Category: Technologies

LG revealed its 2024 range of soundbars on Tuesday, which includes models offering a wireless Dolby Atmos connection with a compatible TV.

The three models, with price and availability yet to be announced, are the flagship S95TR, the OLED-partnering SG10TY and the compact S70TY.

All of LG’s new soundbars offer compatibility with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, while the S95TR and SG10TY will also be able to stream Atmos wirelessly from LG TVs. All three models include the WOW interface, which lets you adjust sound settings from the TV itself, as well as LG AI Room Calibration to analyze and enhance the room’s acoustics.

The flagship S95TR model offers 15 channels with five up-firing channels, including the “industry’s first” up-firing center speaker, which the company says helps dialog sound as if it’s coming out of the TV screen.

Meanwhile, the SG10TY is designed to match the width and frame colors of LG OLED TVs while also including Wi-Fi music streaming from Tidal and Spotify.

Lastly, The S70TY soundbar features a “simple and compact design” and also includes an up-firing center speaker. You can opt for a dedicated bracket that allows the soundbar to be flush-mounted to QNED TVs.

The most interesting feature here is the wireless Dolby Atmos connection, which is something competitor Samsung has offered for a couple of years. However, in CNET’s tests of the Q990C, we found it doesn’t always work — even with TVs that are supposed to be compatible. Watch for a closer look at LG’s soundbar range during CES 2024.

There’s a festive treat in store for Marvel fans, with nine new mind-bending alternate realities on their way in season 2 of What If…

As with the previous installment of the animated series, S2 is set to explore stories in which events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe played out differently, with this latest run based around MCU’s Phase 4 plot lines.

New episodes of What If… season 2 are set to be released daily over the Christmas period, starting from Dec. 22, with episode titles posing such questions as “What If… Iron Man Crashed Into the Grandmaster?”, “What If… the Avengers Assembled in 1602?” and the holiday-themed offering “What If… Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?”

Fans can also expect return appearances from Strange Supreme, Captain Carter and The Watcher, as well as the introduction of a brand-new Marvel character called Kahhori. There’s also a pretty A-List roll call of voice acting talent on board, with Jude Law, Kurt Russell, Sam Rockwell, Cate Blanchett and Michael Douglas all confirmed for the nine-episode season.

Find out by following our guide on how to watch the What If… season 2 and why a VPN could be a useful tool.

How to watch the What If… season 2 on Disney Plus

All-new episodes of What If… season 2 will be rolling out on a daily basis over the Christmas season on Disney Plus, with the first episode available to stream from Dec. 22, with one episode premiering every day from then on in until Dec. 30.

Release timings haven’t been confirmed by Disney Plus, but the streaming service tends to make shows available at 12 a.m. PT, which is 3 a.m. ET, 8 a.m. GMT in the UK and 7 p.m. AEDT in Australia.

All previous season 1 episodes of the show are also available to watch on demand on the service.

Disney Plus’ ad-free service costs more in the US, but you can also try out the new ad-free Disney bundle, which launched in September. The service’s ad-free tier increased to $140 a year or $14 a month, and there’s also an ad-based tier that costs $8 per month (no option to pay annually). Read more on how we tested Disney Plus’ ad-supported tier and what to expect with the price hike.

How to watch What If… season 2 from anywhere using a VPN

Perhaps you’re traveling abroad and want to stream Disney Plus while away from home. With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the series from anywhere in the world. There are other good reasons to use a VPN for streaming too.

A VPN is the best way to encrypt your traffic and stop your ISP from throttling your speeds. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. Streaming TV can be a bit smoother with a reliable, quality VPN that’s passed our tests and security standards.

You can use a VPN to stream content legally as long as VPNs are allowed in your country and you have a valid subscription to the streaming service you’re using. The US and Canada are among the countries where VPNs are legal, but we advise against streaming or downloading content on illegal torrent sites. We recommend ExpressVPN, but you may opt for another provider from our best list, such as Surfshark or NordVPN.

Follow the VPN provider’s instructions for installation and choose a country where What If… season 2 is streaming on Disney Plus. Before you open the streaming app, make sure you’re connected to your VPN using your selected region. If you want to stream the TV show on more than one device, it’s possible you’ll need to configure each one to ensure you’re signed in. Go to settings and check your network connections to verify you’re logged in and connected to your VPN account. Now you’re ready to open Disney Plus to stream.

If you run into issues with streaming, first make sure your VPN is up and running on its encrypted IP address. Double-check that you’ve followed installation instructions correctly and you’ve picked the right geographical area for viewing. If you still encounter connection problems, you may need to reboot your device. Close all apps and windows, restart your device and connect to your VPN first. Note that some streaming services have restrictions on VPN access.

With the New Year just around the corner, you may already be thinking about your resolutions. If you’re looking to focus on your fitness in 2024, we’ve got some deals you won’t want to miss. Garmin makes some of the best fitness trackers and rugged workout tech on the market, and right now you can snag some for less. Woot is offering big savings on a variety of refurbished smartwatches, dash cams, GPS navigators and other great gear. Plus, all of the products included in this sale have been returned, inspected and restored to fully working condition, which means they’re as close to new as you can get without actually being new.

These deals are available through Jan. 1, but there’s a limited supply available, so some items may sell out before then. We’d recommend getting your order in sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

Exercise enthusiasts looking for more than just a tracker can grab the Garmin Venu 2 Plus — a CNET Editors’ Choice Award winner and one of our favorite smartwatches for 2023. This smartwatch works with both Android and iOS devices, making it a great choice for just about anyone. Plus, it has an AMOLED display, offers activity tracking and gives you insight into other health data. It also has speaker and microphone support (unlike other models) and gets up to eight days of battery life per charge. Originally $450, Woot has gray, black and ivory variations on sale for $300 right now.

Another solid option is the Fenix 6 smartwatch, which you can snag for just $290 right now. While it’s not the newest model in the Fenix line, it’s a decent smartwatch with GPS, fitness and sleep tracking. It has a 1.3-inch display and includes convenient features like Garmin pay for contactless payments and also sports solar-charging capabilities, which can extend the battery life as you’re enjoying the outdoors. You can upgrade to the 6X Pro edition for $20 more.

Dash cams are also a good investment because they can record your adventures or collect evidence if you ever encounter road hazards or get into an accident. The Garmin 57 features 1440p HD video resolution and a 140-degree field of view and you can pick it up for $130 right now, which saves you $100 compared to the list price.

Cyclists can score Garmin’s Edge 830 GPS bike computer for $265. It can track your distance, offer training guidance and record other data that can offer you insights on your performance. If you’re a golf enthusiast, you can pick up the Approach Z82 GPS laser range finder, which is down to $400 — a $200 savings on the regular list price of a brand-new version. If you want an easy way to monitor your weight, BMI, muscle mass and other factors over time, you can pick up the Index S2 smart scale for $100.

Other options are available, and each product comes with a warranty, just in case — so be sure to shop the entire sale selection at Woot and cash in on these deals before they’re gone. If you’re looking for even more bargains on rugged smartwatches and other fitness tech, you can check out our full roundup of all the best Garmin deals.

Famously causing singer Olivia Rodrigo to walk out of a screening because she was “so scared”, Beau Is Afraid was one of 2023’s most original and divisive movies, and is now available to watch from the comfort of your own home via Paramount Plus.

Directed by Hereditary and Midsommar’s Ari Aster, the movie follows anxiety-ridden Beau Wasserman (Joaquin Phoenix), the son of a famous and wealthy businesswoman, as he embarks on a darkly surreal journey home to his mother following her involvement in a “chandelier accident.”

Somehow managing to combine elements of tragicomedy, arthouse and horror, it’s a tense, gallows-humor-packed ride that’s not for the faint-hearted — nor those with a weak bladder, thanks to its three-hour runtime.

While it may not have been the box-office smash Aster had hoped, streaming may be the natural home for what looks set to become a slow-burn cult classic just like his previous movies.

You can see what all the fuss is about yourself by following our guide below to watching Beau Is Afraid, no matter where you are in the world.

When is Beau Is Afraid released?

The A24 hour comedy is set to be available to stream via Paramount Plus in the US and Canada from Thursday, Dec. 22.

How to watch Beau Is Afraid from anywhere on VPN

So what if you’re traveling outside your home country and want to enjoy the movie or want an added layer of privacy for streaming? There is an option that doesn’t require searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a VPN, or virtual private network.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to Beau Is Afraid. If you find yourself unable to watch locally, a VPN can come in handy. Plus, it’s a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

Most VPNs, like CNET’s Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it easy to virtually change your location. Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals.

Watch Beau Is Afraid in the US and Canada

Beau Is Afraid will be available to stream in the US and Canada via Paramount Plus, with the movie arriving in those territories on Thursday, Dec. 21.

Tips for streaming Beau Is Afraid using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
• If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble viewing after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log in to your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
• All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a network’s app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
• And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

If you’re looking for a device perfectly suited to reading and writing, you’ll find E Ink tablets may be the right fit. Right now Best Buy has marked down bundles that include our favorite E Ink tablet for writing and note-taking, the ReMarkable 2, to under $500. This 1-day deal expires tonight at 9:59 p.m. PT (12:59 a.m. ET), so be sure to get your orders in before then if you want to take advantage of these savings.

Ditch your spiral notebook for this 10.3-inch tablet. It’s a great solution for staying organized by keeping your notes all in one place, making it a great tool for students and writers, alike. Plus, if you’re easily distracted, you may appreciate that this device has no social media, ads or notifications to get you off task. As tablets go, it’s fairly basic, with a monochrome display that boasts a resolution of 226 DPI. The device is thin, coming in at just 4.7mm thick, and it has an impressive paper-like feel. This tablet can even convert your handwriting into typed text, write directly on PDFs, import Microsoft Office files and more. A single charge should provide you with up to two weeks of battery life.

The bundle includes the magnetic Marker Plus, which comes with a built-in eraser and never needs to charge, along with a 1-year subscription to Connect, which lets you add to the 8GB of internal storage by adding unlimited cloud storage, as well as the ability to sync files with Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive. Plus, you’ll get either a polymer weave book folio or a premium leather book folio, depending on which bundle you choose. The first is discounted by $50 right now, bringing the price to $499, while the latter is marked down to $529 — a $70 discount. Note that there is no backlight, so you won’t be able to use this tablet in the dark, and it only supports select formats, including PDF and unprotected epub. If you’re looking primarily for an e-reader, you may want to pass on this option.

Looking for other discounted models? Be sure to check out other tablet deals happening now. For more great gadgets worth buying, take a look at our roundup of tech gifts under $100.

Apple’s M3-powered 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros have only been on sale for a few weeks, but there are already some big deals to be had if you know where to look. Right now, both Amazon and Best Buy can save you as much as $200 on the 14-inch model with the 16-inch version seeing even steeper savings of up to $250.

The base-spec 14-inch model is available at $170 off, dropping down to just $1,429 for the 512GB configuration, with the 1TB version selling at $200 off. Both options come with 8GB of RAM and that gorgeous display.

Those looking for a larger display can choose the 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro from just $2,249, a $250 price cut, with that machine sporting 512GB of storage and 18GB of RAM. Other configurations are also available if you need a different amount of RAM or storage, too. It’s really difficult to go wrong with any of them though — the M3 and M3 Pro chips are fast and quiet, making these powerhouse machines for those who need to get work done on the move.

Don’t worry if you don’t see a deal for you here, our collection of the best MacBook deals can pair you up with a nice upgrade cross a range of models and price points.

Getting caught with a dead phone, tablet or laptop while you’re out and about can throw a serious wrench in your day. And if you don’t want to find yourself scrambling to track down the nearest outlet, you’ll want to make sure you keep a portable charger on hand. With a 145-watt output, this Ugreen Nexode power bank has enough juice to charge up your phone or laptop, and right now you can snag it for just $85, which saves you $65 compared to the usual price. Just be sure to activate the 5% on-page coupon to get the full discount.

The Ugreen Nexode is equipped with a substantial 25,000 mAh battery, which is large enough to fully recharge your phone up to five times, or your laptop at least once. And with a power output of up to 145 watts, it can even handle larger devices like the MacBook Pro, Nintendo Switch or DJI Mini 3 Pro drone. It features one USB-C port with a 100-watt power supply, another with a 45-watt output and a USB-A port with an 18-watt output, so you can power up to three devices at a time. It also supports two-way charging so you can power your devices and the power bank simultaneously. Plus, it has a built-in LED display that lets you monitor the remaining charge.

Shopping for one of the best laptops on the market can get expensive quite quickly, especially if you’re aiming for something that can do video editing or play the latest AAA games. There is a solution, which is to go with a manufacturer-refurbished model. While some folks are put off by refurbs, they can get you a better device for less (and you’re helping the environment by reducing e-waste).

One great example is this Woot sale on refurbished MSI laptops, with some really excellent picks in the mix. It includes a couple of solid gaming laptops and a reasonably powerful workstation, which is perfect for those who are starting out but can’t afford more expensive gear.

Probably one of the best deals in this sale is the MSI Creator 15. It comes with the very powerful RTX 3080 graphics card and a 4K screen, which means you’ll get some excellent graphics when gaming and make video editing and content creation easier. It also has an Intel Core i7-11800H, which is a mid- to high-end processor that will handle productivity tasks easily, while the 16GB of RAM will give you a smooth day-to-day experience. The best part is that you can get it for just $1,200, a price you won’t see on equivalent laptops.

Another good option that certainly looks more like a gaming laptop is the MSI Raider GE76. It comes with the slightly less powerful RTX 3070 Ti, but it does have a 17-inch screen that runs a 1080p resolution and can hit a whopping 360Hz refresh rate. This essentially makes it a great laptop for competitive e-sports, and the Intel Core i7-12700H will help you stream that if that’s what you’d like to do. It’s currently going for $1,400, a low price for a solid GPU and high-refresh-rate display.

If you’re looking for something cheap and light that’s great for work or school, the MSI Modern 15 is a decent option, too. it has a mid- to high-end AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor, which will handle productivity tasks easily and will even let you get some casual gaming in. It has a 15.6-inch, 1080p monitor and a reasonable 8GB of RAM, so it’s going to give you a good overall experience. You can grab it for $430 from Woot.

If none of these really grabs your fancy, or you don’t feel comfortable buying a factory-reconditioned laptop, there are some other great laptop deals and gaming laptop deals you can check out.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 — the two top watches in our best smartwatches for 2023 collection — might soon be disappearing from shelves and online retailers, at least for customers in the US. Apple announced Monday that it plans to pause US sales for both models starting on Dec. 24 due to a patent infringement claim.

Here’s the good news: Both models are actually on sale ahead of that deadline.

Right now, you can pick up the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for as little as $699 thanks to a discount with instant coupons at Amazon. The discounts vary by size and style, but you can get at least one model with the small band for under $700, while some models with the larger bands will cost you closer to $730. Both are nice discounts compared with the Apple Store price of $799.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the latest and greatest wearable the company offers. It has a huge 49mm display and high-precision GPS for use when you’re out in the wilderness or when just want reliable data for your workouts. The extra-long battery life ensures you get multiple days from a single charge, and the rugged titanium case is strong yet light, perfect for your next adventure. You also get access to all the usual features, including fitness and activity tracking, heart rate monitoring, and more.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 9 is being sold for $70 off the Apple Store price — $329 for the 41mm GPS model, $359 for the 45mm model. That model is smaller than the Ultra, lacks the Action Button and some of the extreme sports features of the Ultra, like the diving features, but is otherwise the state of the art when it comes to Apple wrist-based tech.

Note that the 2022 Apple Watch SE will not be affected by the sales pause, so there’s no urgency there. The same goes for older Apple Watch models. But in the absence of a last-minute deal, the Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches may well disappear from store shelves by Christmas. That means you’ve got less than a week left to take advantage of this offer, and with the recent news, there’s a good chance that it will be selling fast. We’d definitely recommend that you get your order in soon if you’re hoping to take advantage of these savings.

Trying to keep tabs on everything you need to keep track of when completing larger projects can get overwhelming. But Microsoft Project Professional 2021 is a comprehensive project management app for professionals with advanced features that make it much easier to handle and optimize all of your projects. New users can snag Microsoft Project Professional 2021 for just $30 right now at StackSocial, saving you 88% on its usual price.

This app can streamline project management to make it much simpler to keep up with all the nuts and bolts of your plan. It includes plenty of great features, including pre-built templates, a way to run what-if scenarios, complex schedules with built-in multiple timelines, helpful resource assignment technology, automated scheduling tools, built-in reports and much more. Plus, it can sync with Project Online and Project Server and it supports Long-Term Servicing Channel and is compatible with Office LTSC and Office 2021, with support available through Oct. 13, 2026.

If you’re looking to purchase Project Professional 2021 outright, rather than subscribing to a monthly plan, it will run you an astounding $1,130 from Microsoft directly. Of course, you can get a 1-month free trial through Microsoft. But this StackSocial deal essentially saves you over a grand on the one-time fee and skips those recurring subscription fees other options require.

It’s worth noting that only new customers can take advantage of this deal. Plus, once you make your purchase, you’ll only be able to install the app on a single computer for use at home or work, so you’ll have to decide which PC you want to access this program through. And because you won’t be able to download this app on multiple devices, if your computer dies, you may lose access to Project Professional 2021 and be unable to transfer it to another computer.