With the rise of remote jobs and classes, desktop computers are regaining some popularity with people creating more permanent workspaces in their home. And if you’ve got limited space for your home office, you may want to grab a more compact desktop — like the Mac Mini.
While Apple took the wraps off a new M2-powered Mac Mini just this week, you might want to consider picking up a 2018 Mac Mini for just $500 at Woot while it’s on sale that low today. Not only does the deal save you $500 compared to its original retail price, but the model on sale has some desirable specs that might cost you more if you were to go for the new 2022 model.
Despite being a few years old, this Mac Mini comes packed full of powerful hardware, including an impressive 32GB of DDR4 memory for fast performance when working with massive files or demanding applications. The new M2 model, by comparison, comes with 8GB of memory as standard and you’d need to pay an upgrade fee of $400 to boost that up to 24GB or punt for a $1,700 M2 Pro configuration to max it out at 32GB.
Rather than an in-house Apple processor, this model on sale at Woot has an eighth-gen six-core Intel i7 processor coupled with Apple’s T2 security chip. There’s also a 128GB PCIe SSD that boasts sequential read speeds of up to 3.4 GB per second. And while the Mac Mini is pretty compact at just 7.7 inches wide, it’s still versatile, with tons of ports including an HDMI port, multiple USB-C and USB-A ports, a headphone jack, and an ethernet port. Plus, it’s powered by the same smooth and user-friendly MacOS found on other Apple computers and devices.
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Since its launch in July 2020, Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, has seen a bump in growth. After adding new episodes of NBC shows, Hallmark content and Days of Our Lives to the streaming platform, it’s leveling up its new and original content offerings. Though not as large as some of its rivals, Peacock looks similar to Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and HBO Max, with simple tiled interface lined with famous network shows.
But unlike those other services, Peacock has a version that’s completely free to watch with ads. In that respect it’s similar to free streaming services such as Pluto TV, Tubi and Roku Channels, but with a better selection. Peacock’s free tier offers about 40,000 hours of ad-supported content. You’ll find shows, movies, news, live sports and skit-style clips, with standouts including The Office, Parks and Recreation, Modern Family and 30 Rock.
Full access to major shows, originals and live sports isn’t free
Few original series or newer movies
Missing features like mobile downloads for all tiers and 4K HDR
The catch? Many marquee series only include the first two seasons with the free tier — you’ll need to upgrade to Peacock Premium at $5 a month to binge it all. Popular shows like Bel-Air and Yellowstone also only offer one episode on the free tier, with the rest behind the Premium paywall. And some shows, like Parks and Recreation and The Office, are only available as complete series on Premium.
Peacock’s live sports offering is a strength, although most live events require a Premium subscription. It has NFL Sunday Night Football, the US Open, MLB on Sunday mornings, WWE wrestling, Premier League and more.
If you upgrade to the Premium tier ($5 a month or $50 a year, with ads) or the Premium Plus tier ($10 a month or $100 a year), you’ll get access to the full catalog of 80,000 hours of content. Series include the Quantum Leap reboot, Vampire Academy, Real Housewives and Chicago Fire. You’ll also get next-day access to new episodes of all current NBC shows and even early access to Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon the night they air.
The free version of Peacock is worth exploring, but whether you’re willing to pay $5 to $10 a month when you already have the other major streaming services will depend on how much you want to watch favorites like The Office, Days of Our Lives, Yellowstone and live sports.
House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, Euphoria, DC titles
The Mandalorian, Encanto, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Mobile downloads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
4K HDR available
Limited
Yes (on Premium plan)
Limited
Yes
Number of streams:
3
1 (2 for Standard, 4 on Premium)
3
4
How many ads does Peacock have?
I tested out Peacock’s ad-supported free tier and its ad-supported $5-a-month Premium tier. (You don’t need a credit card to sign up for the free account, just an email address, which is nice.) Peacock promises that you’ll see five minutes or less of ads per hour across both ad-supported tiers.
My experience varied depending on the show and device. While watching The Hitman’s Bodyguard on a Roku TV, there were six ads sprinkled throughout the film, ranging from 20 to 60 seconds each. Peacock even marks midroll ad breaks so you know when to expect them. But when it played on the iPhone app, there was a notice that we would watch 135 seconds of ads at the beginning, and none for the rest. That option would be great to have on the Apple TV too to get the ads out of the way, but unfortunately it’s not (yet).
After scrolling around and watching a bunch of ads, when I went back to start The Hitman’s Bodyguard again, there were no ads at all, because I had already seen 5 minutes’ worth in the previous hour. It does seem like if you pop in and out of a movie or show, the ad count may reset. When I streamed the movie Nope, there was only a 2.5-minute set of ads before the movie, with no commercials during the film. And The Godfather’s three-hour runtime didn’t have any ad interruptions.
On episodes of Saturday Night Live, there were seven to nine ads sprinkled throughout the episode on both mobile and TV. Modern Family had three to four ad breaks within one 23-minute episode. This is about the same ad experience as watching on Hulu’s $8-a-month ad-supported plan, or on regular live TV — except it’s free.
It’s also worth mentioning that some subscribers to the most-expensive, ad-free, paid version will still see ads on “a small amount of programming, Peacock channels, live events and a few TV shows and movies,” according to Peacock.
Familiar navigation (for the most part)
Peacock’s homepage and Browse section is similar to those of other streaming services. There’s a big carousel of “hero” tiles at the top and rows of thumbnails below, labeled Peacock Picks, Continue Watching, Peacock Originals, Featured Films and so on. For Pride Month, there’s also some carousels highlighting LGBTQ movies and TV shows including Modern Family and Queer as Folk. Peacock now offers some 4K content, which is labeled separately from the rest of the catalog, making it easy to find. You can also seamlessly search for specific titles, but if you type in “originals,” it won’t spit out a list of Peacock Originals.
Peacock does have a Kids page with a couple of shows like Barney and Curious George on its free tier, but its most popular shows, including Dreamworks’ Dragons: Riders of Berk and The Croods: Family Tree, are only available with a paid subscription. Parents do have the option of setting a PIN-enabled parental lock to limit the age range of content displayed, but there’s unfortunately no option to filter out Premium content, which may leave kids frustrated at how many shows are unavailable to them.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Premium shows are mixed in with free offerings, denoted by a little purple feather in the top left corner. It reminds me a bit of Amazon Prime Video, which has shows included in your subscription mixed in with those you have to pay extra for. The app isn’t forceful in trying to get you to upgrade, though: You’ll only be asked if you want to change to premium if you click on a premium-only show, or if you go to your Account page. You can stream on up to three devices simultaneously from one account.
Browsing deep into NBC’s back catalog
One of Peacock’s biggest advantages is its access to NBC’s strong catalog of content, as well as its sister networks and entertainment properties, including Bravo, USA Network, Syfy, Oxygen, E!, CNBC, MSNBC and Universal Pictures. There’s also some content licensed from rivals, including A&E, ABC, Fox, Hallmark, History, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation, Focus Features and Lionsgate.
Some of the best shows available on the free tier now are Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, and Downton Abbey, and you get all seasons of each (with the exception of 30 Rock, which is missing one season). Upgrade to premium to get the complete run of older shows including Cheers, Frasier, House and Two and a Half Men. For some shows, however, you get only a recent handful of seasons or episodes, even on premium. For example, you’ll only find the first season of Chucky.
The catalog is far from complete, however. Some shows you might associate with NBC, like Friends, Seinfeld and Scrubs aren’t on Peacock, and don’t seem to be coming any time soon. So far, the most successful Peacock originals have been the Fresh Prince prequel drama, Bel-Air, The Best Man: The Final Chapters and Bravo reality shows including The Real Housewives of Miami and The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip. None have garnered quite the same buzz as other streaming platforms’ originals, such as Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney Plus or HBO Max exclusive Peacemaker.
In the Movies category, you’ll find hundreds of titles, organized by genre, franchise, or what’s new in theaters. There are helpful carousels dedicated to ’80s and ’90s nostalgia, with titles including Legend, Billy Madison, Stepmom, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Schindler’s List. And there are Peacock Originals such as Psych 3: This Is Gus.
However, Peacock’s big-name movies don’t always stick around for long. Jurassic World Dominion and Minions: The Rise of Gru are set to leave Peacock in January 2023, for example. Others that have come and gone include the Harry Potter movies, Do the Right Thing and Phantom Thread. But, you can check Peacock to see when a given title is leaving a platform.
Peacock helpfully displays Rotten Tomatoes ratings, both showing the critics’ score and the audience score. Movie thumbnails may include a red-tomato, “fresh” rating but don’t display a score if the movie is rated “rotten.” You can see the score for any movie with a Rotten Tomatoes rating, alongside the audience score, after selecting it. The platform has boasted some immediate streaming rights for theatrical releases, including Jennifer Lopez’s Marry Me, Halloween Kills and 2022’s Firestarter. In October 2022, Halloween Ends had a same-day premiere on Peacock.
Michael Myers closed out the last Halloween saga in theaters and on Peacock.
Blumhouse
‘Channels’ mixes live TV and on-demand
From Browse, you can navigate to the Channels section of the app, which is another hodgepodge of free content. Channels looks kind of like a cable box grid guide, but instead of various networks and cable channels, you get themed channels around Peacock’s programming. These include NBC News Now, Best of WWE, Dateline 24/7, True Crime, and Today: All Day. In addition to more recent programming, some channels focus on older content, from Fallon Tonight, which shows old episodes of The Tonight Show, to SNL Vault, Classic TV, and the Bob Ross Channel. There is also Spanish-language content from Telemundo.
The biggest appeal to Channels for many will likely be its live sports and news programs, which offer a decent selection of live NBC programming without the need for a subscription. These include NBC News Now, Sky News, NBC channels for major cities like New York and Los Angeles, and NBC Sports. You’ll also find NBC’s new 24-hour version of the Today Show, called Today All Day, though that includes repackaged Today segments and more lifestyle programming than straight news. However, unlike live TV streaming platforms such as YouTube TV or Hulu With Live TV, there’s no option to record programming to a DVR.
Scroll through Peacock channels for 24/7 content.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Still MIA: Mobile downloads for all
While there’s not too much to complain about in the free tier, the premium offerings still lack consistent features that competitors like Netflix and Hulu already have. Mobile downloads are still limited to Premium Plus subscribers, the service’s most expensive tier.
Should you get Peacock?
It’s free, so why not try it out? If the ads bug you or you want to watch one of the original shows, you can try out its premium tiers free for seven days as well, or find other deals depending on your platform and cable provider; some cable customers can get it for free.
Will Peacock make it onto your daily streaming routine, alongside Netflix and Hulu? Probably not, at least in the short-term. But is it a great free option for finding some older movies and shows you might have missed (or want to watch for the millionth time)? Definitely. If you don’t mind watching a few ads, it’s a fun place to explore older movies and a big mix of TV shows, and keep up with current NBC shows, reality TV, news and some live sports in one spot — especially if you’re already a cord-cutter and looking to expand your options for free.
Now playing:Watch this:How to cut the cord: 7 questions you need to answer
If you’ve forgotten your Wi-Fi password, you might be stressed out about not being able to connect to your network with a new device. You should be able to find the password on the back of your router or via your router’s web interface, but if you can’t find it that way, fortunately your computer has all your Wi-Fi passwords saved in a single place.
As long as your Windows or Mac computer has connected to that network before, its Wi-Fi password is permanently stored in your settings. It may require a bit of digging on your part, but all of the passwords are there, saved and ready to be shared with anyone who wants to connect to Wi-Fi.
Every password you’ve entered and saved on a Mac is stored in Keychain Access, the password management system for MacOS. And that includes Wi-Fi network passwords.
To start, use the search feature to open the Keychain Access app and do the following:
1. Click on System under System Keychains in the sidebar.
2. Next, click on Passwords at the top of the window.
3. Find the Wi-Fi network you want the password for and double-click on it.
4. Finally, check the box next to Show password and enter your password when prompted.
Find all your stored Wi-Fi passwords in the Keychain Access app on MacOS.
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
The password field will then show the password you used to log in to that Wi-Fi network. You can double-click in the password field to select the password and copy it to your clipboard, if needed.
How to find Wi-Fi passwords on Windows
Finding the password to the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to is simple on Windows, but getting your hands on all stored Wi-Fi passwords takes a bit of work, so we’ll discuss both methods below.
To find the password to the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to on Windows:
1. Click the Start button and then go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center (Windows 11) or Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network and Sharing Center (Windows 10).
2. Next to Connections, click your Wi-Fi network name highlighted in blue.
3. In the Wi-Fi Status page that opens, click WirelessProperties and then on the Security tab.
4. Finally, check the box next to Show characters to display your Wi-Fi network password above it.
You can easily find the password for the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to on Windows.
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
However, this isn’t the only way to find your Wi-Fi network passwords. The method above only allows you to view the password to whatever Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to, but there is a way to find the passwords to all the Wi-Fi networks you’ve ever connected to on your Windows computer.
To find all your Wi-Fi network passwords on Windows:
1. Right-click on the Windows icon in the taskbar on your desktop.
2. Click Windows Terminal (Admin).
3. Type in netsh wlan showprofile and hit Enter on your keyboard to view every Wi-Fi network you’ve connected to.
4. Once you find the Wi-Fi network you want the password for, type in netsh wlan show profile “(Wi-Fi network name)”key=clear (for example, netsh wlan show profile “Netgear667”key=clear), and then hit the Enter key.
You can use Windows Terminal to find all your Wi-Fi network passwords.
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Settings for profile, connectivity, security and cost will appear. The Wi-Fi network password will appear under Security settings, and next to Key Content. In addition to Windows Terminal, you can also use the Command Prompt application to type in the commands listed above to find your Wi-Fi passwords.
Monthly phone bills can get daunting, especially after a few years as new service fees and other administrative charges are added on when the promotional period expires. If you’re looking to save some money on your phone bill, consider a prepaid plan. Prepaid plans often have lower pricing over contract plans, and the best prepaid phone options won’t make you compromise on features. The past decade has seen remarkable changes in the world of mobile phones. From 5G connectivity to foldable screens, phone manufacturers are innovating faster than ever to capitalize on many carriers’ unlimited data, unlimited talk and unlimited text offerings.
While Samsung’s Galaxy line and Apple’s iPhone are many people’s top smartphone choice, there are other cell phone-makers gunning for their place. Android phones with facial recognition, mobile phones with extended battery life and an increasing array of camera options make for greater competition, and all of it benefits us, giving us excellent phones to choose from at a wide range of prices and plans. This includes unlocked phone options and prepaid cell phone plans, where you pay for your data (prepaid unlimited data or other data service plans) and text messages or phone calls upfront, rather than with a contract plan.
There are a ton of factors to consider when thinking about signing up for a prepaid phone on a prepaid plan. Will the cell phone plan cover as much as a monthly plan? Does the service provider have a solid network? Does the network support your Android phone or iPhone? Is there an activation fee? Will you have access to unlimited calling and texting?
Read on to see what would be the best prepaid phone for you, and check out our tips on how to buy a new phone. And for more information about prepaid carrier options and service, read our comparison of the best prepaid wireless plans at Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Boost and more. We’ll keep this list of the best prepaid phones updated periodically as we review new products.
Now playing:Watch this:What to Look for When Buying a Phone
The refined, feature-packed Note 10 Plus closes the gap with rival phones. This top-of-the-line smartphone was made for people who want the best Android. It has a killer 6.8-inch screen, an all-day battery and excellent camera tools.
Despite not having wireless charging or a headphone dongle in the box, the competitively priced OnePlus 7T is one of the first cell phones to come withAndroid 10. It also has three rear cameras that capture excellentphotos, a lightning-quick processor and it has a smooth 90Hz display. It’s available unlocked and on T-Mobile, but it also works on AT&T and Verizon’s network. OnePlus’ 7 Pro is also available unlocked from OnePlus.
As the most wallet-friendly Galaxy S10 phone, the Galaxy S10E has a lot to offer. It’s a smaller phone, which is great for those looking for a small grip, it has a superfast Snapdragon 855 chipset and a lengthy battery life. It can also wirelessly charge other phones and accessories.
The Pixel 3A shaves a few features off of last year’s Pixel 3: It’s not water-resistant, doesn’t have wireless charging, and it maxes out at 64GB of storage. But it adds a headphone jack and keeps the same amazing Night Sight camera that can shoot great photos in the dark. (Daytime photos look amazing, too.) It’s because of its great value that the smartphone recently earned a CNET Editors’ Choice.
The Moto G7 is one of the most affordable and reliable mobile phone options. Though its single speaker doesn’t offer the greatest sound, and it takes mediocre low-light photos and video, the G7 has dual rear cameras, an enduring battery and a sleek design. It also charges really quickly, which is useful when you need to juice up while on the go.
Apple plans to release a mixed-reality headset this year, but it’s indefinitely postponed development of its lightweight augmented reality glasses due to technical challenges, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
Apple’s AR glasses were expected to be released after the debut of its mixed-reality headset, which combines elements of both augmented reality and virtual reality. But now the company plans to follow this year’s release of its mixed-reality headset with a lower-cost version of the mixed-reality headset as soon as 2024 or early 2025, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with deliberations.
Unlike virtual reality, which promises to immerse goggle-wearing users in new and exciting digital worlds, AR overlays images and data atop the real world.
2023 looks like a year full of virtual reality headsets that we originally expected in 2022, including the PlayStation VR 2 and Meta Quest 3. Apple has already laid down plenty of AR clues, hinting at what its mixed-reality future could hold and has been active in AR on its own iPhones and iPads for years.
Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
You or your organization will have to pay extra for some Microsoft Teams features soon. Microsoft is moving features like live translated captions to its new premium tier of the video meeting service, called Teams Premium, coming in February.
Microsoft writes in its Teams licensing agreement that the following Teams features will move to Teams Premium:
Live translated captions.
Timeline markers in Teams meeting recordings for when a user leaves or joins meetings.
Virtual Appointments: Organizational analytics in the Teams admin center.
Virtual Appointments: Scheduled queue view.
Teams subscribers won’t immediately lose access to these features, though. Microsoft writes that there will be a 30-day grace period after Teams Premium is made available to the public for people to purchase the service’s new tier. After the grace period, only Teams Premium subscribers will have access to the features listed above.
Microsoft previously announced that starting in December, organizations could try a 30-day free trial of Teams Premium. As part of the free trial, Microsoft gives organizations 25 licenses to assign to users. Once the trial period ends, those licenses stop functioning.
Microsoft said online that Teams Premium will launch in February, but it didn’t give an exact date. Microsoft also said it expects Teams Premium to cost $10 per profile monthly.
When it comes to Bluetooth headphones, people have their preferences. Some people prefer wired headphones, some prefer in-ear headphones and some like Bluetooth over-the-ear headphones. If you fall into the last category, then we’ve got a special offer for you.
Right now on Amazon, you can save $40 on this pair of Treblab Z7 Pro headphones when you use the coupon code Z7PRONOWBACK. This coupon code is valid until Jan. 22, so you have just under five days to grab a pair and save some money.
I use these headphones to listen to music while doing chores or even doing my workouts at the gym. They’re truly noise-canceling and block out all the background sounds that distract me from the task I’m focusing on. Besides that, the headphones deliver great audio without overwhelming my ears.
With these headphones, you get 45 hours of playtime, stereo sound, touch controls, and USB-C fast-charging capabilities. The headphones are also comfortable to wear — they’re made with soft leather and memory foam. When you aren’t using them, they fold neatly into the provided carrying pouch, which is pretty sleek and can fit easily into your backpack or purse.
Apple introduced new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros on Tuesday that feature the company’s new M2 Pro and M2 Max processors. The new models share the same design and starting prices as their predecessors, but Apple promises better performance and longer battery life with the new chips that replace the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips in the previous versions.
The new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro starts at $1,999, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro starts at $2,499. The new machines are available now, and orders will start shipping on Jan. 24. The previous M1 Pro MacBook Pro models are still available at Amazon and other online retailers. You can save $300 or more on the 14- and 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pros at Amazon right now.
The next-newest MacBooks in Apple’s lineup are the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro based on the M2 chip, which were released last summer. The updated MacBook Air is bigger than the previous model, and a bit faster as well. Along with a bigger 13.6-inch display and M2 processor, however, comes a higher price. Gone is the $999 starting price; the new M2 MacBook Air line starts at $1,199. The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 chip starts at the same $1,299 list price as the previous generation.
You can save $200 on the M2 MacBook Air at Best Buy — we’ve not seen it for less than its current $999 price. And you can spend even less to get the previous-generation MacBook Air with the M1 chip and 13.3-inch display for $899 at Amazon — a savings of $100.
US pricing for Apple MacBooks
While Amazon, Adorama and Best Buy have the best prices at the moment, one benefit to paying full price and buying from Apple is that you can customize the machine and add more RAM or a higher-capacity solid-state drive. The models sold by Amazon and other retailers are fixed configurations.
Want to go the refurbished route? You can find refurbished MacBooks on Apple’s Certified Refurbished Mac page. Refurb inventory changes rapidly so you may not always see the latest MacBook Air or Pro listed. It’s worth keeping an eye out, however, because you can lock in substantial savings, up to $200. Rick Broida, CNET’s Cheapskate emeritus, is a big fan of refurbs, particularly Apple’s — which are often as good as new.
Keep reading to see the best MacBook laptop deals currently available for Apple’s current and previous-generation MacBooks. We update this list periodically.
MacBook discounts, compared
Model w/ CPU (and storage capacity)
List price
Best price (current)
Best price (all-time)
MacBook Air w/ M1 chip (256GB)
$999
$899
$750
MacBook Air w/ M1 chip (512GB)
$1,199
$1,199
$1,000
MacBook Air w/ M2 chip (256GB)
$1,199
$999
$999
MacBook Air w/ M2 chip (512GB)
$1,499
$1,299
$1,299
13-inch MacBook Pro w/ M2 chip (256GB)
$1,299
$1,149
$1,099
13-inch MacBook Pro w/ M2 chip (512GB)
$1,499
$1,349
$1,299
14-inch MacBook Pro w/ M1 Pro chip (512GB)
$1,999
$1,899
$1,500
14-inch MacBook Pro w/ M1 Pro chip (1TB)
$2,499
$2,144
$2,000
16-inch Macbook Pro w/ M1 Pro chip (512GB)
$2,499
$2,199
$2,000
16-inch Macbook Pro w/ M1 Pro chip (1TB)
$2,699
$2,399
$2,200
14-inch MacBook Pro w/ M2 Pro chip (512GB)
$1,999
$1,999
$1,999
14-inch MacBook Pro w/ M2 Pro chip (1TB)
$2,499
$2,499
$2,499
16-inch Macbook Pro w/ M2 Pro chip (512GB)
$2,499
$2,499
$2,499
16-inch Macbook Pro w/ M2 Pro chip (1TB)
$2,699
$2,699
$2,699
*Note that “all-time” means the best price that we’ve seen at an Apple-authorized retailer in the product’s lifetime. Prices change frequently and may differ between color variants.
The MacBook Air from 2020 features Apple’s M1 processor, which has an eight-core CPU, a seven-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. The M1 MacBook Air starts at $999 from Apple and features 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It lacks the Touch Bar (which could be viewed as a positive), and does have a 13.3-inch Retina display, Touch ID and the Magic keyboard. The step-up model costs $1,199 from Apple and doubles the solid-state storage to 512GB. You can save $100 on the 256GB model at Amazon and Adorama right now.
In addition to receiving the second-gen Apple silicon chip, the M2 MacBook Air boasts a larger 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display and is available in two new colors: starlight and midnight. It also ditches the Air’s tapered wedge shape and now looks more like the squared-off, slablike Pro models. The webcam has also been upgraded to a 1080p resolution for better video calls. At Apple, the M2 Air starts at $1,199, which is $200 more than the previous model. It features an M2 processor with an eight-core CPU and eight-core GPU, 8GB of memory and a 256GB SSD. The step-up $1,499 model has an M2 chip with an eight-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 8GB of memory and a 512GB SSD.
The baseline 256GB model is selling at its lowest price yet at Best Buy — only $999. You can also save $200 on the 512GB model at Best Buy.
Aside from the new M2 chip, the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro remains mostly unchanged from the previous iteration. It’s now the only laptop in the updated Apple lineup that has the generally disliked Touch Bar. It also lacks the new MagSafe charger and offers the same two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports for both charging and peripherals. Pricing remains the same as the previous series. The baseline model costs $1,299 and features 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. The step-up $1,499 model doubles the SSD to 512GB.
You can save $150 on either the 256GB or 512GB model at Amazon and B&H — that’s $50 more than the lowest price we’ve seen for it.
The baseline model of the previous-generation 14-inch MacBook Pro costs $1,999 and features an M1 Pro chip (eight-core CPU, 14-core GPU), 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The $2,499 step-up model features a higher-power version of the chip with 10 CPU cores and 16 GPU cores, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display has a 3,024×1,964-pixel resolution.
You can save $100 on the baseline model at Amazon right now, which is only a fraction of the $400 price break at Best Buy last week. We’d wait for a larger discount to return or spend the extra $100 for the new M2 Pro machine. Need more storage? The M1 Pro model with a 1TB SSD is a good deal at its current $354 discount at Amazon.
The baseline model of the previous-generation 16-inch MacBook Pro lists for $2,499 and features an M1 Pro chip (10-core CPU, 16-core GPU), 16GB of RAM and a 512B SSD. There are two step-up models: The $2,699 model upgrades the storage to a 1TB SSD, and the $3,499 model features the M1 Max chip, which bumps up to a 32-core GPU, as well as 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display packs 3,456×2,234 pixels.
You can save $300 on the 512GB model at Amazon. The 1TB model is also $300 off.
The baseline model of the new 14-inch MacBook Pro costs $1,999 and features Apple’s latest M2 Pro processor (10-core CPU and 16-core GPU), 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The step-up model costs $2,499 and doubles the storage to 1TB while featuring an M2 Pro with a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU. There’s also an M2 Max model that costs $3,099 with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The M2 Max is a 12-core CPU, 30-core GPU processor.
Apple says the performance from the M2 Pro chip is up to 40% faster than the previous M1 Pro in Photoshop image processing, and that the M2 Max can do effects rendering in Cinema 4D and color grading in DaVinci Resolve up to 30% faster than the M1 Max. Apple promises the battery will last up to 22 hours, which the company says is “the longest battery life ever in a Mac.” The MacBook Pro also adds Wi-Fi 6E, up from Wi-Fi 6, and an HDMI connection that now supports 8K displays up to 60Hz and 4K displays up to 240Hz.
The baseline model of the new 16-inch MacBook Pro costs $2,499 and features Apple’s latest M2 Pro processor (12-core CPU and 19-core GPU), 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The step-up model costs $2,699 and doubles the storage to 1TB. There’s also an M2 Max model that costs $3,499 with a 12-core CPU, 38-core GPU M2 Max processor, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
Fourteen teams entered this past “Super Wild Card Weekend” with Super Bowl hopes. After Monday’s Cowboys beatdown of the Buccaneers, only eight remain (the top-seeded Eagles and Chiefs had byes). This weekend brings four more games as the postseason field continues its winnowing process, with two games on Saturday and two on Sunday. The winners of each contest will advance to next weekend’s Conference Championship round.
Here’s how you can watch all the action this weekend and throughout the rest of the playoffs, with or without cable.
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are the top seed in the AFC.
Chris Unger/Getty Images
What is the NFL schedule this weekend?
As mentioned there are games scattered throughout the weekend. Here’s the remaining schedule:
Saturday, Jan. 21
Jaguars vs. Chiefs, 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) on NBC and Peacock
Giants vs. Eagles, 8:15 p.m. ET (5:15 p.m. PT) on Fox
Sunday, Jan. 22
Bengals vs. Bills, 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT) on CBS and Paramount Plus
Cowboys vs. 49ers, 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT) on Fox
What does the NFL bracket look like?
There were 14 teams in the NFL playoffs, with the Chiefs as the top seed in the AFC and the Eagles as the top seed in the NFC. Both of those teams have a bye this round and automatically advance to the Divisional Round this weekend. Here is how the full bracket looks heading into the Divisional Round.
Are games available in 4K?
As spotted by The TV Answer Man, Fox will be broadcasting its games in 4K, assuming you have the proper setup. To get the game in its best resolution, you’ll need to have service from a company that offers 4K broadcasts (DirecTV, Dish, Comcast, Optimum and Verizon Fios are some traditional cable/satellite companies that offer 4K) or a 4K-capable plan on a streaming service like YouTube TV or FuboTV.
If you don’t have a 4K set-top box but have a login to a cable or satellite provider, you can watch in 4K using the Fox Sports or Fox Now apps.
When is the Super Bowl and which network will broadcast it?
Super Bowl 57 will take place on Sunday, Feb. 12, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (the home of the Arizona Cardinals).
This year’s game will air on Fox, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT).
What are my streaming options for NFL games?
Paying for cable is the easiest solution, but not the cheapest. For cord-cutters looking to save some money, NFL football streaming options can get complicated, with games played across three different days and nights each week on different channels and streaming services. For the remainder of the playoffs, games will be shown on CBS, Fox, and NBC as well as on streaming services like Paramount Plus (CBS games) and Peacock (NBC games).
There are three other streaming services that cord-cutting NFL fans should consider. The paid Premium plan of Paramount Plus will show CBS games, and the paid Premium plan of Peacock will show NBC’s broadcasts.
Wait, there’s one more streaming service to consider for the remainder of the year. Prior to the season, the NFL launched a new streaming service for watching games on your phone or tablet — no casting to your TV. In past years, you could do this for free with the Yahoo Sports app, but now you’ll need to pay $5 a month or $40 for the season for the NFL Plus subscription. With it, you’ll be able to watch every local game on Sunday and the national games on Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights as well as the playoffs and Super Bowl — again, only on your phone or tablet.
Best for everything: YouTube TV ($65)
Sarah Tew/CNET
Our pick from the last two years remains our go-to choice in 2022.
At $65 per month each, YouTube TV checks all the NFL boxes. Local channels CBS, NBC and Fox are included in many markets, and ESPN and the NFL Network are also included so you can watch all the football action. The next best options are FuboTV and Hulu Plus Live TV; both offer the same channels as YouTube TV for NFL fans, but for $70 a month.
Both YouTube TV and FuboTV allow three people to watch at once (Hulu allows two live streams) and all three have apps on nearly every mobile device and major streaming platform, including Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, Roku and Apple TV.
While all three are largely similar, we like YouTube TV for its superior DVR — unlimited storage compared with 30 hours on FuboTV and 50 hours on Hulu. We also like YouTube TV because it gives you the option to stream in 4K for an extra $20 a month. FuboTV does, too, with its $80-a-month Elite plan. Keep in mind that only Fox and NBC have offered 4K NFL broadcasts; CBS and ESPN do not.
DirecTV Stream offers the main broadcast channels for NFL games, but it starts at $70 per month.
Sling TV’s Orange and Blue plan for $55 a month gets you ESPN and the NFL Network, and, in select major markets, Fox and/or NBC, but you’ll still lack CBS.
Budget alternative for NFC fans in big cities: Sling Blue ($40) or antenna ($20 one-time)
Sarah Tew/CNET
Those looking to save some cash might want to check out Sling Blue for $40 a month. While it lacks ESPN, meaning you’ll miss out on Monday Night Football, in select markets you’ll be able to get Fox and NBC. The catch is that those markets are mainly in big cities, so if you live outside one of those areas, Sling Blue might not be for you.
Fox broadcasts most NFC games on Sundays, while NBC has Sunday Night Football. CBS, which broadcasts the bulk of AFC games, isn’t included on Sling at all. But an antenna can fill those local channel gaps without a monthly charge.
Budget alternatives for AFC fans: Paramount Plus (or an antenna)
Sarah Tew/CNET
There are some apps that offer CBS’ slate of Sunday AFC games live, including Paramount Plus’ Premium tier for $10 per month. Depending on where you live, however, your local CBS station (and those NFL games) might not be available. CBS offers livestreaming services in many markets; you can check for yourself if your area has live CBS streaming here.
An antenna is another option for getting CBS. And as we mentioned above, an over-the-air antenna connected to your TV provides all major football channels — ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC — with no streaming or monthly fee required, as long as you have good reception.
For $65 a month, you’ll get all the major football channels with YouTube TV. Plug in your ZIP code on YouTube TV’s welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.
Sling TV’s $40-a-month Blue plan includes NBC, Fox and the NFL Network. Enter your address here to see which local channels are available where you live.
Note: This version of Sling TV does not include ESPN. For that, you’ll need to switch to the similarly priced Orange plan or go for the combined $55 per month Orange and Blue bundle.
Those looking for CBS’ Sunday games will be able to stream them on Paramount Plus with its $10 per month Premium tier. You can check for yourself if your area has live CBS streaming here.
If you’ve got an iPhone that is slow to charge, has trouble maintaining a charge throughout the day or is unexpectedly shutting down, you might need to get your iPhone battery replaced.
So how do you find out if you really do need to replace your battery? We’ll show you how to check out your battery’s health via your iPhone settings, as well as what you can do to prolong your battery’s lifespan.
Your iPhone battery becomes less effective over time, but you could also have a faulty battery on a brand-new iPhone. To quickly check if there’s an issue with your battery health, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. If you’re running anything below iOS 16.1, the latter will appear as just Battery Health.
At the top, you’ll see the maximum capacity of your battery, which should be 100%, or close to it, if you have a relatively new iPhone.
However, what you want to look at is Peak Performance Capability and the sentence underneath that. If you see Your battery is currently supporting normal peakperformance, you don’t have any recognized battery issues and you shouldn’t need a replacement.
Check what it says under Peak Performance Capability to learn if you need to replace your battery.
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Do you need to replace your iPhone battery?
If you see any of the following messages, you may need to replace your battery, or at the very least make an appointment with Apple or an authorized service provider to check your battery out:
This iPhone has experienced an unexpected shutdown because the battery was unable to deliver the necessary peak power. Performance management has been applied to help prevent this from happening again, or You have manually disabled performance management protections.
This iPhone is unable to determine battery health. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can service the battery. More about service options.
Your battery’s health is significantly degraded. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can replace the battery to restore full performance and capacity. More about service options.
Depending on whether you have insurance (third-party or AppleCare Plus) or not, you may not have to spend any money at all to replace your iPhone’s battery. If your iPhone is new, you have at least a one-year warranty to replace a defective battery. If you do not have insurance, Apple charges an estimated $49 to $99 to replace your battery. Additionally, you can check out the Apple Service Programs page to see if any replacement or repair programs are available for your device.
You can even replace your own battery.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Is there anything you can do to prolong your iPhone battery’s life?
The quicker you go through your daily battery life, the quicker your battery’s overall lifespan degrades, so here are some tips to follow, according to Apple:
Update to the latest software available.
Adjust your screen brightness (manually or automatically) as needed.
Use Wi-Fi when available.
Enable Low Power Mode as needed.
Turn off Background App Refresh (overall or an on a per-app basis).
Turn off Location Services (overall or on a per-app basis).
Turn off Allow Notifications.
Turn on Airplane Mode when applicable.
When you charge your phone with your computer, make sure your computer is plugged in.
You can toggle on auto-brightness (left) and prevent apps from refreshing in the background (right) to improve your battery life and lifespan.
