If you have an iPhone, then you know that your display brightness will automatically adjust from time to time, depending on the amount of light in your environment. It’s a useful feature that should prevent eye strain and make your screen easier to see, but that’s not always the case.
The problem might be that your display automatically dims down even when you’re out in the sun, because you’re partially in the shade, and that can make it difficult to see what’s on your screen. If you manually increase the brightness, it’ll just go back down again because of auto-brightness. Unfortunately, fixing this issue isn’t always as easy as toggling off this setting — although that’s a good start.
In this guide, we’ll show you two settings that you need to disable to help prevent your iPhone from automatically dimming. And how your iPhone might adjust its brightness, even when those two settings are disabled, if you’re not careful.
Yes, this may seem a bit obvious, but the first thing you want to do is to make sure that you have automatic brightness disabled in your settings. The feature is pretty self-explanatory — it automatically adjusts your brightness depending on the light in your environment. But if you want to prevent your display from always trying to adjust, you must disable this feature.
In the Settings application, go to Accessibility > Display & Text Size and toggle off Auto-Brightness at the bottom of the page. You would think that this setting would exist in Display & Brightness, so it’s not uncommon that auto-brightness would be enabled without you really knowing, since it’s tucked away in Accessibility.
Auto-Brightness is tucked away in the Accessibility settings.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
If your brightness continues to automatically adjust, there’s another setting you need to disable.
You also need to turn off True Tone
If you have an iPhone SE (2nd generation) and later, the True Tone feature has the ability to measure the color temperature and brightness in your environment and then adjust its display to match it. True Tone is useful — it not only helps show more accurate colors across various lighting situations, it’s also easier on the eyes, which you need if you’re constantly reading on your phone.
Again, if you don’t care about the feature, don’t use it or are simply annoyed that your brightness continues to automatically adjust, you need to disable it. In Settings, go to Display & Brightness and toggle off True Tone under the Brightness header. As long as auto-brightness is also disabled, turning True Tone off should prevent your iPhone from automatically adjusting your brightness.
If Auto-Brightness is disabled and your display continues to adjust on its own, this may be the culprit.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
There is one exception though.
Don’t let your iPhone overheat
Your iPhone has several ways of protecting its internal components, and that includes automatically dimming your display. Even if you have both auto-brightness and True Tone turned off, if your iPhone is overheating it will automatically adjust the display intensity.
According to Apple, to help prevent this from happening, you should use your iPhone in temperatures between 32 to 95 degrees F (zero and 35 degrees C) and store it in temperatures between 4 and 113 degrees F (between 20 below zero and 45 degrees C). If you leave your iPhone in your car or on the sidewalk on a hot day, there’s a good chance that it will overheat, thus causing your display to automatically dim.
You’ll see a warning message if your phone gets too hot.
Jason Cipriani/CNET
However, overheating doesn’t occur only because of a sunny day. A faulty battery could cause your iPhone to overheat: Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging and check if your battery needs to be replaced. Another reason could be buggy software: Go to Settings > General > Software Update and more sure to always be on the latest update to deal with any software bugs and issues.
Samsung launched cheaper “Fan Edition” versions of its flagship phones for the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S21. But a rumor suggests the Galaxy S22 FE may have been canceled.
Why it matters
Samsung’s smartphone lineup already has plenty of options, making the Galaxy S21 FE seem lost in the shuffle. It should focus on its flagship Galaxy S and midtier Galaxy A phones instead.
What’s next
Samsung is expected to introduce the Galaxy S23 lineup in early 2023.
Samsung offers a wide variety of Galaxy phones, and the company’s selection is expected to grow on Feb. 1 at the next Samsung Unpacked event. From the gigantic Galaxy S22 Ultra to the pocketable Galaxy Z Flip 4, there’s already a lot of options to consider if one is looking for a new Samsung phone. But there’s one way Samsung could simplify things: Skip the Galaxy S22 FE.
Don’t get me wrong; the Galaxy S21 FE (short for “fan edition”) has plenty going for it. When I reviewed the phone last year, I was impressed with its decent battery life and solid camera for its $700 price. However, it risked getting lost in Samsung’s lineup once the Galaxy S22 launched. And I was right. If Samsung does have a successor to the Galaxy S21 FE in the works, rebranding it as a more premium Galaxy A phone would be a wiser move.
Samsung previously launched its FE phones in the fall or January. However, with Samsung weeks away from its presumed Galaxy S23 event, we’ve yet to hear an official word from Samsung on whether there will be a successor to the Galaxy S21 FE. A rumor from the blog SamMobile published this summer suggests Samsung may have canceled the Galaxy S22 FE, and I can understand why. Between the $800 Galaxy S22 and $450 Galaxy A53 5G, it was too hard for the Galaxy S21 FE to stand out. With the Galaxy S23 lineup potentially right around the corner, a Galaxy S22 FE could face the same fate.
The Galaxy S20 FE.
Juan Garzon/CNET
The Galaxy S21 FE lacks what made the Galaxy S20 FE so special
The 2020 Galaxy S20 FE had a major advantage that the Galaxy S21 FE lacks: a sizable gap in price compared to Samsung’s Galaxy S phone. The Galaxy S20 launched at $1,000, making the $700 Galaxy S20 FE feel like a significant bargain. It earned a CNET Editors’ Choice in 2020, with Andy Lanxon writing that its “great balance of performance and value” makes it a better value proposition than the S20 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra.
There are a couple of reasons why the Galaxy S21 FE didn’t strike the same chord. Samsung’s lineup and the broader smartphone landscape were different in 2020. While 5G support, multiple camera lenses and screens with higher refresh rates were starting to trickle down to cheaper devices, these features were considered premium just one year earlier in 2019. Remember the Galaxy S10 5G? Samsung’s first 5G-ready phone commanded a high price of $1,300 when it launched through Verizon in spring 2019.
Things changed the following year in 2020. Every device in the Galaxy S20 lineup supported 5G, but that also meant a higher starting price of $1,000. With that in mind the 5G-equipped S20 FE, which also has a triple-lens camera and speedy processor, was a great alternative for cost-conscious shoppers that didn’t want to make big sacrifices on quality.
In other words, the Galaxy S20 FE came at just the right time and the right price. I can’t say the same for the Galaxy S21 FE. It launched roughly one month before Samsung introduced the Galaxy S22, which offers superior camera quality, a more refined design and a newer processor. The Galaxy S20, on the other hand, debuted in September 2020, which meant it had a longer runway before the Galaxy S21’s arrival in January 2021. Samsung also now faces increased competition from Google, which has been pricing its Pixel phones aggressively compared to Samsung. Google’s main flagship phone, the Pixel 7, launched at just $600 in October.
At the same time, the Galaxy S21 FE does have advantages over the S22, particularly for people who prefer larger phones. But the differences aren’t drastic enough to prevent it from being overshadowed by the S22 and phones from competitors like Google.
Pricing is another important factor. It’s great that Samsung dropped the price of the S21 compared to the S20, but the problem is that it didn’t lower the Galaxy S21 FE’s price to match. The Galaxy S20 FE was $300 cheaper than the Galaxy S20, while the S21 FE costs only $100 less than the Galaxy S21 did at launch.
The Galaxy S21 FE feels more like an A-series phone
Samsung’s Galaxy A53 5G (left) and Galaxy S21 FE (right).
Samsung
The Galaxy S21 FE would feel right at home in Samsung’s lineup of midrange and budget devices, aka the Galaxy A series. These phones are usually significantly cheaper than those in the Galaxy S line and inherit certain features like large displays, multiple cameras and 5G, while compromising elsewhere.
It’s an approach that’s seemingly paid off so far. Samsung’s $180 Galaxy A12 was one of the world’s top-selling phones in 2021, according to Counterpoint Research. No phones from the Galaxy S series made the list. Separate data from Counterpoint Research provided to CNET also suggests A-series phones accounted for 58% of Samsung’s smartphone sales last year.
If the Galaxy S21 FE launched at a slightly cheaper price — perhaps priced around $600 — it would have made a great upper-tier Galaxy A phone. Both the Galaxy S21 FE and A53 5G have big screens, very similar designs, regular and ultrawide camera lenses and high resolution front cameras, making them feel like they’re aimed at a similar audience.
The Galaxy S21 FE has an edge in performance and camera quality, making it a solid choice for those who need more than the Galaxy A53 has to offer at a lower price than the S22. Dropping the price to $600 would also put the phone right between the $450 Galaxy A53 5G and $800 Galaxy S22. If it were branded as an A-series phone, the Galaxy S21 FE could be a worthwhile alternative to the Galaxy A73 in markets where that device isn’t available. The Galaxy A73 5G is the Galaxy A series’ top-tier phone with a 108-megapixel camera, but it’s only available in select regions such as Australia and India.
Samsung hasn’t shared details about its future smartphone plans, so it’s unclear whether it will continue the FE line. But dropping the FE’s price and possibly moving it over to its Galaxy A series could go a long way in boosting its appeal. It wouldn’t be the first time Samsung has merged two of its phone brands recently. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, for example, has essentially replaced the company’s previous Galaxy Note phones, which stood out for their giant screens and included stylus.
Otherwise, the Galaxy S22 FE could end up like Samsung’s current “fan edition” phone and struggle to find its place.
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 FE looks almost exactly like the Galaxy S21
For the last few years, I’ve joined a bunch of friends in online D&D through the Roll20 app. We talk out the story scenarios, and then move our pieces on a giant grid map for tactical battles. Nintendo’s latest Fire Emblem game, Fire Emblem: Engage, gives me that same feeling on the go in a solo adventure.
Fire Emblem is a super long-standing Nintendo series going all the way back to the Game Boy Advance. I loved playing the chess-like turn-based battles back then, which were similar to another Nintendo series, Advance Wars (which should be getting a remake release this year). There are already multiple Fire Emblem titles on the Switch. Two are massive-scale battle games (Fire Emblem Warriors and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, which I’m not wild about) and one a complicated social RPG with lots of relationships to manage, and some tactical battles too (Fire Emblem: Three Houses, which is great but a lot to take in).
Fire Emblem Engage cuts down on the social stuff but still has dozens of characters you align with and fight battles with, through a number of chapter-based skirmishes that take about a half hour per fight to complete. I like the streamlined approach to Engage, because I lose patience with Fire Emblem’s characters and storylines (sorry!). I’m mainly in it for the battle strategy.
Battles take place on a series of flat, chess-like maps, but attack scenes play out with close-up animations, similar to Pokemon games.
Nintendo
You can focus on these chapters or dig around and work on optimizing relationships with characters or improving gear. A little home-base town called Somniel is where you can buy new gear, talk to people and adopt pets (weird, but true). It reminds me of the way Kirby and the Forgotten Land has its home hub before diving into new game levels.
Engage’s story that spans a multi-island map and involves collecting rings that contain the spirits of classic Fire Emblem characters like Marth and Roy (who you might also know from Super Smash Bros., and elsewhere), who fight with your party and activate extra attack powers. Knowing how to smartly heal, attack with the right person and weapon, and align your group is how battles are won.
Chapters with battle scenes involve moving to places within range and making sure your party attacks with the right skills.
Nintendo
Fire Emblem games have two modes: one in which dead party members are revived after each battle, and one in which there’s permadeath. If someone dies, that’s it. I’m a coward, and can’t deal with people dying, so I don’t choose permadeath. But it’s probably the more rewarding and higher-investment way to play.
After hours of playing so far, I feel compelled enough to keep seeing what battles come next… but I don’t feel like this is my favorite Switch game. There are so many amazing RPGs and adventures the Switch already has to offer: Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Octopath Traveler, Pokemon Legends Arceus. If you want tactical turn-based strategy RPGs, there’s also last year’s Triangle Strategy. Fire Emblem: Engage feels like a return to the Fire Emblem games I used to play, though, and for that alone I appreciate it. Just know that if you want an even deeper and more social universe with similar battle structures, go with Fire Emblem: Three Houses instead.
Odds are you know what Costco is, but you may not already be a member. You may be curious as to whether it’s worth it or not to spend $60 or more a year to shop somewhere, but the truth is that the membership easily pays for itself for most Costco shoppers. As a one-stop-shop, there’s a lot to buy and a lot of money to be saved by signing up for your own Costco membership.
The most obvious advantage to joining Costco is the opportunity to stock up on necessities such as groceries, electronics and more in bulk at affordable prices. But did you know about the different types of Costco membership and the additional perks just waiting for you?
Even after being a member for a year, I had no idea how much value was built into my membership. But now that I do, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about Costco membership perks so you can save every visit. If you want to learn how to save at other retailers, check out our additional shopping tips to save at Best Buy Outlet and Amazon’s subscribe and save.
How to sign up for a Costco membership
Before I dive into the perks of a Costco membership, you should know you have the option to sign up for one of two Costco memberships. There’s the Executive Gold Star membership for $120, and the Gold Star membership for $60.
In order to get a Costco membership, you need:
1. A membership number (you’ll get an email from Costco when you register online)
2. Valid government-issued photo ID
Both of these are needed when you visit a membership counter in person to fully sign up. You can also just do what I did, and sign up in person by skipping the online membership number. Only do the prelim scheduling if you want to save some time in line; either way, you have to go in person to complete the membership process.
When you sign up and it’s confirmed, you’ll take a picture and have a Costco card in minutes. Plus, the Executive Gold Star and Gold Star membership comes with one free card for anyone over the age of 18 who lives at the same address.
A few Costco perks that are available to both Gold Star and Executive Gold Star memberships.
Costco
Although you’ll save every time you shop at Costco with either membership, there are differences between the two. As a Gold Star member, you have “everyday value” access. This includes:
1. 100% satisfaction guarantee.
2. Two membership cards.
3. Ability to shop online and in warehouses worldwide.
A Costco Executive Gold Star member gets all three perks from the Gold membership and two additional perks:
1. Costco services discounts (e.g. auto insurance program, home insurance).
2. A 2% annual reward up to $1,000 on eligible Costco and Costco travel purchases.
No matter which membership you choose, you’ll get Costco gasoline, electronics and appliances, prescription, tires and grocery delivery at cheaper prices.
Get 2% back, here’s how
The 2% annual reward is capped at $1,000 for one year. Only purchases made by the primary household member will apply toward the reward. If the primary cardholder is no longer on the account, their purchases will not apply to the reward. About three months before your renewal, you’ll get the 2% reward.
Annual 2% rewards breakdown is easy to understand for Executive members.
Costco
How to upgrade to an Executive Gold membership
Maybe you’re already a Gold Star member and you want to upgrade to the Executive membership. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Costco will prorate the upgrade based on the months remaining in your previous membership.
2. Any purchases made before the upgrade doesn’t count toward your 2% reward.
3. The following year, you’ll be charged the full $120.
4. And if you want to upgrade, you can visit the membership counter at any Costco to do so.
Which membership is best for you?
To answer this question, ask yourself how much money on average you think you’ll spend at Costco. If you’re not shopping at Costco regularly, then regular Gold Star membership is likely the better option. However, if you’re buying in bulk, plan on making your shopping trips exclusive to Costco, and if you want to earn rewards, then the Executive Gold Star membership is your go-to for extra savings.
Since you’re aware of the perks available to you, now you’re ready to become a Costco member or upgrade for more rewards. To save money at other retailers, read our other shopping tips on getting Costco delivered without a membership and getting your money back with this holiday return policy cheat sheet.
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It’s only been a few months since the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds II came to the market in September at a retail price of $300. When we tried out these headphones, we were very happy with the quality but not too happy with the price tag.
While the price dipped to around $229 last month just before the holidays, it shot back up at the end of December. Now, these headphones are down to $250 today at Amazon. You get to save $50 on what we’ve rated the best-in-class noise-cancelling earbuds on the market.
These earbuds have excellent sound and are significantly smaller than their predecessor. A new fit kit with upgraded ear tips and a stabilizer system offers a secure and comfortable fit. Along with improved noise cancellation, you’ll get improved voice calling and better noise reduction.
The buds will play music for up to 6 hours nonstop. When you aren’t using them, store them safely in a portable charging case that’s small enough to fit into most pockets. Just 20 minutes of charge will provide up to two hours of listening time.
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.
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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.
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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.
