest 3, that could easily be an hour or two. But heavier PC hardware often feels cumbersome after just 15 minutes — you won’t find headsets guilty of that in this guide.
Immersion, meanwhile, comes from having high resolution screens with fast refresh rates, so everything looks sharp and smooth. Field of view is also a major element, as it describes how well VR screens can cover what you see. Having a narrow field of view makes it feel like you’re looking through a pair of binoculars, and limits your sense of “presence,” or the idea that you’re actually transported to a virtual world.
A wide field of view, on the other hand, can make it seem like you’re actually flying over the globe in Google Earth. We look at a few popular games, like Superhot, Beat Saber and Pistol Whip, on every headset to judge how immersed we feel.
The best controllers fit naturally in your hands and offer accurate tracking. The industry has basically adopted the design of Meta’s excellent touch controllers, but we’re also seeing intriguing leaps forward like Valve’s finger tracking gamepads. We judge controllers based on how easy they are to hold, how they hold up to sweaty gameplay sessions and how easily headsets can track their position in space.
The long-awaited follow-up to the Quest 2 is an upgrade in every respect: It’s more comfortable to wear, it has higher quality screens and it has full-color mixed reality cameras, allowing you to see the real world alongside virtual elements. While it’s more expensive at $500, it’s also a far more capable headset than the Quest 2, with hardware and optics that will keep you happily immersed in VR for years.
The Quest 3 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, which Meta says has double the graphics power of the Quest 2. That additional power is noticeable in games like Red Matter 2, which feature updated textures that deliver an experience closer to PC VR. The Quest 3’s new displays run at 2,064 by 2,208 pixels per eye, offering an even better experience than the PlayStation VR2. Its mixed reality cameras also let you easily see the real world, in case you need to quickly answer a text or Slack message. And they enable games that can be built around your room.
What makes the Quest 3 interesting is that it offers more than just solid VR: It also gives you a glimpse at what a mixed reality future could be. While it’s not as sharp or capable as Apple’s Vision Pro, that’s understandable. And just like previous Quest headsets, you can also plug it into a gaming PC for higher quality VR experiences.
Pros
Sharp new screens and lenses
More compact than Quest 2
Faster performance
Mixed reality cameras make it easier to see the real world
With the Vision Pro, Apple is attempting to do for VR what the iPod did for media players, and what the iPhone did for smartphones. It’s a bold, $3,500 gamble to reshape the world of VR around Apple’s idea of “spatial computing.” It’s incredibly expensive, somewhat uncomfortable and surprisingly buggy, but the Vision Pro is the biggest leap forward we’ve seen in the stagnating VR industry in years. Most people shouldn’t buy it, but if you’re a developer or someone with money to burn and want the best immersive headset today, it’s truly in a league of its own.
Pros
Incredible Micro-OLED screens
Intuitive gesture controls
Convincing Spatial Audio
Immersive Video is astoundingly realistic
Cons
Incredibly expensive
visionOS is very buggy
Heavy compared to other headsets
External battery is annoying and doesn’t last long
Over years since its release, the Meta Quest 2 remains the best budget VR option for the vast majority of consumers. It’s a completely standalone headset, and it’s comfortable to wear for long sessions. And now that it’s down to a new standard price of $250, it remains the best way to jump into VR without spending a ton of money.
Here’s what’s still good, though: there’s a huge library of titles that you can experience anywhere, and it’s bundled with Meta’s great motion controllers. You can also connect the Quest 2 to a gaming PC to stream more complex VR experiences.
The Quest 2 features fast-switching LCDs with a resolution 1832×1920 per eye,t It also has a smooth 90Hz refresh rate, which is impressive for something running entirely on mobile hardware. The Quest 2’s field of view isn’t the best — it’s been measured at just around 90 degrees — but it’s still enough to enjoy most VR experiences. You can also use different face pads to increase its field of view a bit. And if you want an even more comfortable fit, you can snag the Elite headstrap for $49 (or $129 with a built-in battery and case).
The Quest 2 may not offer the best VR experience, but it’s certainly the most accessible headset on the market.
The PS VR2 is one of the best headset we’ve tested. It offers dual 2K OLED HDR screens, effectively giving you 4K quality. It’s one of the most comfortable headsets around. And it has some genuinely refreshing new features, like eye tracking and headset haptics. (Yes, it can literally rock your noggin.) Best of all, the PS VR2 delivers high-quality virtual reality without the need for a $1,000+ gaming PC – all you need is a PlayStation 5.
Now, our recommendation comes with a few caveats. At $550, the PS VR2 is more expensive than the PS5 itself. And it’s unclear how quickly its game library will fill up. The initial run has only a few exclusives, like Horizon VR and Gran Turismo 7, and we haven’t seen many new titles since then. But it’s still the easiest way to experience high-end VR, and it’s a major upgrade over the original PS VR.
Valve’s Index kit remains one of the best high-end solutions on the market that provides a truly immersive VR experience. For $999 you get the Index headset, Valve’s finger tracking controllers and two SteamVR base stations. While we’ve seen higher-resolution headsets arrive in the last two years, it’s still a very solid option, with a 1,440 by 1,600 pixel resolution, an eye-watering 144Hz refresh rate and a massive 130-degree field of view. I’d gladly lose a few pixels for the Index’s smoother and more expansive screen, which are still far beyond most other consumer headsets.
As a SteamVR product, the Index requires installing two sensors at opposite corners of your room. And of course, it’s wired to your PC. But that clunkiness is worth it for the higher refresh rate and more accurate tracking. Sure, it’s not as easy to use as the Quest 2, but at this price range, we assume you’ll suffer a bit of inconvenience to get a truly high-quality VR experience.
Valve’s finger tracking controllers are fantastic as well, with a convenient strap that locks them onto your hands. They make playing Half-Life: Alyx feel like a dream. It’s unfortunate that other VR games haven’t fully taken advantage of the finger tracking though.
Pros
144Hz refresh rate with a 130-degree field of view
Essentially an upgrade for the Index, the Beyond is a unique spin on a VR headset from Bigscreen, the developer of a popular app for watching video in VR. It looks more like an oversized pair of goggles than a massive VR headset. The $999 Beyond is the lightest VR option we’ve ever seen (it weighs a tad more than a deck of playing cards), and its Micro-OLED screens are sharp and offer near-perfect contrast. Unlike LCD screens, black can look genuinely black with the Beyond.
The downside, though, is that the Bigscreen Beyond is expensive. It’s $999 on its own if you’re just upgrading a Valve Index setup. If you’re starting from scratch, though, you’ll also need to buy two Steam VR base stations and a pair of Index controllers. That adds up to a whopping $1,578.
The Bigscreen Beyond also requires a custom face cushion, which is built from a 3D facescan when you place your order. Unfortunately, that makes it harder to share than other headsets. There’s also no room for glasses, since it’s so slim. You can buy prescription lens inserts from Bigscreen for an additional fee. And of course, you’ll have to live with a cable tethered to your PC, there’s none of the freedom of the cordless Meta Quest headsets.
For all of its complexity, though, the Bigscreen Beyond delivers the most immersive PC VR experience I’ve ever seen. Since it’s so light, you can easily wear it for hours. Together with its glorious screens, it’s the best option for VR enthusiasts who don’t mind dealing with cost and complexity for true immersion.
As great as the Meta Quest 3 is, the Quest 2 is still a very good entry-level VR headset, and it’s worth considering if it’s on sale below its current $250 list price. The Meta Quest Pro, on the the hand, is an expensive boondoggle best ignored.
HTC Vive Pro 2
Outside of Meta’s hardware, the HTC Vive Pro 2 remains a fantastic PC headset, but it’s far more expensive than the Valve Index, which is more comfortable and offers better audio.
FAQs
How do VR headsets work?
At the most basic level, a VR headset is simply a high quality screen that you’re holding up to your face. For a wired headset, the actual work of rendering a game is done on either a PC or game console. For completely wireless devices, like the Meta Quest 3, that work is handled right on the headset. They rely on either external sensors, or sensors built into the headsets, to map your physical space. While you can use a traditional gamepad or keyboard and mouse in VR, they typically use motion tracking controllers to immerse you in their 3D environments.
What VR headset is best for full body tracking?
While we’re still waiting for a truly great haptic VR bodysuit to arrive, you can still achieve accurate body tracking with most Steam VR-compatible PC headsets. The Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro 2 both rely on room-tracking sensors that can map your body more effectively than the built-in sensors on competitors. You can also add HTC Vive Trackers to wrist and leg straps, as well as belts, for even better coverage. The Meta Quest 3 doesn’t have any easy body tracking solutions, but you can add Vive trackers when it’s plugged into your PC to mimic a Steam VR headset.
Only a few experiences, like VRChat, take advantage of full body tracking at the moment. Currently there aren’t any body tracking solutions for the PlayStation VR and VR2, but we’re intrigued by the company’s Mocopi body trackers, which were really announced in Japan.
What VR headsets are better than Oculus?
Oculus is the previous name for Meta’s VR hardware. Currently, Meta only supports the Quest 3, Quest 2 and Quest Pro, all of which are wireless headsets. As we explain above, PC VR headsets can generally achieve better quality virtual reality, since they rely on more powerful graphics hardware.
What VR headsets work with Xbox?
Currently, Microsoft’s Xbox consoles don’t support any VR headsets.
Developer Brace Yourself Games says Hatsune Miku is one of the more challenging characters in the game. She can move in all eight directions and takes out foes by boogying her way through groups of enemies. The developer’s press release explains, “She doesn’t have a shovel like most characters, so she must use her dance-like dash attack to break through walls instead.” Hell yeah.
She has a “Sing!” ability — entirely new to the game — that charms nearby enemies. When one of these charmed foes strikes Miku, she heals instead of losing her health. Brace Yourself Games says it even reskinned all of the game’s armors as official Miku outfits, so you can put on new threads as you shimmy and groove your way through legions of ghosts and skeletons.
Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget
If you aren’t familiar, Hatsune Miku is one of the world’s biggest virtual pop stars. She’s a perpetual 16-year-old because she’s the personification of a “Vocaloid,” software that synthesizes pre-recorded vocals to simulate human singing. The avatar has sold out 14,000-seat arenas, collaborated with Pharrell Williams and opened for Lady Gaga. She wasn’t the first digital celebrity, but she may be the most famous.
The Hatsune Miku DLC for Crypt of the Necrodancer is available now for $1.99 on the PlayStation Store and PC via Steam. The content arrives a little later on Switch — on April 13. Check out her moves in the trailer below.
