Latest News

  • FTC Reportedly Won’t Challenge Amazon’s Acquisition of One Medical

    Amazon will reportedly be allowed to complete its acquisition of 1Life Healthcare, parent of primary care provider One Medical, without opposition from the US Federal Trade Commission.

    Antitrust regulators at the agency won’t sue to block the takeover but still plan to probe the $3.49 billionmerger, an FTC spokesman told various media outlets. The acquisition of One Medical, which runs a chain of more than 150 primary care clinics in more than a dozen US cities and offers online and mobile services, will greatly expand the primary care services Amazon is already offering through its Amazon Care brand.

    “The FTC’s investigation of Amazon’s acquisition of One Medical continues,” FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar said in a statement to the media. “The commission will continue to look at possible harms to competition created by this merger as well as possible harms to consumers that may result from Amazon’s control and use of sensitive consumer health information held by One Medical.”

    One Medical offers services to individual subscribers as well as to workers who receive its benefits from employers. It aims to speed up access to care with round-the-clock virtual care for patients and quick appointment booking. Amazon Care, which launched in 2019, currently provides medical care in eight cities, including Seattle and Arlington, Virginia, which are both homes to major Amazon offices. Amazon Care is slated to expand into New York, San Francisco and other major cities.

    The FTC didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment.

  • Microsoft Tests New Bing AI Personalities as It Allows Longer Chats

    Microsoft said it’s expanding the lengths of chats people can have with the test version of its Bing AI, while the company’s also begun testing different “tone” personalities for more precise or more creative responses. The company’s moves follow efforts to restrict access to the technology after media coverage of the artificial intelligence chatting app going off the rails went viral last week.

    Bing Chat can now respond to up to six questions or statements in a row per conversation, after which people will need to start a new topic, the company said in a blog post Tuesday. Microsoft had previously imposed a conversation limit of five responses, with a maximum of 50 total interactions per day. Microsoft said it will now allow 60 total interactions per day and plans to increase that total to 100 “soon.”

    Now playing:Watch this:Microsoft Downgrades Bing’s AI After It Unsettles Users

    10:10

    Microsoft also said it’s testing options for people to choose the tone of their conversations, whether they prefer Bing to be more precise in its responses, more creative or somewhere between the two.

    Ultimately, the tech giant said it hopes to allow longer and more intricate conversations over time but wants to do so “responsibly.”

    “The very reason we are testing the new Bing in the open with a limitedset of preview testers is precisely to find these atypical use casesfrom which we can learn and improve the product,” the company said in a statement.

    Microsoft’s moves mark the latest twist for its Bing AI chatbot, which made a splash when it was announced earlier this month. The technology combines Microsoft’s less-popular Bing search engine with technology from startup OpenAI, whose ChatGPT responds to prompts for everything from being asked to write a poem to helping write code and even everyday math to figure out how many bags can fit in a car.

    Experts believe this new type of technology, called “generative AI,” has the potential to remake the way we interact with technology. Microsoft, for example, demonstrated how its Bing AI could help someone plan a vacation day by day with relative ease.

    Last week, though, critics raised concerns that Microsoft’s Bing AI may not be ready for prime time. People with early access began posting bizarre responses the system was giving them, including Bing telling a New York Times columnist to abandon his marriage, and the AI demanding an apology from a Reddit user over whether we’re in 2022 or 2023.

    Microsoft said that the “long and intricate” chat sessions that prompted many of the unusual responses were “not something we would typically find with internal testing.” But it hopes that improvements to the program, including its potential new choice of tone for responses, will help give people “more control on the type of chat behavior to best meet” their needs.

    More on AI chatbots

  • One of the Best Games of 2022 Comes to PS Plus

    February is a big month for PlayStation Plus. Leading the pack of new games for the month is Horizon: Forbidden West, one of the best games of 2022, and it’s available on the service starting Tuesday.

    Other major games heading to PS Plus this month are Resident Evil 7, horror adventure game The Quarry and Borderlands 3. For those into retro games, PS Plus Premium subscribers (as opposed to Essential and Extra tier subscribers) will get access to two classic PlayStation 1 RPGs: Wild Arms 2 and The Legend of Dragoon.

    Here are some notable PlayStation Plus inclusions so far:

    There are some notable games on that list, but it also lacks the blockbuster Day 1 vibe of Xbox Game Pass, which has big debuts like Halo Infinite. Extra costs $15 a month, $40 for three months or $100 for a year. (In the UK it’s 11, 32 or 84, respectively, and in Australia it’s AU$19, AU$55 or AU$135.)

    Now playing:Watch this:PlayStation Plus: Picking the Best Tier

    10:39

    The more expensive Premium tier ($18 or 13.49 a month) also includes download and streaming access to about 500 older games, mostly from pre-PS4 consoles, most of which will run at 60 frames per second. It also includes access to game demos. You can try games like Horizon: Forbidden West, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and Hot Wheels Unleashed. (Note: In Australia the Premium tier is called Deluxe and costs AU$22 a month.)

    One of the better aspects of the new PS Plus is there are plenty of cult and indie favorites in the Extra/Premium tier.

    Here are some older or lesser-known picks so far:

    • Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories
    • XCOM 2
    • Greedfall
    • Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
    • Pathfinder: Kingmaker
    • Pillars of Eternity
    • Tetris Effect
    • Outer Wilds

    Read more: Best Game Subscription Services

    One odd but interesting thing I noticed is there are a lot of Warhammer games included. I know next to nothing about Warhammer lore, but appreciate that it’s so deep and wide-ranging. And I’ve enjoyed games like Inquisitor (like a sci-fi Diablo) and the recent Chaos Gate (like XCOM with space marines). If you’re interested, the PS Plus list includes:

    • Chaosbane
    • Space Hulk: Deathwing
    • Inquisitor
    • Necromunda: Underhive Wars
    • Space Hulk Tactics

    I’ll update this list as more games are added, and as my colleagues remind me of top-tier classics I’ve missed.

    Read more: PlayStation Plus vs. PlayStation Now

    Now playing:Watch this:Explaining Sony’s 3 New PlayStation Plus Packages

    5:08
  • Try Ditching These Windows 11 Default Settings

    Windows 11 was launched in October 2021, and the operating system has been gradually adding even more features aimed at making your computer a little bit better. However, sometimes the optimal settings are hidden behind the defaults. In certain cases, those defaults can even undermine your PC accessories. So the next time you start up for work, or before your next gaming session, go into your settings and consider these changes that include refresh rate and audio settings, as well as updates and privacy settings.

    Enable dark mode

    CNET Tech Tips logoCNET Tech Tips logo

    The option to change between light mode and dark mode in Windows 11 isn’t in the most obvious place. Instead of being filed under display options, it can be found under Settings > Personalization > Colors. There, you can choose light mode, dark mode, or use different settings for Windows vs. apps. You can also set transparency effects and accent colors in this menu.

    Default browser

    Not a fan of Microsoft Edge? You can change Windows 11 to use whatever browser you prefer. Go to Settings > Apps and look for the browser you’d like to use. Then just click ‘Set default’ in the top-right corner, and Windows will automatically use that browser when opening links from other apps. You also have the ability to customize by file type if, say, you want PDF files to open in a different browser.

    Manage updates settings

    Keeping your computer updated is important for security, as Windows updates often include patches to prevent security exploits. Still, unexpected updates can be annoying, especially if your computer forces a restart. To take more control of your Windows 11 updates, go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options. From this menu, you can set your active hours (so your device won’t restart while you’re doing things) or ask Windows to give you a 15-minute heads-up before automatically restarting to apply updates.

    Change startup apps

    There’s no annoyance quite like getting a new device but feeling like it’s sluggish as soon as you turn it on. Most of the time, the culprit is too many startup apps. The more apps your device launches on startup, the more resources it drains. To save on resources and make things a bit snappier, go to Settings > Apps > Startup and turn off everything you don’t need immediately after turning on your computer. (I recommend turning off OneDrive, as that consistently slowed down my PC.) You can always open these apps when you’re ready to use them, and if there’s something you typically do first thing after booting up, you can always enable it to save you the step of opening it manually.

    Refresh rate

    Don’t let your fancy new monitor go to waste because you’re using the wrong refresh rate. Windows 11 defaults to a low refresh rate, likely to save power, but this default means you’re not getting the most value out of your monitor. Go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and look for your display. There will be a dropdown menu labeled Choose a refresh rate and pick the highest option your monitor can support. You can choose a lower setting if, say, your device can’t quite match your refresh rate while gaming, but if you play any shooters, you’re going to want that refresh rate to be as high as possible.

    Sound quality

    As with refresh rate, your default sound settings could be holding back your accessories. To check, go to System > Sound > Properties and choose the sound device you’re using. Then under Output settings, make sure the Format option dropdown uses the highest available setting. This will ensure you’re getting the maximum audio quality. If you’re using a headset for three-dimensional audio, make sure the spatial sound setting is turned on (Windows Sonic for Headphones).

    Privacy settings

    Some of the default privacy settings in Windows 11 give Microsoft ways to sneak advertisements into your experience. Fortunately, you can disable those avenues in settings. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > General and toggle off any of the options you don’t like. (I particularly recommend turning off Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID and Show me suggested content in the settings app.) The privacy & security menu also lets you change other options, like turning location services off or choosing which apps can access your camera.

    For more on Windows 11, check out how to take screenshots and our favorite keyboard shortcuts.

  • Apple Watch Ultra Deals: Amazon Savings, Carrier Offers and More

    This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2023, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Apple’s most popular product.

    Hoping to get your hands on a sleek and powerful Apple Watch Ultra? We’ve scoured the web for the best offers and discounts out there so you can snag Apple’s latest and greatest smartwatch for less.

    Revealed alongside the Apple Watch Series 8, the new Ultra offers a more utilitarian Apple Watch experience with several features aimed at elite athletes, hikers and scuba divers. It offers the biggest and brightest Apple Watch display yet with a 49mm titanium case and a flat sapphire front crystal. The device is more durable than ever with MIL-STD-810H-grade certification for altitude, temperature and dust, as well as a higher water-resistance rating, up to EN13319, for diving. There’s also a new customizable Action button that offers instant access to a range of features to suit your needs.

    Apple Watch Ultra with black screen highlighted by a wide array of compass, time and other details in redApple Watch Ultra with black screen highlighted by a wide array of compass, time and other details in red
    Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Lord/CNET

    Monitor fitness goals without breaking the bank.

    We’ll help you find the best deal on your next smartwatch or fitness tracker.


    A headline feature of the Apple Watch Ultra for outdoor types is the increased battery life, now up to 36 hours per charge — double that of the regular Apple Watch models — and that can be extended to up to 60 hours with a new low-power setting.

    The Apple Watch Ultra retails at $799 ( 849, AU$1,299). We’ll be sure to update the below list with any Apple Watch Ultra deals that crop up.

    Best Apple Watch Ultra deals

    Apple

    While Apple Watch Ultra deals are few and far between right now, Amazon does have select configurations available for $780, which is $19 less than the Apple price. Be sure to click through all the various band options to see if the style and size you need is discounted.

    You’re receiving price alerts for Apple Watch Ultra

    Apple

    Best Buy doesn’t have a direct Apple Watch Ultra discount at the moment, though we have seen as much as $50 off there in the past. You will, however, score four free months of Apple Fitness Plus from Best Buy, which is a month more than Apple gives new users. Best Buy also has its own trade-in program, and is offering up to $150 off the Apple Watch Ultra for qualifying devices.

    Apple/Dawnthea Price Lisco/CNET

    Apple Watch Ultra is now readily available at Apple, both online and in stores. All configurations cost $799, but you can get as much as $160 off by handing over your old Apple Watch for trade-in. If you are an Apple Card holder, you’ll also be able to get 3% cash-back if you buy that way.

    Apple

    Target has the Apple Watch Ultra listed at full price, though Target RedCard holders can save 5% on the purchase which is good for $40 off. You’ll nab four free months of Apple Fitness Plus via Target, too.

    Apple

    Apple Watch Ultra isn’t discounted at Adorama right now, and several models are out of stock there. Its Adorama Rewards program is free to sign up for, though, which allows you to earn points to redeem as credit against future purchases which is good for regular shoppers.

    Apple

    Verizon is offering as much as $180 off the Apple Watch Ultra on any plan when you trade in your old smartwatch. Alternatively, get $120 off when you buy an Apple Watch Ultra with a new iPhone.

    Apple

    AT&T is running a promotion on the Apple Watch Ultra that offers $330 off when you buy two. If you and someone else in the family are in the market for an upgrade, it’s a nice chunk of money off.

    Apple

    Similarly, T-Mobile will give you $200 back in credit when you buy two Apple Watch models. You’ll need at least one new line and wireless service for each device.


    Monitor fitness goals without breaking the bank.

    We’ll help you find the best deal on your next smartwatch or fitness tracker.


  • Meta Quest’s New Hand-Tracking Update Adds Button Tapping, Maybe Better Typing

    The Meta Quest 2 and Quest Pro already have hand tracking that works across many apps, and in the headset’s OS without using a controller, but it’s not necessarily good enough yet to replace your controllers. Meta’s latest Quest OS update looks like it’s trying to change that, and maybe make work interactions in VR feel a little less awkward.

    direct-touch-intro.pngdirect-touch-intro.png

    Meta’s goal is to make this type of interaction feel like it’s happening, even though hand tracking doesn’t have actual haptic feedback.

    Meta

    Quest’s v50 update, announced Tuesday and rolling out now, adds an experimental mode called “Direct Touch” that changes the metaphor a bit for hand interactions. Previously, you’d point at objects and pinch your fingers to select where you’re pointing at. Direct Touch allows for reaching out and just tapping a button with your virtual finger instead.

    Direct Touch also works on virtual keyboards, which means that typing on the pop-up Quest keyboard whenever it appears hovering in the air could feel less awkward, too.

    thumbnail-image001thumbnail-image001
    Meta

    Meta’s CTO, Andrew Bosworth, believes future Quest headsets could potentially ship without controllers, but at the moment hand tracking hasn’t been good enough yet to make that happen: “I think it’s pretty possible that someday we could ship a headset that didn’t have controllers with them, for audiences for whom their use cases didn’t need the extra weight expense. But we’re not there yet,” Bosworth told CNET last December.

    Now playing:Watch this:Meta Horizon Workrooms With Quest Pro: A Peek at the…

    13:00

    Meta’s expected Quest 3 headset is expected later this year, and Apple’s own VR/AR entry is expected to be announced soon, too. Meta, Facebook’s parent company, looks like it’s continuing to evolve the interaction language on the Quest as it starts to bridge into mixed reality.

    The v50 update also adds 2D app multitasking within other games and apps on the Quest 2, a feature that was already available on the Quest Pro.

  • Pokemon Presents Coming on Series’ Anniversary: How to Watch Online

    The Pokemon Company teased upcoming announcements Tuesday, with a video presentation scheduled for Monday Feb. 27. It promised “about 20 minutes” of news about the monster collecting megafranchise, which will likely include additional content for Nintendo Switch games Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

    “Tune in to our official YouTube channel at 6:00 a.m. PST on February 27 for about 20 minutes of exciting Pokémon news in celebration of #PokemonDay 2023,” it wrote.

    The presentation is coming on the 27th anniversary of Pokemon Red and Green‘s original release in Japan.

    When will the Pokemon Presents start?

    The Pokemon Presents video will be available 6 a.m. PT/9 a.m. ET next Monday, which converts to 2 p.m. GMT or 1 a.m. Tuesday AEST.

    How to watch the Pokemon Presents

    The event will be streaming from The Pokemon Company’s YouTube channel. We’ll embed the YouTube link above, so you can watch right here.

  • Best Free TV Streaming Services: Tubi, Sling Freestream, Pluto TV and More

    Paid streaming subscriptions are bumping up their rates while offering a handful of cheaper tiers. Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus and Hulu offer great movies and shows, but you don’t have to stay locked in to meet your entertainment needs. There are a bunch of free alternatives to the big streamers, and we’ve gone through the testing and research to find the best ones for you.

    Many of these services are ad-supported, so you won’t be able to skip commercials on these platforms. Most have older shows and movies, sort of like basic cable reruns. Some network sites (including ABC) won’t let you stream every show unless you’re a paid cable or satellite subscriber, but there are services like Sling Free, which offers a free tier in addition to paid plans.

    Here’s a look at some of the best free streaming sites, which are all legal ways to indulge your inner couch potato. Prefer movies? Check out these 10 free Netflix alternatives.

    Read more: Free Live TV News to Stream Right Now

    James Martin/CNET

    Peacock is NBCUniversal’s subscription service, which comes loaded with plenty of NBC content as well as movies and original programming. Unlike Netflix, Hulu and competitor Paramount Plus, however, Peacock has a free tier. There are also $5 Premium and $10 Premium Plus ad-free tiers, and certain cable customers can receive Premium for free. There’s a catch, however. As of January 2023, you must already be a Peacock Premium subscriber to use the free tier. Premium subscribers have the option to downgrade their accounts.

    The free streaming version has thousands of hours of television shows, films, news, skit-style clips and exclusive big-budget original programming. Peacock’s slate of originals includes Poker Face, Bel-Air, Girls5Eva and a Psych movie sequel. With the free version you won’t get access to every episode of the original series, and you’ll also miss out on a lot of the other content Premium subscribers get. In addition to NBC programming, Peacock has content from NBC-owned networks such as Bravo, E, Syfy and USA along with daytime soap operas, talk shows and sports. Paying for Peacock unlocks the full 80,000-hour library; with the free version you get about half of that.

    Read our Peacock review.

    Sarah Tew/CNET

    Roku Channel is a free TV streaming service designed for people who own the company’s streaming devices and TVs, but it’s also available via Roku’s apps for phones and tablets as well as online.

    The Roku Channel offers 300 live channels including a channel guide, with its existing selection of on-demand content. While the linear TV includes live news and lifestyle channels, the on-demand content ranges from Roku Originals (like the Weird Al Yankovic biopic), to reality TV (Hoarders, Kitchen Nightmares) to popular series like House, 2 Broke Girls and Downton Abbey. You’ll also find anime (live and on-demand) and crime shows.

    Unfortunately, not every TV series is complete (Bewitched, for example), and the service only offers a single episode in some cases. There’s plenty of stuff to watch, however, including a dedicated kids section. There’s also a solid array of classic movies including Robocop, Dawn of the Dead and The Cable Guy. In addition, you can subscribe to premium services including HBO, much like you can via Prime Video channels or the Apple TV app.

    James Martin/CNET

    Pluto TV is noteworthy for offering not only on-demand, free movie streaming, but also more than 250 live and linear channels on the platform, including BBC Food, Minecraft TV, Star Trek and CBS News. Because it’s a Paramount-owned brand, Pluto also has episodes of South Park and Survivor.

    Pluto offers an impressive selection of live channels sorted into categories like news, reality, sports, comedy and movies in a grid format. On-demand TV content is organized into TV drama shows, sitcoms, crime, action series, sci-fi and more. The layout is not nearly as slick as the live channels, but there’s a variety of genres. One oddity: If you’re watching a livestream, there’s no way to pause. You can only mute it.

    James Martin/CNET

    Tubi TV generated huge buzz from its 2023 Super Bowl ad, and now the service may demand your attention. It offers considerably more free movie streaming than TV shows, but it continues to grow its extensive library and its live channel lineup. This ad-supported network doesn’t require an account, though signing up for one enables you to save favorites and resume playback if you switch between devices.

    Tubi offers nationwide and local news livestreams in addition to live sports, weather and entertainment channels.The streaming site’s TV selection offers some of the reality shows we’ve come to expect, such as Hell’s Kitchen and Dance Moms, plus oddball inclusions such as the Australian drama McLeod’s Daughters. In 2023, the platform is adding content from HBO and Warner Bros., with titles including Westworld, The Nevers, Raised by Wolves and The Time Traveler’s Wife.

    To watch TV series on demand, you can browse by title, network or genre, including a Tubi Kids category. Not every show has full seasons available, but you’ll find Quantico, Columbo and 14 seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation among the choices. There are also a handful of Tubi Originals and feature films such as Doctor Sleep and Rambo: Last Blood.

    James Martin/CNET

    Formerly known as IMDb TV, Freevee is Amazon’s ad-supported streaming service that features a motherlode of TV and movie lore. In addition to TV series and movies, you can stream Freevee Originals and a string of 24/7 live channels.

    Though the service’s initial focus was primarily on movie streaming, it’s now filled with TV shows too. Popular movies like Red Sparrow and The Purge are available, as well as all seven seasons of the AMC classic Mad Men and all eleven seasons of The X-Files. Other titles include MacGyver (the reboot), Desperate Housewives, Good Times, Freevee Original Judy Justice and nine seasons of the Gen X classic Little House on the Prairie, starring Michael Landon.

    Sarah Tew/CNET

    Though Sling’s live TV packages start at $40, Sling Freestream offers more than 40,000 titles of free on-demand TV, and movies and over 210 live TV channels.

    Sling TV’s free streaming service includes livestreams for news, entertainment, sports, kids and more. You’ll find channels for ABC News Live, The Walking Dead Universe, Bon Appetit, Barstool Sports and on-demand selections including Ryan’s World, Brother vs. Brother and Chopped Junior.

    You do not need to create an account when watching Sling Freestream, but if you do, it makes it easier to personalize what you watch. The service is available to watch on a web browser and via the Sling app. No payment information is required for viewing.

    Crackle

    Crackle is an ad-supported streaming service that offers mostly movies, but also some TV shows — including original content. It doesn’t require you to set up an account, though doing so enables you to save favorites, get recommendations and resume playback if you switch between devices.

    Crackle’s commercial-supported selection has expanded with over 300 different shows, and mainly consists of older releases such as Sherlock (with Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch), Alf and The Partridge Family. As with other free services, however, not every TV series is complete — you might get only one or two seasons, or even just a partial season. There are movie selections from the 1940s to the present, including The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series and Sophie’s Choice.

    Plex

    Starting as a way for users to stream content stored on users’ computers, Plex has evolved to incorporate other sources such as OTA broadcasts, Tidal, and free streaming TV. You don’t need to install the Plex server, you just stream it with the basic Plex app, or if you want, sign up for an account.

    Plex’s free streaming service operates similarly to Pluto. The offering started with a modest slate of ad-supported content, mostly movies, but Plex has since entered a partnership with Crackle, offering thousands more TV shows and movies from that service. In addition to on-demand content like Hannibal and Kitchen Nightmares, Plex also offers live TV channels like Stories by AMC, Hallmark and niche 24/7 streams for certain series, including The Walking Dead.

    Movie fans can search by title and genre. Or you can check out themed collections such as Cheap Thrills or The Dojo.

    Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

    Got a library card? Check to see if your library has partnered with Hoopla. This digital-media service allows you to check out all kinds of stuff — from ebooks to movies to TV shows. When you “borrow” one, you have 72 hours in which to watch it. Your library determines the total number of titles you can borrow each month. An added bonus for this service is there are no commercials interrupting your viewing experience.

    Hoopla’s TV selection is something of a hodgepodge, with a smattering of well-known shows mixed in with a lot of self-help, documentary and family fare. For example, you’ll find three seasons of the SyFy original Humans, both seasons of The Jim Gaffigan Show and lots of Ken Burns documentaries. Hoopla also has instructional videos from The Great Courses series, various PBS Kids shows and plenty of Acorn TV content that would otherwise require a subscription. Film selections rotate on and off the platform, so be sure to check the rotation on a regular basis.

    Read more: Best Live TV Streaming Service for Cord-Cutters in 2022

    Now playing:Watch this:How to watch TV online for free

    1:34

    How we test streaming services

    With more than 150 streaming services in existence — globally — it can be hard sifting through each brand and its offerings. We narrowed this list down based on several factors, including accessibility, popularity, on-demand content, live channels and reliability. We watched each service on a TV and mobile device to evaluate its user interface and channel roster.

    These apps can be easily accessed on virtually any media player, smart TV, web browser or mobile device, and they offer a variety of content to suit genre preferences or age ranges. Because they’re free services, there’s added value for those that offer originals and live channels. When doing test runs of these services, we didn’t encounter problems with crashing, lag time or choppy live broadcasts, but your mileage may vary.

    Free streaming services FAQs

    What about free apps for networks like ABC, NBC, PBS, CW and others?

    These are also viable options. You can watch shows from your favorite networks on their dedicated apps but we opted to not include them on this list as some (like ABC) require you to be registered with a cable/TV provider to view the most recent content. Network apps typically allow you to watch new episodes of your shows the next day — or week — via their app or website. In some cases, you can also watch live news broadcasts or episode reruns for TV series.

    Do I have to sit through ads on these services?

    Yes. The tradeoff for receiving content to stream for free is that you have to tolerate commercials. Whether you’re watching a live channel or on-demand video, each of these services will run ads during your viewing experience. To keep the content free, they have to pay the bills with ads. The only exception on this list is Hoopla.

    Which app has the most family-friendly content?

    If you’re looking for age-appropriate shows and movies, you’ll find plenty of titles on Tubi, Peacock, Roku Channel and Freevee for young children, tweens and teens. Pluto also features dedicated kids’ channels with content from Nickelodeon, Lego, Garfield and more.

  • Upgrade Your Music Listening Experience With Beats Fit Pro and Get a $25 Amazon Gift Card

    I firmly believe that music is a gift to the world, and it’s one I enjoy every single day. If you love music, too, and you want an actual gift (card, that is), check out this deal on the Beats Fit Pro that we found on Amazon. The headphones themselves aren’t discounted from their usual price tag of $200, but you get a $25 Amazon gift card that you can put toward a future purchase.

    You can choose from black, white, sage gray and lavender options here. For Prime members in most areas, you can also get same-day delivery. It might be a sudden boot to your old headphones, but you’ll be thankful you did it.

    We consider the Beats Fit Pro the sportier AirPod that we’ve always wanted. Released just days after the debut of the third-gen AirPods, the Beats Fit Pro include Apple’s H1 chip and have most of the AirPods Pro’s features including active canceling, spatial audio and Adaptive EQ.

    In fact, these headphones won our Editor’s Choice Award in 2021 and for good reason. With a lightweight design and integrated wingtips, they are made to fit securely and comfortably in your ear. The Beats Fit Pro produce great sound and have a better battery life than the AirPods Pro (six hours with noise-cancelling and seven hours off of it at moderate volume levels).


    Get the best price with CNET Shopping.

    Love shopping online but don’t have time to compare prices or search for promo codes? Our CNET Shopping extension does that for you, so you always get the best price.


  • The Tab S8 Is One of Our Favorite Tablets of 2023 and It’s $100 Off Right Now

    When it comes to tablets, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S lineup has long been among our favorite slates. Several generations have earned a spot on our lists of the best Android tablets, and the best tablets overall, and right now you’ve got a chance to pick up one of the latest models for less. Amazon currently has the base model Galaxy Tab S8 on sale for $599, which saves you $101 compared to the usual price. You can also save up to $111 on select configurations of the upgraded Tab S8 Plus right now as well. There’s no set expiration on these deals, but we’d recommend getting your order in sooner rather than later.

    With an easy-to-use Android OS and Microsoft 365 integration, this sleek Samsung tablet is designed for both work and play. It features a vibrant 11-inch LCD display, and comes with the S Pen stylus (a $60 value) included, which makes it great for taking notes, sketching, marking up documents and much more. Internally it’s equipped with a powerful first-gen Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and 8GB of RAM, and while the base model only comes with 128GB of storage, that can easily be expanded up to 1TB with a microSD card. It also features support for Wi-Fi 6E for lightning-fast web performance, though you’ll need a compatible 6E router to take full advantage of those speeds. With an impressive 10,090-mAh battery and weighing in at just over 1 pound, it’s designed for all-day use while you’re on the go.

    If you’re looking for another model, you can check out our roundup of all the best tablet deals for even more bargains.


    Which tablets have the best price?

    Use our CNET Shopping extension to compare top products or find coupon codes before buying your next tablet.