Valve: Steam Machine pricing to match PC market, no subsidy Valve has signaled that the upcoming Steam Machine will be competitively priced — but not subsidized. In an interview, Valve engineer Pierre‑Loup Griffais said the company aims to price the device in the same range as a PC you’d build from parts with comparable performance, while offering integrated features that are difficult to replicate in a DIY rig. Griffais didn’t provide exact numbers, noting the price depends on fluctuating component costs and that Valve is still early in the process. Importantly, he said Valve won’t sell the Steam Machine at a loss like some console makers sometimes do; instead, pricing will be aligned with the broader PC market. Key takeaways No subsidy: Valve says it won’t undercut market pricing —…

Echo Spot on sale for $50 — compact Alexa smart display and alarm Amazon has the Echo Spot on sale for $50 as part of Black Friday promotions — a $30 discount off its usual price. The Echo Spot is a small smart speaker with a circular display that works great as a bedside clock, quick controller for smart home devices, and a compact media interface. It pairs with Alexa and supports the newer Alexa+ conversational features for smarter voice interactions. The device doesn’t include a camera, which makes it a better fit for privacy-conscious users who still want a screen for weather, song titles, timers and smart‑home dashboards. Key features Compact design: Small footprint perfect for nightstands and small spaces. Customizable display: Multiple clock faces, weather, media info and…

iOS 27 reportedly focuses on performance improvements and AI upgrades Apple is reportedly dialing back on major visible overhauls for its next iOS release and instead concentrating on quality: trimming bloat, fixing bugs and boosting overall performance. According to reporting tied to Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, iOS 27 will prioritize refinement and engineering cleanup, while also expanding Apple’s AI capabilities. This approach echoes Apple’s 2009 strategy with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, which emphasized stability and efficiency over new consumer-facing features. After iOS 26’s Liquid Glass design and a series of incremental AI additions, the company appears ready to consolidate those changes and improve reliability across its operating system. What to expect Performance & stability: Engineering teams are said to be hunting for "bloat to cut" and bugs to…

Samsung Odyssey G8 hits $950 for Black Friday — top OLED gaming monitor deal Samsung’s 32‑inch Odyssey G8 is on sale for $950 this Black Friday — a substantial $350 discount off its regular price. The G8 pairs a 4K OLED panel with fast gaming specs, making it one of the best choices for gamers who want stunning picture quality and ultra‑smooth performance. The Odyssey G8 earned praise for combining deep OLED contrast with gaming horsepower: a native 240Hz refresh rate, an astonishing 0.03ms response time, and broad color coverage (about 99% DCI‑P3). It also supports HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4 and USB‑C connectivity, and includes AMD FreeSync Premium Pro for tear‑free gameplay. Key specs at a glance 32" 4K OLED panel with deep blacks and wide color volume (≈99% DCI‑P3)…

iPad A16 drops to $279 — Best budget iPad deal for Black Friday The iPad A16 (11-inch) is on sale for $279 this Black Friday — a record‑low price for Apple’s newest budget tablet. With the A16 chipset (the same family used in recent iPhones), the tablet delivers smooth performance for streaming, note‑taking, light creative work and general everyday use. The 11-inch Liquid Retina display (2360 x 1640) offers sharp detail and vivid color up to roughly 500 nits of brightness, making it a solid pick for media and casual drawing with the Apple Pencil (USB‑C). The iPad also includes a 12MP rear camera, a 12MP Center Stage front camera positioned along the landscape edge, Wi‑Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, USB‑C and Touch ID in the top button. Why $279 is…

8Bitdo Ultimate Controller Black Friday deal: $40 with charging dock — record low The 8Bitdo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller with its charging dock is on sale for $40 (about 43% off), down from $70 — a new all-time low price for the white model. That makes it a standout Black Friday pick for gamers who want a versatile, well-built controller without paying flagship prices. This original Ultimate model offers around 22 hours of battery life per charge, comes with a convenient charging dock, and works across multiple platforms including the Nintendo Switch (and Switch 2), Steam Deck and PC. The deal applies to the white colorway only, so check stock and retailer listings before buying. Why it’s a good buy Cross-platform compatibility: Use it with Switch, Switch 2, Steam Deck, Windows…

Black Friday 2025: Best tech deals you can shop now Black Friday season is in full swing and brings steep discounts across headphones, game consoles, robot vacuums, smart home gear and kitchen appliances. You don't always have to wait until Thanksgiving weekend — many retailers have early deals through November, with the biggest price drops often arriving the week before Black Friday (Nov 28, 2025). Engadget's roundup highlights standout offers across categories. Examples include Apple AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch SE 3 at $200, PS5 price cuts, Switch 2 bundles with Mario Kart or Pokémon, Sony WH-1000XM5 at record lows, Dyson robot vacuums, and bargains on microSD Express cards for Switch 2. Top categories & notable picks Headphones & audio: Sony WH-1000XM5 (~$248) and Beats Studio Pro (~$170) deliver strong…

Dyson Black Friday sale: 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum at a record low — $400 Dyson’s Black Friday event has slashed prices across its lineup. The standout is the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum, now down to $400 — a $600 discount from its previous price and the lowest we’ve seen. If you want one of the strongest‑suction robovacs on the market, this deal is compelling. The 360 Vis Nav focuses on core cleaning performance rather than extra bells and whistles: it delivers excellent suction that handles dirt, crumbs and pet hair, and it has robust obstacle avoidance so it rarely gets stuck. It doesn’t include a self‑emptying base or mopping, but the app is straightforward and the vacuum excels at what matters most: powerful cleaning. Key features Price:…

Quicken Simplifi: 50% off for Black Friday — now $36/year Quicken Simplifi is on sale for Black Friday at half price: $3 per month (billed $36/year) — a 50% discount from its usual $6/month. Quicken Classic (the desktop offering) is also 50% off at $6/month. The sale runs through Wednesday, December 3, so now’s a good time to try either plan if you’ve been meaning to organize your finances. Simplifi stands out for its clean, beginner‑friendly interface and budgeting tools that make tracking spending and planning easier. It supports shared access, so a partner or financial advisor can co‑manage the account, and it summarizes net worth, upcoming bills and recent transactions in a single dashboard. Why try Quicken Simplifi? Simple setup: Quick onboarding and intuitive budgeting categories make it easy…

Anthropic disrupts large‑scale AI‑orchestrated cyber espionage — daily AI headlines Today’s top AI stories center on Anthropic’s claims that it disrupted a major AI‑orchestrated cyber espionage campaign and other big moves across the industry. Below are the most important headlines and what they mean for AI safety, regulation and the broader tech ecosystem. Top headlines (quick take) Anthropic disrupts AI‑orchestrated cyber espionage: Anthropic says it disrupted a large‑scale campaign that weaponized its Claude model (or tooling built on it) to automate hacking and espionage efforts. If validated, this is the first documented large‑scale AI‑powered cyberattack, raising urgent security and governance questions. Anthropic newsroom. Anthropic raises $13B in Series F: The company reportedly secured $13 billion at a ~$183B valuation to expand enterprise offerings, safety research and global expansion — signaling…