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Somehow it's already November, which means Thanksgiving and Black Friday are right around the corner. Amazon is already running early Black Friday deals on some of our picks for best smart speakers. There's a range of Amazon products on sale, including the Echo Pop, which is available for $18, down from $40. The 55 percent discount brings the Amazon Echo Pop to a record-low price. Amazon launched the Echo Pop in May 2023 as a new entry-level option for Alexa-powered devices. It features a 1.95-inch front-facing speaker which could work well in a small room like a study or a dorm room. It uses Amazons AZ2 Neural Edge processor to allow for on-device tasks and lets you do all the standard commands with Alexa. Plus, you can get it in four colors: Charcoal, Glacier White, Lavender Bloom and Midnight Teal. The Pop isn't the only Echo device on sale ahead of Black Friday. Right now, you can get the fifth-generation Echo Dot for $28, down from $50 a 44 percent discount. The Echo Spot is also on sale, dropping to $50 from $80 and the fourth-generation Echo is $65, down from $100. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-echo-pop-speaker-drops-to-only-18-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-142842720.html?src=rss
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There's something so nice about listening to the score of your favorite games or movies. Composer ROZEN has attempted to add to this experience, releasing Celeste's Secret Hideaway, an acoustic album inspired by the game Celeste. He previously created Ghibli Secret Hideaway, another acoustic collection of arrangements, in honor of Studio Ghibli's music. If you haven't played it before, Celeste is a single-player adventure game in which you help Madeline cope with her mental health and inner demons to reach the top of Celeste mountain. Developer Maddy Makes Games released Celeste in 2018. ROZEN's Celeste's Secret Hideaway pays tribute to the game's original score by Lena Raine. "The goal with Celeste Secret Hideaway is to transform the games iconic melodies into warm, intimate folk and acoustic arrangements, enveloping listeners in a rich soundscape that echoes the serenity of snow-covered mountains and quiet, fire-lit cabins," ROZEN said in a statement. "Every track is designed to evoke the spirit of exploration and introspection, pairing soothing guitar work and delicate string instruments with an emotional journey. Its a perfect soundtrack for cozy moments, drawing you into its quiet, reflective world, and making it an ideal companion for chilly fall evenings and wintry nights." The album has 12 tracks and is now available digitally and to stream, with CD, cassette and vinyl versions coming soon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/celestes-iconic-score-gets-an-acoustic-tribute-album-133048481.html?src=rss
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Elon Musk's X has implemented a controversial change to the block function first announced in September, Engadget has confirmed. The update allows blocked users to see posts of the accounts that blocked them, while still not being able to interact with those accounts. For the first time since 2014, I was able to see posts from William Shatner, who blocked Engadget reporters en masse back then (why, Bill?). At the same time, X displays a message below Shatner's pinned post stating that "you can view public posts from @WilliamShatner, but you are blocked from engaging with them. You also cannot follow or message @WilliamShatner." Prior to that, X simply displayed a "You're blocked" message while showing no tweets, replies or other content. X previously said it was making the change because users can already see and interact with accounts that have blocked them by switching to a non-blocked account. X also said that blocking as previously implemented could be used to share and hide harmful or private information about those they've blocked, so the new feature allows for "greater transparency." This is a dangerous decision for a social media platform, and will have serious implications for victims - especially those being stalked - and their safety. Enabling blocked users to see posts is catering to abusers and stalkers, indulging and facilitating their behaviours pic.twitter.com/bxcPhJYXnx Victims Commissioner London (@LDNVictimsComm) October 17, 2024 However, experts on social media abuse say that the changes help stalkers and trolls while reducing their victims' safety. "Enabling blocked users to see posts is catering to abusers and stalkers, indulging and facilitating their behaviors," wrote London Victims' Commissioner Claire Waxman last month. Users have pointed out that X's blocking changes may run afoul of rules on iOS and Google Play app stores. Apple, for one, states in its developer terms of service that any apps with user-generated content must offer "the ability to block abusive users from the service." The block button is still technically in place, though, so it's not clear what, if anything, Apple and Google will do. Some have been voting with their feet, with alternative platforms like BlueSky and Threads gaining users and popularity over the last few months. Threads announced today that it has hit 275 million monthly active users (MAUs) gaining 75 million in just the past three months. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-now-lets-blocked-users-see-your-posts-130020841.html?src=rss
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