2025-12-13 03:50:13
IKEA's revamp of its smart home products doesn't end with Matter support. The furniture and home goods company also has a line of new Qi wireless chargers, the best of which, the VÄSTMÄRKE wireless charger, combines the functionality of a PopSockets-style phone grip with cable storage.
The $10 VÄSTMÄRKE wireless charger is reminiscent of a bagel or donut, if you could take the top half of those ring-shaped foods and turn them inside out to create a cozy grip for your fingers. That same red silicone design also makes for a perfect place to store the charger's built-in USB-C cable, according to IKEA's product page, and otherwise acts as a playful replacement for what can be a pretty boring smartphone accessory.
VÄSTMÄRKE offers Qi2 charging speeds and can magnetically attach to iPhones with MagSafe or Pixel phones with Google's Pixelsnap magnets. If you're interested in something a bit more discrete, the $25 VÄSTMÄRKE wireless charger with lighting is a bowl-shaped charger with a column in the center for attaching a smartphone, and room around it for keys or your wallet.
IKEA has had multiple different ideas over the years for how smart home tech should integrate with its minimalist and user-friendly furniture. The company's partnership with Sonos ended in May 2025, which produced lights and picture frames with smart speakers built-in. Since then, the company has announced a new Bluetooth speaker and started rolling out a new collection of Matter-connected remotes, lights and sensors.
2025-12-13 02:36:28
Sandfall Interactive, the developer of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, knows how to ride the wave. Right after the visually stunning RPG finished dominating The Game Awards, the team dropped a free "Thank You" content update for fans.
This is no minor patch. It adds a playable environment and new boss battles for late-game players. The "Thank You" update also adds new music tracks, a Photo Mode and new text and UI localizations. On top of that, you'll find quality-of-life tweaks, including improved performance on handheld PCs.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won a record-breaking nine categories at The Game Awards 2025. That includes — deep breath — Game of the Year, Best RPG, Best Art Direction, Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Performance (Jennifer English), Best Score and Music, Best Debut Game and Best Indie Game. The previous record was The Last of Us Part 2, which took home seven awards in 2020.
The game's free "Thank You" update is rolling out now. You can catch a glimpse of it in the trailer below.
2025-12-13 02:01:27
While it’s probably tempting to go all-out and give a loved one their most desired gadget this year, doing so could put a big dent in your budget. And it would be wrong to assume that you have to spend hundreds to get a good tech gift that anyone will appreciate. There are plenty of gadgets and accessories out there that don’t cost an arm and a leg and that will also make good additions to their kits. Here are some of our favorite tech gift ideas that come in at $50 or less.
Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/the-best-stocking-stuffers-you-can-get-for-50-or-less-130049325.html?src=rss2025-12-13 01:34:28
Google is rolling out new Gemini-assisted functionality to Search and its Translate app. It says its AI can now provide more natural and accurate text translations for phrases that have more "nuanced meanings." Translate will now take slang terms and colloquial expressions into consideration rather than provide sometimes unhelpful direct translations.
The latest update to its text translation feature is rolling out first in the US and India, translating between English and just under 20 other languages, including German, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic. It works in the Translate app for iOS and Android and on the web.
Gemini’s speech-to-speech translation feature has also been updated, so you can now hear real-time translations in your headphones, like with Apple’s AirPods Pro 3. Google says the new functionality, which is now in beta in the Translate app for Android (iOS is coming next year) in the US, tries to "preserve the tone, emphasis and cadence of each speaker" so you better understand the direction of the conversation and who said what. It works with any headphones and supports more than 70 languages.
Finally, Google is adding more tools to its potentially Duolingo-rivaling AI-powered language learning tools, which it introduced to the Translate app in August. Like Duolingo, Translate can now track how many days in a row you’ve been attempting to learn a new language, so you can check your progress over time. Whether it will nag you as persistently as the Duolingo owl famously does for slacking off is not clear.
The feedback feature has also been improved, so you should receive more useful tips on how you’re pronouncing words or phrases. Germany, India and Sweden are among the 20 new countries that can now use these educational tools.
After not showing it much love for a while, Google has been busy adding new features to Translate recently. As well as the new language practice feature, an update last month added the ability to select between "Fast" and "Advanced" translations that allow you to prioritize speed when you’re in a rush (ordering a drink at the bar, for example) or receiving more accurate translations using Gemini.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-translate-is-now-better-at-translating-slang-terms-and-idioms-using-ai-173428316.html?src=rss2025-12-13 00:48:10
Id Software, the company behind Doom, has voted in favor of forming a "wall-to-wall" union. The term "wall-to-wall" refers to a union that includes every employee, regardless of duties. The vote wasn't unanimous, though a majority did vote in favor of the union.
The union will work in conjunction with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), which is the same organization involved with parent company ZeniMax's recent unionization efforts. Microsoft, who owns ZeniMax, has already recognized this new effort, according to a statement by the CWA. It agreed to a labor neutrality agreement with the CWA and ZeniMax workers last year, paving the way for this sort of thing.
"The wall-to-wall organizing effort at id Software was much needed; it’s incredibly important that developers across the industry unite to push back on all the unilateral workplace changes that are being handed down from industry executives," id Software producer and CWA committee member Andrew Willis wrote in a statement to Engadget.
From the onset, this union will look to protect remote work for id Software employees. "Remote work isn’t a perk. It’s a necessity for our health, our families, and our access needs. RTO policies should not be handed down from executives with no consideration for accessibility or our well-being,” said id Software Lead Services Programmer Chris Hays. He also said he looks forward to getting worker protections regarding the "responsible use of AI."
Workers at id began organizing around 18 months ago, according to a report by Aftermath. Things sped up after Microsoft closed several Bethesda studios in the middle of last year.
"We look forward to sitting across the table from Microsoft to negotiate a contract that reflects the skill, creativity and dedication these workers bring to every project," said CWA Local 6215 President Ron Swaggerty.
The developer's latest game is Doom: The Dark Ages, which we loved. It scooped up an award for accessibility at last night's The Game Awards.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/doom-studio-id-software-forms-wall-to-wall-union-with-a-majority-of-employees-voting-in-favor-164808829.html?src=rss2025-12-13 00:30:37
We generally consider Apple’s iPads to be the best tablets for most people, but they usually don’t come cheap. To help those looking to grab one get the most value possible, we’re keeping an eye on sale prices and rounding up the best iPad deals we can find each week.
This week’s highlights include both versions of the latest iPad Air for $150 off at Amazon, matching the all-time lows we last saw around Black Friday. The iPad mini and iPad Pro are each $100 off as well. Beyond iPads, both the AirPods Pro 3 and Apple Watch Series 11 are even cheaper than they were last month, and there are still decent drops for the AirPods 4, Apple Watch SE 3 and MacBook Air. Here are the best Apple deals from this week that we can find.
Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M3) for $650 ($149 off MSRP): The 13-inch iPad Air is exactly the same as its smaller counterpart, only it has a larger and slightly brighter display. We gave it a review score of 89 earlier this year. This is another all-time low, but again, make sure to clip the coupon on Amazon's product page to see the full discount.
Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) for $399 ($100 off): The iPad mini is exactly what it sounds like: the smaller iPad. This latest iteration adds an improved A17 Pro chip, 128GB of storage in the base model and Apple Pencil Pro support. As always, you’d buy it if you value the smaller 8.3-inch display and want a tablet that’s easier to use with one hand. This discount is $50 more than the all-time low we saw around Cyber Monday but still $100 less than buying directly from Apple. Also at Best Buy.
Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, M5) for $899 ($100 off): The latest iPad Pro is still more tablet than most people will ever need, but its class-leading OLED display, impressively thin design and super-powerful M5 chip make it a luxury experience for those who can afford it. The device was only released in October, so this deal ties its lowest price to date. Also at Best Buy and B&H.
Apple iPad Pro (13-inch, M5) for $1,199 ($100 off): It’s not a massive discount, but this matches the lowest price so far for the larger iPad Pro, which may be worthwhile if you’ve got cash to burn and want to use an iPad as your main computer. We gave it a score of 85 in our review. Also at B&H.
Apple AirPods 4 for $74 ($55 off): If you don't need active noise cancellation and hate the feeling of headphones that just into your ear canal, the standard AirPods 4 remain a good buy. They lack built-in volume controls, and no open-style earbuds can produce the same level of bass as typical in-ear headphones, but they generally sound more pleasant than most pairs along these lines and still offer the usual array of Apple-friendly features. This discount is only $5 more than the all-time low we saw around Black Friday. Also at Best Buy for $85 if that runs out of stock.
Apple AirPods 4 with ANC for $99 ($80 off): This version of the AirPods 4 adds active noise cancellation, a wireless charging case and Find My tracking support on top of the many other iPhone-friendly features included with any set of Apple headphones. It still has an open-back design, so the ANC isn’t as effective as what you’d get with a pair that fully seals off your ear canal, but it’s useful all the same. We gave it a score of 86 in our review. This deal matches the pair’s all-time lowest price.
Apple Watch SE 3 for $199 ($50 off): This discount has been around for a few weeks, but it’s the lowest price to date for Apple’s newest entry-level smartwatch. We gave the SE 3 a score of 90 in our review last month: The big upgrade is an always-on display, which makes it so you no longer have to wake the watch to check the time or notifications. It still includes most of the essential health and fitness features beyond that, plus it now runs on the same chipset as the higher-end Apple Watch Series 11. Also at Walmart.
Apple Pencil Pro for $95 ($34 off): The Pencil Pro is Apple’s most feature-rich stylus, offering pressure sensitivity, wireless charging, haptic feedback and unique gesture controls compared to the standard USB-C model (which isn’t significantly discounted). Just note that it’s not compatible with the entry-level iPad and other older models. While this discount is only $5 below the device’s usual street price, it’s still the largest discount we’ve seen this year. Also at Walmart.
Apple Mac mini (M4) for $479 ($120 off): The latest iteration of Apple’s tiny desktop PC has a smaller footprint, a faster M4 chip, 16GB of RAM by default, two front-facing USB-C ports and an extra Thunderbolt 4 port. It can also drive three external displays, though it lacks USB-A ports entirely. We gave a higher-end model with Apple’s M4 Pro chip a score of 90 in our review. This deal on the base model with an M4 chip, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is $10 more than the best deal we've seen but $20 less than the config's typical street price.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-ipad-deals-this-week-include-the-ipad-air-m3-for-150-off-150020455.html?src=rss
