If you’re in the market for a new smartwatch and have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is the best option. In fact, the latest Apple Watch Series 9 is one of the best smartwatches period, and now you can put one on your wrist with a massive $90 discount thanks to a limited-time deal Best Buy. This promotion drops Series 9 configurations to within $10 of their lowest prices ever, but you only have until the end of the day to score the savings.
Right now you can order a new Apple Watch Series 9 in the 41mm size at the retailer for just $309 and the 45mm version is now yours for just $339, too. There are multiple colors on offer across both sizes as well as discounts on cellular-enabled models. Unlike some previous promotions, you don’t have to be a My Best Buy member to get in on this deal.
The Apple Watch Series 9 was just released in fall 2023 and has been upgraded with a new S9 chipset, the first meaningful processor change since the Apple Watch Series 6, for improved speed and power efficiency. The device also features a new Double Tap gesture that opens up some one-handed use possibilities, while also being the first model to include on-device Siri commands. Ultra Wideband capabilities and a brighter display are also on board.
Buyers can look forward to an App Store full of possibilities including health tracking, games, and more. With Apple Pay support you can make payments on the go even if you don’t have your wallet or iPhone, too.
For more savings on the Apple Watch, be sure to hit up our dedicated Apple Watch deals roundup for the latest discounts and promotions.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games that you can play on your Xbox Series X or Series S, Xbox One and PC for $17 a month. With a subscription, you get new games every month — like the gaming world’s latest obsession, Palworld — and other benefits, like online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.
Last month, Game Pass Ultimate added the instant phenomenon Palworld, which already has 7 million players, and it continues to add new titles. Here are the games coming to the service soon.
Resident Evil 3
Available now.
About a month after Game Pass Ultimate added the award-winning RE2 remake to its library, subscribers can now play the next Resident Evil remake as well. RE3 puts you back in the shoes of Jill Valentine as she attempts to escape from the zombie outbreak that’s taken over Raccoon City. You’ll have to solve puzzles and figure out the best routes of escape in this survival horror game, all while being stalked by the walking weapon Nemesis.
Madden NFL 24
Available now.
The Super Bowl is over, but with Madden NFL 24 on Game Pass Ultimate you can keep playing football all year round. The latest installment in the football franchise introduces some new gameplay mechanics, like an upgraded passing system that adds jump and dive passes to your arsenal. Your in-game playbook has also been expanded, putting more than 70 new formations and at least 500 new plays at your disposal. So if you’re not thrilled that the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl 58 — or you think they should have won by more — now’s your chance to take your team to the championship.
Train Sim World 4
Available now.
If you’re a fan of model trains, but don’t have the space in your home for the tracks — or a means to finance the hobby — you should give Train Sim World 4 a try. In this game, you can learn how to operate a train and take it across countries like Australia, Germany and the US. You can run different scenarios where you can change things like the weather en route for an added challenge, or you can go into Free Roam and ride the rails however you want.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Available: Feb. 14
This game makes its return to Game Pass Ultimate almost three years after it was removed from the service. This Metroidvania-style game was developed by Koji Igarashi, a former Castlevania series producer, and it feels like another installment in that series. You’ll explore a castle, solve puzzles and use magic and physical weapons to rid the land of monsters and demons.
A Little to the Left
Available: Feb. 15
This cozy puzzle game will have you stacking documents, sorting postcards and cleaning areas.
“A Little to the Left is all about tidying messes into pleasing arrangements, without worrying about timers or fail-states,” Anne Macmillan, co-founder of developer Max Inferno, told Xbox.com. “It’s peaceful and accessible, with simple controls that anyone can quickly understand.”
Just as you think you’ve solved these puzzles, though, a playful cat may come along and mess up your progress. But so it goes. You’re not racing against a clock, so solve the puzzle again and hope the cat minds its own business.
PlateUp!
Available: Feb. 15
Have you thought about starting your own restaurant, or just caught up on The Bear and want more chaos? If so, you should give this a try. PlateUp! is a cooking action game that lets you experience the ups and downs of the restaurant business without any of the financial risk. You design your restaurant and kitchen, cook up dishes and plan out who’s working which shift so your new place thrives.
Return to Grace
Available: Feb. 20
This narrative adventure game puts you in the boots of a space archaeologist who’s just discovered the resting place of an AI god named Grace. Your goal now is to befriend Grace’s fractured variants and discover why the AI was shut down in the first place.
Titles leaving Game Pass
While you’ll be able to play the above games on Game Pass Ultimate in the coming weeks, there are a few titles that are leaving the service on Feb. 15. You have some time to finish any side quests, but once these titles are gone you’ll have to buy them separately.
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Matt ElliottSenior Editor
Matt Elliott is a senior editor at CNET with a focus on laptops and streaming services. Matt has more than 20 years of experience testing and reviewing laptops. He has worked for CNET in New York and San Francisco and now lives in New Hampshire. When he’s not writing about laptops, Matt likes to play and watch sports. He loves to play tennis and hates the number of streaming services he has to subscribe to in order to watch the various sports he wants to watch.
CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.Read how we test products and services.
The MSI Cyborg 15 is one of the most affordable ways to get an Nvidia GeForce RTX 40-series gaming laptop. It’s an entry-level model with a basic, 15.6-inch, 1080p, 144Hz display powered by a 13th-gen Core H-series CPU with RTX 4050 graphics. The Cyborg 15 offers few frills and a level of performance that lags behind other budget gaming laptops with higher-wattage RTX 4050 GPUs, but it provides playable frame rates for anyone looking for a gaming laptop on the tightest of budgets.
It’s not uncommon to find an RTX 4050 gaming laptop for less than $1,000, but such a machine rarely dips as low as $800. And that’s nearly what the MSI Cyborg 15 is from Amazon. At the time of this review, it was available for $869 but was as low as $812 a month ago. The Cyborg 15 isn’t a good buy at its list price of $1,000 but becomes more attractive as the price inches closer to $800. The thing is, better budget gaming models also go on sale. For instance, an RTX 4050-based Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is a better deal at its frequent sale price of $850 or $900 at Best Buy. And an RTX 4060-based MSI Cyborg 15 model at Best Buy can sometimes be had for only $750.
MSI Cyborg 15 A13VE-218US
Price as reviewed
$869
Display size/resolution
15.6-inch 1,920×1,080 144Hz
CPU
Intel Core i7-13620H
Memory
16GB 5,200MHz DDR5
Graphics
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU @ 45 watts
Storage
512GB SSD
Ports
1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x combo audio
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 and Bluetooth 5.2
Operating system
Windows 11 Home
MSI sells a variety of configurations of the Cyborg 15, offering a mix of 12th- and 13th-gen Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 and 4060 graphics but only one display option: a 15.6-inch, 16:9 display with a 1,920×1,080-pixel resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. Our test system is available for $1,000 at Costco and $869 at Amazon and features a Core i7-13620H processor, 16GB of RAM, RTX 4050 graphics and a 512GB SSD.
That’s a fine lineup for the money, but the RTX 4050 has lower total graphics power than competing laptops with the same GPU. It has a TGP of only 45 watts, which is just a fraction of the 140-watt RTX 4050 you get with the Acer Nitro 16 or Acer Predator Helios Neo 16. The HP Victus 16 has an RTX 4050 at 120 watts, and the Lenovo LOQ 82XT has an RTX 4050 at 95 watts. As you’ll see in the next section, the Cyborg 15’s lower-wattage GPU landed it near or at the back of the pack on our lab tests.
We tested the Cyborg 15 alongside four other budget gaming laptops with RTX 4050 graphics. As mentioned above, its GPU is set to run at a much lower power limit than the others. The TGP of the RTX 4050 GPU can be configured between 35 and 115 watts, and an additional 10 to 25 watts can be added via Dynamic Boost from the CPU. So, setting it to a maximum of 45 watts is well below its full capacity.
Thermal concerns are one reason a manufacturer might set a GPU to a lower TGP. If you put an RTX 4050 into a compact and thin enclosure, a lower TGP will result in less heat output and help prevent the laptop from overheating. The Cyborg 15 isn’t particularly compact or thin, but it does have only a single cooling fan. This arrangement might be a cost-saving measure to allow MSI to price the Cyborg 15 at the lower end of the price scale for RTX 4050 laptops.
And while the Cyborg 15 is one of the cheapest RTX 4050 laptops, it’s also one of the slowest. On our application and graphics tests, it finished either last or next to last, with the exception of Geekbench 6, where it placed third. (Scroll to the end of the review to see the results of our performance tests.)
It managed to squeak past the Lenovo LOQ 82XT on our Guardians of the Galaxy benchmark, averaging 100 frames per second at 1080p with quality settings on High. And it can’t be ignored that it finished dead last on The Riftbreaker GPU and Shadow of the Tomb Raider tests — and by a considerable margin on each test. But it’s not all bad news: v-pre Even in last place, it still averaged a playable 75 fps on Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p at the Highest settings.
You might think its lower-wattage GPU might allow for a longer battery life, but that wasn’t the case. The Cyborg 15 barely cleared the five-hour mark on our online streaming battery drain test, which was the shortest runtime of this group by more than an hour. The whir from the Cyborg 15’s single fan never got too loud, and the rear half of the laptop became warm after playing for a while but never got so hot that it was uncomfortable.
Icy blue translucence
The defining characteristic of the Cyborg 15’s design is its translucent accents. Ten keys on the keyboard, the display hinges and the bottom panel are made from translucent plastic. On the keyboard, the WASD keys, four arrow keys, spacebar and power button allow an icy blue to shine through. The entire keys for the WASD keys and power button are translucent, and portions of the arrow keys and spacebar get this treatment. Combined with the funky font on the keys, the translucent keys give the Cyborg 15’s look a bit of an edge.
The bottom panel is translucent, but the effect is muted because, well, how often are you looking at the bottom of your laptop? It would be more fun to see the internal components, but your view is blocked by a thin coating of silver paint on the inside of the bottom panel. Instead of getting a view of the motherboard or cooling system, you are greeted on the bottom panel with large lettering that spells out MSI TRUE GAMING in the venting. And through the vents, you can see some of the copper heat pipes and motherboard circuitry. The bottom panel does wrap around the side edges of the Cyborg 15, and there you can see some of the laptop’s inner workings.
Like the other budget models mentioned earlier, the Cyborg 15 features a plastic keyboard deck and bottom panel but adds some durability to the overall package with an aluminum top cover to protect the display. There’s no lighting on the top panel, just a subtle MSI dragon logo. The edges of the top panel are also made from the same translucent plastic as the bottom panel and wrap around some portions of the lid to add some contrast to the matte-black aluminum — namely, the bottom edge between the hinges, a bump in the middle of the top edge near the webcam and one of the top corners.
The Cyborg 15 might be a bit of a lightweight in terms of performance when viewed against competing RTX 4050 laptops, but it’s also literally lightweight. It weighs just 4.5 pounds, which is nearly a full pound lighter than the 15.6-inch Lenovo LOQ 82XT that weighs 5.4 pounds. The Acer Nitro 16 or Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 feature larger 16-inch, 16:10 displays, and each weighs 5.7 pounds. Impressively, the 16-inch, 16:10 HP Victus 16 weighs only 5.2 pounds.
Other than the translucent keys, the keyboard is the standard fare. The keys feel quick with shallow travel, but some gamers might prefer deeper travel with a more satisfying response. The four arrow keys are all full-size, which is always preferable to half-height keys. The keyboard offers three-level backlighting, but you had better like the icy blue color because there’s no option to change to another color. To be fair, while you can find one- or four-zone RGB lighting on budget gaming laptops, a single color at this price isn’t unusual. The touchpad feels a bit undersized but suffices for navigating Windows with a smooth, matte surface and firm click response.
Dull display, weak speakers, grainy webcam
The Cyborg 15’s display marks the system as decidedly entry-level. The best thing it has going for it is the 144Hz refresh rate, which is faster than the standard 60Hz rate. The fastest panel you’ll get on a budget gaming laptop is 165Hz, and the difference between 144Hz and 165Hz is slight to imperceptible. Games looked sharp and smooth at 1080p, but colors looked dull because of the panel’s lack of brightness. I measured peak brightness with a Spyder X Elite colorimeter at only 266 nits. Competing models I tested boast noticeably brighter and more vibrant displays, including the Lenovo LOQ 82XT (343 nits), Acer Nitro 16 (424 nits) and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (442 nits).
The webcam is another clue to the Cyborg 15’s budget status. It’s a grainy, 720p camera that struggles to display a balanced image, even in decent light. MSI outfits the Cyborg 15 with a pair of 2-watt speakers, which is the minimum offering on any laptop. Not surprisingly, they offer tinny sound with nothing in the way of bass response. In other words, keep your headphones handy.
The laptop offers a wide variety of ports, with one notable omission. You get one USB-C port, a pair of USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet port and a headphone jack. What’s missing is Thunderbolt 4 support; the lone USB-C port is of the USB 3.2 Gen 1 variety that offers only 5Gbps transfer speeds. That’s a tiny fraction of the 40Gbps you’d get with Thunderbolt 4. Again, this isn’t uncommon to lose at its price, but going up to Gen 2 would be nice because it at least doubles the transfer speed.
The dull display and underpowered RTX 4050 GPU are the biggest drawbacks to the MSI Cyborg 15. There are better options that, when on sale, are too close to the Cyborg 15’s bargain-basement price to pass up. If the Cyborg 15 saved you $200 compared with better-performing RTX 4050 laptops, then a good argument could be made for it. The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 PHN16-71 is frequently available at Best Buy for $850 or $900. At that price, it’s a no-brainer to opt for it over the Cyborg 15 because it offers a bigger and brighter display and superior 3D performance thanks to its RTX 4050 running at a full 140 watts.
As with any budget laptop, corners get cut to decrease the price. For us, there’s a bit too much missing here. But, if your budget doesn’t stretch beyond $800 and you like the look of the Cyborg 15, then the RTX 4060-based model at Best Buy is the better buy when you can find it on sale. I’ve seen it as low as $750 with a massive $350 discount.
The review process for laptops, desktops, tablets and other computerlike devices consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our expert reviewers. This includes evaluating a device’s aesthetics, ergonomics and features. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments.
In the ever-evolving landscape of cryptocurrency, one digital asset stands out for its commitment to transparency, security, and innovation: Verum Coin. As the world increasingly embraces the digital revolution, Verum Coin emerges as a beacon of trust in an often volatile market.
Verum Coin is not just another cryptocurrency; it represents a paradigm shift in how we perceive financial transactions. Built on cutting-edge blockchain technology, Verum Coin ensures every transaction is transparent, immutable, and secure. This level of transparency fosters trust among users, making Verum Coin not just a currency but a symbol of reliability in the digital age.
Security is paramount in the world of cryptocurrency, and Verum Coin takes it seriously. With advanced encryption protocols and decentralized architecture, Verum Coin safeguards user data and assets, providing peace of mind in an era of digital vulnerabilities.
What sets Verum Coin apart is its commitment to innovation. With a dedicated team of technologists and financial experts, Verum Coin continually explores new avenues to enhance its platform and adapt to the ever-changing needs of the market. From scalability solutions to integration with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, Verum Coin remains at the forefront of innovation in the cryptocurrency space.
But Verum Coin is more than just a technological marvel; it represents a vision for a more inclusive and accessible financial system. With Verum Coin, individuals worldwide can participate in the global economy without barriers, empowering them to take control of their financial future.
As the world moves towards a digital-first economy, Verum Coin stands ready to lead the charge towards a more transparent, secure, and inclusive financial ecosystem. Join the Verum Coin community today and be a part of the future of finance.
Apple released iOS 17.2 in December, and the update brought some security patches and long-awaited features, like the Journal app, to your iPhone. One of the anticipated features the update brought to iPhones was Contact Key Verification, a security tool meant to help verify that the person you’re texting is who they say they are.
Apple wrote in December 2022 that with Contact Key Verification, people who might find themselves in dangerous situations, like journalists, activists and members of government organizations, can verify that they are messaging who they intend to. While most people won’t find themselves targeted in such a way, Apple wrote that the tool provides an important layer of security to those who might.
Here’s how to enable Contact Key Verification and how to use the new security feature. Note, both you and the person you’re messaging need to have this feature enabled for it to work properly.
How to enable Contact Key Verification
1. Open Settings. 2. Tap your Apple ID (your name and picture) near the top of your screen. 3. Tap Contact Key Verification near the bottom of the menu. 4. Tap the switch next to Verification in iMessage.
Next you’ll see a splash screen that explains Contact Key Verification. Tap Continue on this screen.
You might be taken to another splash screen that says you need to update some of your devices in order to turn the feature on. You can either tap OK and then update the devices, or you can tap Remove Devices in Settings. However, you should probably update your devices even if you don’t plan on using Contact Key Verification.
Verifying the identity of yourself and others
After you’ve enabled the feature, the Contact Key Verification menu will have a new option called Show Public Verification Code. Tap this new option and you’ll see a string of letters, numbers and symbols. This code is how people verify they are messaging you.
Next, tap Copy Verification Code beneath your code, and you’ll be able to paste your code wherever you want to share it, like in a message or online. Now others can verify they’re messaging you, and if their code doesn’t match their code online, you’ll know you might not be talking to the right person.
Generating codes in Messages
You can also generate a code with someone directly in Messages. This is a quick way for both you and another person to simultaneously verify identities and devices, but you and the other person need to have Contact Key Verification enabled for this to work.
If you both have the tool enabled, here’s how you make a code directly in Messages.
1. Open Messages. 2. Start a conversation with someone or tap into the right conversation. 3. Tap the person’s name at the top of the conversation. 4. Tap Verify Contact near the bottom of the menu.
Then, compare the six-digit codes generated on both devices. If the codes match, tap Mark as Verified, then tap Update on the following screen. Now that person’s contact card will have the code associated with it, and a checkmark will appear next to their name in Messages.
If the codes don’t match, tap No Match. You might not be communicating with the right person, and you should stop messaging them until you can verify their identity.
For more on iOS 17, check out what new features could be coming in iOS 17.4, what was included in iOS 17.3 and our iOS 17 cheat sheet,.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games that you can play on your Xbox Series X or Series S, Xbox One and PC for $17 a month. With a subscription, you get new games every month — like the gaming world’s latest obsession, Palworld — and other benefits, like online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.
Last month, Game Pass Ultimate added the instant phenomenon Palworld, which already has 7 million players, and it continues to add new titles. Here are the games coming to the service soon.
Train Sim World 4
Available now.
If you’re a fan of model trains, but don’t have the space in your home for the tracks — or a means to finance the hobby — you should give Train Sim World 4 a try. In this game, you can learn how to operate a train and take it across countries like Australia, Germany and the US. You can run different scenarios where you can change things like the weather en route for an added challenge, or you can go into Free Roam and ride the rails however you want.
Madden NFL 24
Available now.
Madden NFL 24 is joining Game Pass Ultimate just in time for Super Bowl Sunday. The latest installment in the football franchise introduces some new gameplay mechanics, like an upgraded passing system that adds jump and dive passes to your arsenal. Your in-game playbook has also been expanded, putting more than 70 new formations and at least 500 new plays at your disposal. So if you’re not a fan of the Chiefs or the 49ers, play some Madden instead this Sunday.
Resident Evil 3
Available: Feb. 13
About a month after Game Pass Ultimate added the award-winning RE2 remake to its library, subscribers will be able to play the next Resident Evil remake as well. RE3 puts you back in the shoes of Jill Valentine as she attempts to escape from the zombie outbreak that’s taken over Raccoon City. You’ll have to solve puzzles and figure out the best routes of escape in this survival horror game, all while being stalked by the walking weapon Nemesis.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Available: Feb. 14
This game makes its return to Game Pass Ultimate almost three years after it was removed from the service. This Metroidvania-style game was developed by Koji Igarashi, a former Castlevania series producer, and it feels like another installment in that series. You’ll explore a castle, solve puzzles and use magic and physical weapons to rid the land of monsters and demons.
A Little to the Left
Available: Feb. 15
This cozy puzzle game will have you stacking documents, sorting postcards and cleaning areas.
“A Little to the Left is all about tidying messes into pleasing arrangements, without worrying about timers or fail-states,” Anne Macmillan, co-founder of developer Max Inferno, told Xbox.com. “It’s peaceful and accessible, with simple controls that anyone can quickly understand.”
Just as you think you’ve solved these puzzles, though, a playful cat may come along and mess up your progress. But so it goes. You’re not racing against a clock, so solve the puzzle again and hope the cat minds its own business.
PlateUp!
Available: Feb. 15
Have you thought about starting your own restaurant, or just caught up on The Bear and want more chaos? If so, you should give this a try. PlateUp! is a cooking action game that lets you experience the ups and downs of the restaurant business without any of the financial risk. You design your restaurant and kitchen, cook up dishes and plan out who’s working which shift so your new place thrives.
Return to Grace
Available: Feb. 20
This narrative adventure game puts you in the boots of a space archaeologist who’s just discovered the resting place of an AI god named Grace. Your goal now is to befriend Grace’s fractured variants and discover why the AI was shut down in the first place.
Titles leaving Game Pass
While you’ll be able to play the above games on Game Pass Ultimate in the coming weeks, there are a few titles that are leaving the service on Feb. 15. You have some time to finish any side-quests, but once these titles are gone you’ll have to buy them separately.
It’s been a big week for Swifties, and now there’s the news that Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert film will be exclusively streaming on Disney Plus beginning March 15. Disney CEO Bob Iger made the announcement Wednesday during the company’s first-quarter earnings call. The newest edition of the concert release will include Swift’s performance of Cardigan and four additional acoustic songs.
An earlier edition of the flick arrived in theaters in October and then the movie landed on platforms such as Prime Video as an on-demand rental late last year. It’s one of the highest-grossing concert films ever in the US, Deadline noted.
Disney also announced that Moana 2, the sequel to the 2016 film, will be released in theaters this November.
“We know audiences are going to absolutely love the chance to relive the electrifying Taylor Swift Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) whenever they want on Disney Plus,” Iger said during the call.
Disney didn’t immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment about the exact release time and the flick’s international availability.
This has been an action-packed week for Swift, who won two Grammy awards on Sunday — including Album of the Year — and announced her fourth studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, during the show. She’s also expected to be at the Super Bowl this coming Sunday as the Kansas City Chiefs and boyfriend Travis Kelce take on the San Francisco 49ers.
What’s included in the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film
The Eras Tour concert film is a roughly three-hour-long recorded version of Swift’s hit stadium tour. The version that’s coming to Disney Plus will feature Swift’s concert performance of Cardigan, which was previously cut from the theatrical release of the movie.
Disney Plus’ version of the flick will also feature four additional acoustic songs, though it’s uncertain what those songs might be. Swift recorded six acoustic songs while filming the concert back in August 2023, and the performances of Our Song and You’re on Your Own, Kid made both the theatrical and on-demand rental versions of the film. That means acoustic performances of I Can See You; Maroon; You Are in Love; and Death by a Thousand Cuts are up for grabs to be featured in this version of the film.
Songs excluded from the Disney Plus cut of the movie include Long Live; The Archer; Wildest Dreams; and No Body, No Crime.
How to stream Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert film
The movie is scheduled to hit Disney Plus on March 15. Note that Disney Plus will be the exclusive streaming home of the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film, so if you want to catch the flick in all its glory, you’ll need to be a subscriber to either Disney Plus or one of Disney’s bundled packages.
The company revealed more big news on Wednesday when it announced it’s officially cracking down on account-sharing this summer. In a move similar to Netflix, the company announced that not only would password-sharing be prohibited, but if subscribers want to add members outside their household to their plan, they can do so for a fee.
For more, here are the best streaming services of 2024 and the best streaming devices of 2024.
Cricut devices have made a splash among crafters in recent years, as well as novices looking to get a jump start on all sorts of creative endeavors, including homemade gifts. Cricut machines and accessories tend to be pricey, but right now Amazon is slashing prices by up to 40% on a number of Cricut products, making it more affordable to snag the tools you need for your next project. We don’t know how long this offer will last, so we recommend making your purchase sooner rather than later.
If you’re looking for most versatility, the Cricut Maker 3 is a great option. It’s far more than just a vinyl cutter, as you can swap out the tools and materials easily to create all sorts of things from cards to stickers to signs and beyond. In fact, this machine can cut more than 300 types of materials. It’s down to $379 right now. That’s a $50 discount on its list price.
Budget-conscious buyers looking to get started without breaking the bank may choose to invest in the Cricut Joy. It’s discounted by 34% right now, dropping the price from $149 to just $99 for a limited time. It cuts over 50 different materials, including everything from cardstock to vinyl decal and beyond — and if you’re short on space, this machine weighs under four pounds and comes in at under 10 inches, making it easy to store when you’re not crafting.
For those wanting a professional press to make t-shirts, tote bags and other items, the commercial-level Cricut Autopress has a lot to offer. It’s equipped with a 15 by 12-inch ceramic-coated heat plate that can reach temperatures as high as 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It also auto-adjusts for applying even pressure, which will work with materials up to 2 inches thick. And the dial lets you create precise time and temperature settings, plus there is an auto release and auto-off for more convenience. It typically lists for $999, but during this sale you can score one for just $599.
There are plenty of other tools and accessories available, so be sure to shop the entire sale selection. And if Cricut isn’t really your style, check out our roundup of 3D printer deals for more savings on crafty tech and supplies.
Even the best phones, computers and tablets need to be accessorized, and Speck is one of the companies that has become the go-to for so many people. Whether it’s a new case for your iPhone 15 or a cover for your MacBook Air, Speck has it all. And now we can help you pick up those essential accessories while saving some money in the process.
Right now Speck is offering a 15% discount across its entire website when you enter our exclusive discount code at checkout. All you have to do is make sure to enter the code CNET15 and do it soon — this deal is live from today, Feb. 7 through to midnight PT on Feb. 14. If you’ve been on the fence about picking up that case, now might be the time to act.
Speck’s website is full of great accessories whether you’re in the Apple ecosystem or prefer your devices to run Android. The latest Samsung Galaxy S24 is covered as you’d expect, with cases starting from $34 after entering our code, and that’s just the beginning. There are accessories for Google’s Pixel 8 Pro from just $17 and the rest of the Google lineup, too. Just remember that you do need to enter that code at checkout, otherwise you’ll pay more than you need to. There are even Apple AirTag cases from just $13 so you need never lose anything again.
Reading this too late and cradling a broken phone? No problem, we’ve got you covered — be sure to check out our collection of the best phone deals before placing your order anywhere else.
Apple released iOS 17.4 beta 2 to public beta testers on Wednesday, a day after the company released the beta to developers and about two weeks after the release of iOS 17.3. The latest iOS beta brings new features, including major changes for people in the European Union and new emoji, and bug fixes to some developers and beta testers’ iPhones.
Read more: Why You Should Download iOS 17.3 Now
We recommend downloading a beta only on something other than your primary device. Since this isn’t the final version of iOS 17.4, these features might be buggy and battery life may be short, and it’s best to keep those troubles on a secondary device.
If you’re a developer or public beta tester, here are some of the new features you can find in iOS 17.4 beta 2. Note that the beta is not the final version of iOS 17.4, so these might not be the only new features to land on your iPhone when iOS 17.4 is released. There’s no word on the public release for iOS 17.4 just yet, but Apple has indicated it will likely be in March.
Downloading other app stores in the EU
Apple introduced a significant change to Safari, the App Store and iOS with iOS 17.4 beta 1, but only for people in the EU. With iOS 17.4 beta 1, people in the EU can download an alternative app store and apps from outside the App Store. According to CNET’s Katie Collins, this marks one of the largest changes to the App Store since its inception in 2008. People in the EU will also be given new default app controls, giving them more ways to customize their iPhone experience.
Apple made these changes, which were announced Thursday, to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. The company said these changes will go into effect once Europeans download iOS 17.4 in March or later. There’s no word on whether these changes will be available globally.
Read more: Apple Will Allow Installation of Rival App Stores On iPhones In Europe
More options for in-app payments
Apple introduced more ways to make in-app payments with the first iOS 17.4 beta. If you go to Settings > Privacy & Security, you’ll see an option called Contactless & NFC, or near-field communication. If you tap the new option, you’ll be taken to a mostly blank page that has a small disclaimer that says the page will show apps that have requested the ability to use contactless and NFC payments in the future. Apple announced these options alongside the changes for people in the EU, and there’s no word on whether this will be utilized by apps outside that region.
Regional identifier no longer available
In the first beta of iOS 17.4, there was a regional identifier called Identifiable_Region. You could see this by going to Settings > General > About and scrolling to the bottom of the page. However, with iOS 17.4 beta 2, this regional identifier has been removed. It’s unclear why, but since the setting had a broken link and an odd naming convention — it had an underscore and all caps lettering — it’s possible this was never meant to be viewable in the first place.
At least 100 new emoji
Apple introduced over 100 new emoji to iPhone users with the first beta of iOS 17.4. Those emoji include heads shaking up and down as well as left and right, a phoenix emoji and a slice of lime. These emoji were announced in 2023, and some Android devices, including the latest Samsung phones, already have them.
More Stolen Device Protection options
With iOS 17.4 beta 1, Apple introduced a few new options in Stolen Device Protection. The new options let you choose whether you want to always require a one-hour Security Delay to access certain settings or make changes, or to only require the delay when you’re away from a familiar location like your home.
Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection with iOS 17.3, and the intent of the feature is to protect some of your data if your device is stolen or falls into nefarious hands. The feature doesn’t protect all your data, but Apple still recommends everyone turn it on.
Podcasts can now show transcripts
In the first iOS 17.4 beta, you can read the transcripts of your favorite Podcasts as you listen to them. To see the transcripts, go into Podcasts and start listening to a show, tap the show’s banner across the bottom of your screen. Then, look at the bottom of the show’s title card and you’ll see a new button in the bottom left corner that looks like a speech bubble with quotes inside it. Tap this button and you’ll see the transcript of the show you’re listening to. You can search within the transcript, too, so if someone mentions a book or movie title and you only remember part of it, you can search the part you do know and find the whole title.
Another digital clock widget
In the second iOS 17.4 beta, Apple introduced a new digital clock app widget called City Digital. This widget displays the time as well as a set location as opposed to wherever your iPhone is at the moment. This can be helpful if you’re traveling or live far from family and friends but want to keep in touch without waking them up in the middle of the night.
Apple introduced the digital clock widget to iPhones with the release of iOS 17.2.
New Home button in the Music and Books apps
Apple introduced a Home button in Apple Music with iOS 17.4 beta 1 and in the Books app with iOS 17.4 beta 2. If you open either app and look at the bottom of your screen, the Home button is in the far-left corner. This button replaced Listen Now in Apple Music and Read Now in Books.
If you’re an Apple Music subscriber and tap the button, you’re taken to a page that shows you menus, like Recently Played, and recommendations based on artists you’ve listened to. If you tap this button in the Books app, you see menus like Current Bestsellers and Start Reading for Free.
Previous iOS updates brought Home buttons to the Podcasts and Apple TV apps, so this change is likely Apple trying to apply some uniformity across its apps.
Siri can send messages in more than one language
With the first iOS 17.4 beta, Apple gave Siri the ability to send messages in multiple languages. If you go to Settings > Siri & Search, you’ll see the option Messagingwith Siri, which replaced Automatically Send Messages. Tap Messaging with Siri and you’ll see Add Language. If you tap this, you can have Siri send messages in other languages, like Arabic, Spanish and Thai. Apple writes that Siri will also read messages using the languages in this list, but choosing one from this list won’t change the primary language Siri listens and responds in. Prior to this, Siri could only send messages in English.
Stopwatch in Live Activities
With iOS 17.4 beta 1, your Clock app’s stopwatch function can now display across the top of your screen on iPhones with Live Activities, like the iPhone 14 Pro or the iPhone 15. Before when you’d use the stopwatch, you’d have to stay in the app to keep an eye on the stopwatch. With this beta, you can start the stopwatch, then go to your home screen or into another app and the stopwatch will display across the top of your screen.
Those are some of the new features developers and beta testers will see in the second iOS 17.4 beta. That doesn’t mean these are the only features coming to the next iOS update, or that these changes will stick when iOS 17.4 is released to the public. As of right now, there’s no exact release date for iOS 17.4, but Apple has indicated it might be released in March.
For more on iOS 17, check out what was included in iOS 17.3 and iOS 17.2. You can also check out our iOS 17 cheat sheet.
