US regulators have launched a nationwide crackdown on companies inundating US consumers with billions of unwanted and illegal telemarketing robocalls.
The action, known as Operation Stop Scam Calls, was announced Tuesday by the Federal Trade Commission and involves more than 100 federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country, as well as the attorneys general of all 50 states and Washington, DC.
In addition to telemarketers, the action will target so-calledconsent farms that provide your personal information to robocallerswhile falsely saying consumers agreed to receive the calls. Thecrackdown also targets Voice over Internet Protocol providers thatfacilitate illegal robocalls, which often originate outside the US.
“We are taking action against those who trick people into phony consent to receive these calls and those who make it easy and cheap to place these calls,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement announcing the crackdown.
The FTC received more than 1.8 million complaints about robocalls in 2022, down from 3.4 million the previous year. More than 2.5 million people signed up last year to the Do Not Call Registry, which allows consumers to register their numbers with the FTC to let telemarketers know they are not to be called with solicitations. As of November, the registry contained more than 246 million phone numbers.
See Also: How to Stop Those Annoying Spam Calls You Get Every Day
The FTC said it’s brought 167 cases against illegal robocallers and violators of the Do Not Call Registry, with defendants being ordered to pay more than $2 billion.
One such target of the FTC is Fluent, a New York-based media company that allegedly operated a consent farm that lured consumers to its websites with the promise of job interviews and $1,000 Walmart gift cards. Instead of providing the promised job opportunity or reward, the websites tricked consumers out of their personal information and “consent” to receive robocalls, which they then sold to third-party marketers, the FTC said.
Fluent used these tactics to obtain and sell more than 620 million telemarketing leads between January 2018 to December 2019, the FTC said. Fluent faces a $2.5 million fine and ban on robocall activity under a proposed settlement.
Fluent didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
For tips on keeping robocalls to a minimum, check out how to block unknown callers on iPhone and how to set up Google’s call screen feature.
If you’ve been waiting for a sale to pull the trigger on a new high-end TV, your wait could be over. The LG C2 OLED TV, which is my current pick for the best high-end TV for the money, just dropped in price for Amazon’s Prime Day sale to levels that either match or come close to its all-time lows.
I review TVs for CNET and in my side-by-side comparisons the C2 was superb, outperforming any non-OLED model and holding its own against other OLED TVs that cost a lot more. It also has just about every important feature I recommend in a high-end TV, including state-of-the-art gaming extras, along with sleek style and all the connections you need. It’s a 2022 model, but it performed just as well as the 2023 C3, which costs hundreds more.
The links above lead to Amazon, but the C2 is available at similar pricing from other retailers, including Best Buy. Every size in the C2 series is discounted now with the exception of the 77-inch model, which remains at its standard price of around $2,800.
I can’t predict the future but if I had to guess, these will likely be the lowest price available on a TV this good until the Black Friday season, which hits in mid-November.
Editor’s note, July 13: The 42-, 48- and 65-inch models previously featured on this page are now out of stock, though the two remaining sale models are still available.
Apple built its own framework that can create large language models, called “Ajax,” as well as a chatbot service that internal engineers are calling Apple GPT, according to Bloomberg citing unnamed sources.
It’s part of the iPhone giant’s bid to compete in the AI space, the report said. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Large language models are what power generative artificial intelligence chatbots, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard. Microsoft also launched an AI-powered Bing search earlier this year that makes use of ChatGPT, but Apple has yet to launch anything that competes with these offerings.
The deadline for Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of game publisher Activision Blizzard is moving to October, giving the tech company more time to get approval from regulators.
Microsoft and Activision Blizzard’s merger agreement date will move from July 18 to Oct. 18, according to SEC filings posted on Wednesday. This comes a week after the US Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to halt the deal, while legal challenges play out, was denied by a judge.
Microsoft first revealed plans to acquire Activision Blizzard in January 2022. Closing the deal would turn Xbox maker Microsoft into one of the top three video game publishers, right behind rival Sony. Activision Blizzard is one of the largest third-party publishers, with some major franchises that would give a much-needed boost to Microsoft’s games catalog, including Call of Duty, Candy Crush and Overwatch.
Although Microsoft has won a few merger-related battles, it still has hurdles to clear.
Who’s left to approve the deal?
While Microsoft was able to overcome the blocks laid out by the FTC, it still has yet to receive approval on the deal. The FTC says it’s still considering options after it lost an appeal, and a group of individual plaintiffs asked the Supreme Court to temporarily stop the deal, according to a Reuters report Wednesday.
The UK is another major country that has yet to sign off on the deal. In April, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority blocked the $69 billion deal, saying it would result in higher prices and fewer choices for gamers. Microsoft’s appeal to the ruling says the CMA “made fundamental errors in its calculation and assessment of market share data for cloud gaming services by failing to take account of constraints from native gaming (whereby gamers access games installed on their devices through a digital download or physical disc).”
Microsoft has continued to deny that the deal would hamper competition within the video game industry and continues to negotiate with regulators to get approval.
What does this deal mean for gamers?
For Xbox Game Pass subscribers, the deal means Activision Blizzard’s catalog of games will be incorporated into the service, likely similar to how Bethesda games were when Microsoft acquired that company in 2020.
How gamers who don’t have an Xbox, and instead use a Sony PlayStation or Nintendo Switch console, will be affected is less clear. Critics of the deal are concerned that Microsoft could make future games developed by Activision unavailable on rival consoles. (Microsoft did just this for games developed by Bethesda.) This is especially concerning for a major Activision title like Call of Duty.
Microsoft already agreed to a 10-year deal with Nintendo to bring Call of Duty games to its consoles, but Sony reportedly rejected a similar agreement.
Cloud gaming is the technology to stream video games remotely to a device such as a phone, tablet or smart TV. While the technology has been around for more than a decade, it’s only in recent years that it’s really taken off, thanks in part to it being an added feature for Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass and Sony’s PS Plus.
Other companies developed their own cloud gaming services, such as Amazon’s Luna and GeForce Now. The former made an agreement with Microsoft in February to bring more of its games to the service over the next 10 years.
With the arrival of summer, the annual TV pricing cycle has reached a high point. The new 2023 models, like the LG C3 OLED TV, were released in spring, but their prices are high. However, most of the 2022 models are still in stock, often with similar features and image quality, not to mention much lower prices. Translation? A 2022 TV, such as the LG C2 OLED, is a better deal. That’s why on this list, most of the models, which represent our top recommendations, are the best TVs for 2023 that were actually released last year.
At CNET, I review TVs side by side in a state-of-the-art testing lab, taking hundreds of measurements with specialized equipment, comparing gaming, home theater and bright-room image quality. My 20 years experience as a TV reviewer helps me determine not just the best TV overall but also the best TV in your price range.
Read more: How We Test TVs
What is the best TV?
The TCL 6-Series Roku TV sits at the top of our list of best TVs for a number of reasons. It offers superb picture quality, an affordable price tag and Roku, the best smart TV system. It also includes gaming features like 4K/120Hz input and variable refresh rate that can get the most out of consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. When a friend asks me what TV to buy from 55 to 85 inches, and money is still an object, I tell them to get the TCL 6-Series.
There are plenty of other excellent choices out there, however, so even though the 6-Series is my current favorite for most people, it might not be right for your preferences or budget.
Best TVs in 2023
Other TVs we’ve tested
LG C3 series OLED TV: As we mentioned above, the C2 from 2022 and C3 from 2023 were basically identical in our tests. Since the price difference between the two LG OLED TVs remains hundreds of dollars, we’re recommending the C2 over the C3 for now. Read our LG C3 OLED TV review.
Sony KD-X80K series: Sony is a prominent brand and its higher-end TVs like the X90J do well in reviews, but the entry-level TV in its 2022 lineup, the X80K, didn’t make the list. It costs around the same as the TCL 6-Series and Samsung Q60 TVs, and had a worse picture than both, with lighter black levels and contrast. It’s definitely not a bad TV, and we liked its Google smart TV system, color accuracy and connectivity, but you can definitely do better for the money. Read our Sony KD-X80K series review.
Amazon Fire TV 4-Series: One of many Fire TVs available for sale, this one is typical of the breed: so-so image quality and a smart TV system that lags behind Roku and Google TV. If you’re a big fan of Alexa voice, or see this TV at a really low price, it might be worthwhile, but otherwise go for the TCL 4-Series. Read our best budget TVs roundup.
How we test TVs
Our TV reviews follow a rigorous, unbiased evaluation process honed over nearly two decades of TV reviews. Our primary TV test lab has specialized equipment for measuring light and color, including a Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer, a Murideo Sig-G 4K HDR signal generator and an AVPro Connect 8×8 4K HDR distribution matrix. We use Portrait Displays CalMan Ultimate software to evaluate every TV we review. In every CNET TV review, three or more similar TVs are compared side by side in various lighting conditions playing different media, including movies, TV shows and games, across a variety of test categories, from color to video processing to gaming to HDR. Our reviews also account for design, features, smart TV performance, HDMI input and gaming compatibility, and other factors.
One important aspect of image quality we test is overall brightness. Here’s how it compares in nits across select TVs listed above.
With all of the TVs available today, and all of the technical terms and jargon associated with television technology, it can be tough to figure out what’s important. Here’s a quick guide to help cut through the confusion.
Price: TVs range in price from $100 to more than $2,000. Smaller screens are cheaper, well-known brands are more expensive and spending more money can also get you better image quality. Most entry-level TVs have a good enough picture for most people, but TVs last a long time, so it might be worth spending more to get a better picture. It’s also best to shop for a TV in the fall, when prices are lower.
Screen size: Bigger is better in our book. We recommend a size of at least 43 inches for a bedroom TV and at least 55 inches for a living room or main TV — and 65 inches or larger is best. More than any other “feature,” stepping up in TV screen size is the best use of your money. One of the most common post-TV-purchase complaints we’ve heard is from people who didn’t go big enough. And we almost never hear people complain that their TV is too large.
Capability: Among entry-level TVs the most important feature is what kind of smart TV system the TV uses. Among midrange models, look for a feature including full-array local dimming, mini-LED and 120Hz refresh rate, which (unlike some other extras) do help improve the picture in our experience. And among high-end TVs, OLED technology is your best bet.
For more TV buying advice check out How to Buy a TV.
TV FAQ
We’ll post the answers to commonly asked TV questions below. If you have any others, feel free to reach out on Twitter (@dkatzmaier), or by clicking the little envelope icon on my CNET profile page. Doing so will let you send a message straight to my inbox.
Samsung’s next wave of foldable phones — presumably the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 — will be making their debut at next week’s Samsung Unpacked event on Wednesday, July 26. The event is going to be the first Unpacked event that Samsung will hold from Seoul, Korea, making for a very early launch event if you’re watching from the US.
While Samsung’s entering its fifth consecutive year in the foldable phone market, the devices it’s launching at this year’s Unpacked arrive among a good deal more competition. Google’s $1,800 Pixel Fold is the first Pixel device to adopt a similar style to the Galaxy Z Fold series, in which a traditionally scaled phone unfolds to reveal an inner tablet-sized screen. OnePlus is also rumored to have its own foldable phone on the way, which could further disrupt the space.
And after taking a few years off from the US market, Motorola’s new $1,000 Razr Plus is now eyeing Samsung’s Z Flip series, with the newest entry including a larger cover screen that can run most Android apps. We also know Motorola has a more affordable Razr model on the way with a smaller cover screen.
And it’s not only phones. Samsung’s summer Unpacked events often include an update to the Galaxy Watch series. While the Samsung Galaxy Watch now faces competition with Google’s Pixel Watch, on the software side Samsung and Google remain in a partnership towards the development of Wear OS. However Samsung often differentiates its watches by way of its own software enhancements, and it’s likely a new Galaxy Watch would provide a spotlight for any new Samsung Health updates.
CNET will be covering the next Samsung Unpacked event live as it happens, and here is how you can watch all of the reveals next week. This will include a live blog and a live watch party, which will cover the leadup to the next phone event and run through all of the new devices as they’re unveiled.
How to watch the next Samsung Unpacked event
Samsung’s next Unpacked event starts on Wednesday, July 26 at 7 a.m. ET, 4 a.m. PT and 12 p.m. in the UK. The early product launch time is because Samsung will be holding the event at 8 p.m. in Korea.
Samsung is using the tagline “Join the flip side” to promote the July 26 eventwhile showing a phone that unfolds and flips around in its GIF graphic (watchful eyes may catch two silhouettes; possibly of both series of foldables). This is likely pointing to updates to the Galaxy Z Fold series and the Galaxy Z Flip series.
Samsung also traditionally debuts its latest Galaxy Watch alongside its foldable phones, and that could also come with announcements related to Samsung Health. Samsung has already teased that its upcoming One UI 5 Watch software will include a bigger focus on sleep and heart-rate tracking. Such features could point to the future of the next Galaxy Watch, even if the software updates will also be available to prior Galaxy Watch models.
What are rumors saying about Samsung’s Unpacked announcements?
The presumed Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 might receive minor redesigns to give each foldable phone better advantage of their shape.
An early Z Fold 5 rumor, reported late last year by Korean news outlet The Elec, pointed to the possibility of an S Pen slot that would harken back to the Galaxy Note series. If it does, this could enhance the positioning of the Z Fold 5 as a productivity device more akin to a mini computer. Samsung has already incorporated features like a mini trackpad into the Z Fold series, for use when the device is folded halfway to enable browsing as one would with a laptop.
Following the Pixel Fold’s ability to close completely, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 might also get a new hinge, which would allow for a less noticeable crease and a slimmer profile. That’s according to several Korean news outlets, including The Elec, ET News and leaker Ice Universe.
Meanwhile, rumors about the Z Flip 5 are primarily pointing toward a redesigned, larger cover screen. If true, this would allow the Z Flip 5 to be a lot more useful when closed — ideally using miniature versions of Android apps that fill its bigger screen. Several presumed renderings of the Z Flip 5, which include a SamMobile report from April as well as a more recent report by 9to5Google, purport to show a larger cover screen that can display a keyboard or widgets.
The rumored Galaxy Watch 6 could also have a number of changes to both its design and how it’s sold. According to a 9to5Google report, the Galaxy Watch 6 series could include a 47mm Watch 6 Classic model — which would be the largest Galaxy Watch so far. The Galaxy Watch 6 might also get a bigger battery, with Android Central reporting a possible 300-mAh and 425-mAh capacity for different models.
Leaker SnoopyTech is reporting that the Galaxy Watch 6 might also be sold as part of a “business model,” which could imply a number of possibilities. For instance, Google’s Fitbit Premium subscription unlocks additional features and statistics that aren’t available without being a subscriber. Amazon tried a similar subscription with its Halo wearables, which are now defunct.
Samsung might also show off a new iteration of the Galaxy Buds headphones, or additional features that would arrive to its other Galaxy phones. We’ll find out soon, when Samsung’s Unpacked event arrives on July 26.
Could Samsung be slimming down its foldable smartphones this year? T.M. Roh, the company’s head of mobile, seemingly teased an upcoming redesign in a blog post Tuesday, just ahead of Samsung’s Unpacked event on July 26. The next generation of the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip phones may be lighter and thinner.
Roh highlighted how the company has focused its design philosophy with the customer in mind by blending practical functionality, originality and synergy. For this year’s launch, he says, Samsung has “innovated to make our latest foldables slimmer and lighter than our previous generations.”
The electronics giant previously shared that it would showcase its next generation of foldable devices during Unpacked. It is expected that the new iteration of Galaxy foldables will include the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5. According to CNET’s Lisa Eadicicco, the latest foldable models may come with a revamped hinge, and a larger screen for the Flip 5.
The event will be held in Seoul, Korea for the first time and promises to unveil a slew of new products like smartwatches and earbuds. Customers can receive a $50 credit if you sign up for preorders through July 25.
Read more on what’s rumored to be revealed at the event, including the Galaxy Watch 6 and a possible VR headset. Samsung Galaxy Unpacked will stream live on the company’s website on Wednesday, July 26 at 7:00 a.m. ET.
There are plenty of portable Macs to choose from right now, but if the M2 13-inch MacBook Pro tickles your fancy, now is the perfect time to treat yourself. Order today and you can save $200 and you even get to choose which color, too.
Amazon is now selling the 13-inch MacBook Pro for just $1,099, which equals the best price the retailer has ever offered this particular model. It’s also $100 cheaper than you’d get at the Apple Store, even with the academic discount. Being able to choose between space gray and silver is just the icing on the cake — these deals sometimes only apply to one color or the other which, frankly, stinks. Not this time, though!
This particular configuration gets you the gorgeous 13-inch Retina display, as well as the tried and tested chassis and keyboard that continue to be so popular. On the inside, there’s that speedy M2 chip complete with eight GPU cores and 10 GPU cores. That Apple silicon is paired with 8GB of RAM and a fast 256GB solid-state drive.
Other notable features include the Touch Bar, a backlit keyboard and a FaceTime HD camera. Apple says that you can expect around 20 hours of battery life on a full charge and the advanced active cooling system allows the 13-inch MacBook Pro to sustain its impressive performance for hours on end.
In terms of connectivity, buyers can look forward to a pair of Thunderbolt ports on one side and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the other. Those Thunderbolt ports are also how you’ll charge your new laptop via the included USB-C charger.
Yes, this MacBook Pro may well get the eventual M3 CPU upgrade as soon as this fall, but that will certainly cost more and won’t be available ahead of the back-to-school season.
Looking for a different configuration or need something more powerful or prefer the MacBook Air? Our collection of the best MacBook deals is exactly what you need.
It just got a little more pricey to stream NBCUniversal’s Peacock service. New subscribers will see changes to subscription prices, including a $1 bump for Peacock Premium and a $2 bump for Premium Plus each month, and existing subscribers will have to start paying more soon. The changes mark the first price hike for the streaming service since it launched in 2020.
As of Tuesday, monthly Peacock Premium costs $6 per month, up from $5, and Premium Plus costs $12 per month, up from $10, according to an email sent to existing Peacock subscribers. An annual subscription to Peacock Premium costs $60, an increase from $50. A year of Premium Plus now costs $120, up $20 from its previous price.
Current subscribers have a bit of a buffer, with the new prices kicking in on their next billing date on or after Aug. 17. Promotional pricing will continue through the end of the promo period, according to Peacock, but anyone who upgraded to Premium Plus for $5 a month will have to start paying $1 more each month as of their next billing date on or after Aug. 17.
Peacock joins a crowd of streaming services to raise subscription prices, from Starz and Paramount Plus, which adjusted plans last month, to Netflix, Max and Disney Plus. Peacock hosts popular sitcoms like The Office and 30 Rock, along with originals like Poker Face and movies recently released in theaters, among other offerings.
Peacock has a free, ad-supported tier, but new accounts can no longer access it. People with Xfinity Internet or Spectrum may qualify for free Peacock Premium.
Vizio is bringing local TV channels to some of their users directly through their smart TV operating system. Vizio users in select cities will now have free access to their local Fox or Gray TV channels through Vizio’s WatchFree Plus, an app on Vizio smart TVs, the company said Wednesday.
Vizio users in 10 cities, including Los Angeles, Atlanta and Washington, DC, will now be able to watch their local Fox stations through WatchFree Plus. Customers in another 10 cities, which include Kansas City, Missouri; Nashville, Tennessee; and Charlotte, North Carolina, will have access to their local Gray Television stations.
“We are thrilled to partner with VIZIO in launching these local channels on WatchFree Plus,” Pat LaPlatney, theCo-CEO of Gray Television, said in a blog post on Wednesday. “From Atlanta to Phoenix to Cleveland, viewers can now stay connected to their local news, weather, and sports, all with the convenience of their VIZIO Smart TV.”
Vizio has already partnered with CBS stations in New York City and Los Angeles, along with News 12 in New York, to provide local TV channels to its viewers through WatchFree Plus. The app also includes content from Bloomberg Originals, CBC News, CBS News, CNN RePlay, FOX Weather, LiveNow from FOX, NBC News Now, Reuters, Scripps News, The Hill, USA Today, WeatherNation and Yahoo Finance, among others.
Vizio’s push into local markets could help bolster the appeal of their smart TV system, which was redesigned last month. Most consumers need local channels not only for news and weather but also for local sports and entertainment coverage. Many local broadcast channels are included in cable packages, as well as in some live TV streaming services. Cord cutters can also get local networks for free by using an antenna, though you’ll have to pay for the equipment. The inclusion of these channels into a readily available app could be appealing to some users.
Here’s the full list of Fox and Gray TV stations on Vizio’s WatchFree Plus:
Fox channels:
WAGA (FOX 5 – Atlanta) – Ch. 945
WTTG (FOX 5 – Washington, DC) – Ch. 946
WJBK (FOX 2 – Detroit) – Ch. 947
KDFW (FOX 4 – Dallas) – Ch. 948
WTVT (FOX 13 – Tampa Bay, Florida) – Ch. 949
KTVU (FOX 2 – San Francisco) – Ch. 950
WTXF (FOX 29 – Philadelphia) – Ch. 951
WOFL (FOX 35 Orlando, Florida) – Ch. 952
KCPQ (FOX 13 Seattle) – Ch. 953
KTTV (FOX 11 – Los Angeles) – Ch. 955
Gray Television channels:
WANF Atlanta News First (Independent – Atlanta) – Ch. 961
KTVK/KPHO Arizona’s Family (CBS 5 – Phoenix) – Ch. 962
