2026-03-13 23:59:44
Amazon Prime Video is raising the price of its ad-free plan in the US and adding several new features. Starting April 10th, Prime Video's ad-free tier will cost $4.99 per month instead of $2.99, and include "exclusive" access to 4K/UHD streaming.
The price increase comes two years after Amazon switched all users on Prime Video - which comes as a perk with a standard Amazon Prime subscription - to an ad-supported plan and began charging extra for commercial-free streams. Now, the streamer is calling its ad-free tier Prime Video "Ultra," and is adding support for up to five simultaneous streams (up from three), up to 100 downloads (up from 25 …
2026-03-13 23:54:20
They may be great for fan engagement and selling ads, but the Big 12 has decided to replace the innovative glass-covered LED floors at Kansas City's T-Mobile Center with a traditional hardwood finish. It will be used for the remainder of the tournament during semifinal matches and the championship game.
The LED floors, which were previously used during the 2024 NBA All-Star game at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, display animations and graphics that can also interact with players' movements. They're designed to be softer than hardwood floors while providing the same amount of grip. However, during the women's Big 12 basketball tourna …
2026-03-13 23:24:08
On Thursday, Rivian revealed its most important vehicle to date: the R2, a midsize SUV that eventually will start at under $50,000. As a distinctive EV with an attractive sticker price, the R2 is designed to take Rivian to the next level. In fact, the company is banking on it. If they succeed, then Rivian would be well positioned to usurp Tesla's status as the most important EV company in America. If it doesn't, the company may simply cease to exist.
I'm not trying to be overly dramatic. The R2 is increasingly looking like the lone survivor in an apocalyptic wasteland, traveling down a path lined with the corpses of EV programs that had the …
2026-03-13 23:16:58
I upgraded from the Pixel A-series buds released in 2021 to the Pixel Buds Pro 2, and two things were immediately apparent: the A-series buds have no business sounding so good for their sub-$100 price, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 were everything I wanted in a successor. They’re even smaller and have a silicone ear fin to ensure a snug fit, but their upgraded features — better sound quality, active noise cancellation, and transparency mode — hang with the best of them. If you’re planning to upgrade soon, this model just returned to its lowest-ever price of $169.99 (was $229.99) at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart (in limited colors), and the Google Store.
These wireless earbuds can work with any device over Bluetooth, but they work best when paired to a Pixel phone running more recent versions of Android. You can view current battery levels of each bud as well as the case through a homescreen widget, or use the Pixel Buds app. You can customize touch gestures on each bud, assigning functions like activating the Gemini-powered voice assistant or adjusting noise control. Turning off all touch controls is an option, as is turning on head gestures, such as nodding to answer a phone call. Alternatively, you can customize most of those features through Google’s browser-based companion app for PCs.
Really my only issue with the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is that none of the silicone ear tips included stay put in my ears (they fit, but my inner ear grease prevails in pushing them out as I walk, talk, chew, etc). However, these $16.99 memory foam tips from the questionably-named company Tang Town on Amazon did the trick.
2026-03-13 22:24:54
Epic Games announced this week that Fortnite's in-game V-bucks currency would be getting more expensive with a somewhat glib statement: "The cost of running Fortnite has gone up a lot and we're raising prices to help pay the bills," the company wrote. The price hike will go into effect on March 19th, the same day the next major Fortnite season debuts, and enough users have complained about the increase that an Epic staffer acknowledged the protests on a post on Reddit.
But when The Verge asked Epic executives at the GDC Festival of Gaming this week if they could be specific about why the company raised the price, they didn't say much more.
…2026-03-13 22:20:59
When you open your Peacock mobile app this summer, you might see a portal leading to the AI likeness of TV host Andy Cohen on your homepage. In an announcement on Friday, NBCUniversal said Cohen's avatar will serve as a guide through Peacock's "infinitely swipeable" feed of clips from Bravo shows, like Love Island, The Real Housewives series, and Below Deck.
The feed, called "Your Bravoverse," will surface clips from the shows that you choose when you first open up the new experience. NBCUniversal will use AI to scan and pick out scenes from your favorite shows, while an AI-generated Cohen offers input about what's happening on screen.
Vid …
