forthcoming Steam Machine’s HDMI identity dilemma, but that was an instance of under-promising and over-delivering — the hardware is marked HDMI 2.0, yet genuinely possesses 2.1 features.
# Apple Watch Series 11 and Other Holiday Promotions: Essential Information
As the festive season draws near, technology lovers and Apple aficionados are actively searching for the finest bargains on Apple devices. This year, the Apple Watch Series 11, along with other sought-after gadgets such as the M4 Mac mini and AirPods Pro 3, are experiencing notable price cuts, increasing their affordability like never before.
## Apple Watch Series 11: Lowest Price Yet
The Apple Watch Series 11 has recently reached its lowest price to date, with discounts of up to $100 off the retail price. Launched only a few months back, this newest version of Apple’s smartwatch has swiftly become a top choice among buyers. The watch boasts an array of features, including fitness tracking, health monitoring, and smooth synchronization with other Apple devices. With the festive season on the horizon, the need to acquire this gadget heightens, especially as delivery times start to extend past Christmas.
## M4 Mac mini: Budget-Friendly Performance
Another notable bargain this holiday season is the M4 Mac mini, which is currently available for $479, reduced from its initial retail price of $599. This entry-level model is equipped with a 256GB SSD and 16GB of RAM, making it a strong choice for users in need of a compact and effective desktop solution. The Mac mini is perfect for both casual users and professionals, delivering an excellent mix of performance and value. With holiday shipping options in place, this is an ideal moment to consider this acquisition.
## AirPods Pro 3: Unmatched Pricing
The AirPods Pro 3 have also fallen to an unprecedented low, available for just $199. Renowned for their exceptional sound quality and active noise cancellation, these earbuds are essential for music enthusiasts and those who often take calls while on the move. The deal has seen variations in availability, yet it remains one of the most attractive offers of the year. For anyone aiming to boost their audio experience, this is an opportunity that shouldn’t be overlooked.
## iPad Air Magic Keyboard: Major Discounts
Alongside the previously mentioned devices, the 2025 iPad Air Magic Keyboard is also experiencing considerable discounts, now priced at $229.99. This cost represents a new low for the keyboard, which is compatible with both M2 and M3 iPad Air models. For those utilizing their iPads for productivity, this keyboard can convert the device into a more multifaceted tool for both work and leisure.
## Current-Gen iPad: Cost-Effective Option
For those in search of a more economical choice, the latest-generation iPad is available for $279. This model is ideal for families or individuals seeking a dependable tablet for browsing, streaming, and casual usage. As the holiday season is in full effect, this price point is particularly enticing, as it competes favorably with entry-level Android tablets while providing the comprehensive Apple experience.
## Conclusion
As the holiday shopping period unfolds, the discounts on the Apple Watch Series 11, M4 Mac mini, AirPods Pro 3, and other devices offer excellent prospects for consumers. With prices at their most competitive and holiday shipping options accessible, now is the perfect time to make a purchase. However, prospective buyers should act swiftly, as inventory levels and delivery schedules may fluctuate as Christmas nears. Whether for personal enjoyment or as gifts, these Apple products are sure to please any recipient.
Read MoreFlixPatrol currently ranks it at number three for the most streamed movies during the week of December 12, and while the monthly count is still in progress, it also holds the number four position for December. Following the same concept as its forerunner, “The Family McMullen” delves into the lives of the McMullen family members, including Barry, Patrick, and Molly, the widow of their deceased brother, Jack. The family is celebrating Thanksgiving, and Barry’s children are present as well.
If you’ve watched the original, you know it comprises both heightened dramatic moments and subtle romantic comedy elements. After all, it’s about three Irish Catholic brothers from Long Island. In this iteration, the comedic elements are more pronounced, but the romantic aspects remain present. That does not do justice to the film; fundamentally, it’s about navigating life’s highs and lows and adapting to circumstances. Viewers deem it a must-see film, perhaps because they have awaited the sequel for 30 years. There are no Rotten Tomatoes reviews available yet, as it’s still too early. IMDB rates it 5.9 out of 10 based on over 500 reviews. It will be intriguing to hear critics’ opinions, although there are films that critics have previously misjudged. Viewer reviews may reveal the true narrative.
<div class="slide-key image-holder gallery-image-holder credit-image-wrap" data-post-url="https://www.bgr.com/2049182/the-family-mcm
Read Morea viable option in YouTube TV; an $82.99 monthly subscription that provides access to over 100 live channels. YouTube TV does not offer YouTube Premium, which incurs an additional monthly fee. The total monthly cost can easily approach $100 for both services, depending on the Premium package selected. The benefit over standard cable is that YouTube TV does not require a contract, allowing you to cancel whenever you choose. Nevertheless, improvements are on the horizon in early 2026.
YouTube announced in a brief blog post its plans to introduce genre-specific YouTube TV packages, enabling viewers to tailor their TV watching experience. While YouTube did not disclose any pricing details for the forthcoming bundles, the genre-themed YouTube tiers will likely be more affordable than the complete $82.99 subscription. Consequently, you’ll soon be able to offset the YouTube Premium price increases, and potentially other unrelated streaming price hikes.
Subscribers will gain access to more than 10 genre-focused packages, as stated in the announcement. The company highlighted one offering, the YouTube TV Sports Plan, which will grant access to “all the major broadcasters along with sports networks such as FS1, NBC Sports Network, all of the ESPN channels, and ESPN Unlimited.” Add-ons for NFL Sunday Ticket and RedZone will also be available. The blog post further emphasizes that “beloved features, including unlimited DVR, multiview, key plays, and fantasy view,” will also be accessible to users. YouTube additionally hinted at other YouTube TV bundles that might emerge under the new subscription model, such as merging sports with news, or creating plans that include “family and entertainment content.”
Frontier AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini come equipped with numerous sophisticated features beyond mere text generation that could lessen your need to utilize (and finance) another specialized application. AI-driven image generation and editing functionalities are so advanced that there’s no requirement to master Photoshop. Just instruct the AI to produce or modify images on your behalf. Gemini’s Nano Banana Pro is so cutting-edge that it can generate infographics and slides, thus replacing Adobe Express. The chatbots can also manage documents for you, which may be beneficial for data evaluation, potentially reducing your dependence on Adobe Acrobat.
However, despite the perception that generative AI services are impacting Adobe’s revenue, the firm has shown a proactive approach towards AI advancements. Rather, Adobe has welcomed generative AI, crafting its own models for its suite of creative tools and consistently enhancing them. Adobe has also introduced AI agents that might further assist in the creation process, and the Firefly app currently accommodates third-party AI models, including Gemini’s Nano Banana.
Given this context, it’s not surprising that Adobe is among the first companies to provide support for ChatGPT applications. Beginning this week, Photoshop, Express, and Acrobat are all accessible directly within ChatGPT in any instances where the chatbot can provide access to third-party applications. The three applications are available at no cost, indicating that you simply need to invoke them in the prompt composer to begin working on files without exiting ChatGPT. In other words, there’s no need to pay for any of the three Adobe applications until you have experimented with them for free in ChatGPT. Naturally, there are some conditions that users should be aware of.
What functionalities are available with Adobe apps in ChatGPT?
Photoshop editing in ChatGPT will not grant you access to the most sophisticated editing features that Adobe designed for its renowned app. Nonetheless, you will be able to instruct the AI to execute basic edits using Photoshop. Incorporate the Photoshop app into your prompt and input an instruction like “Add creative effects to the background” to edit with the app. You will also have access to settings for brightness, contrast, and exposure, including a slider that allows you to personalize the image. Certain creative effects will also be present in ChatGPT.
Adobe Express enables you to generate professional designs featuring images and text within ChatGPT. A prompt such as “Create an invite for my dance party,” alongside the Express app, will permit ChatGPT to leverage the app to present sample designs. You will have the opportunity to refine edits within the chat through further replies.
Lastly, ChatGPT can leverage Adobe Acrobat to modify PDFs, extract information you may wish to utilize elsewhere, redact information, and even combine multiple files into a single document.
What are the costs associated with the Adobe apps?
If you believed that utilizing Photoshop, Express, and Acrobat for free within ChatGPT seemed too good to be genuine, you would be correct. Firstly, users in Europe cannot currently access apps in ChatGPT as of this writing. Secondly, Android users currently have access solely to Express integration. Finally, and most crucially, Adobe has not integrated the full versions of Photoshop, Express, and Acrobat into ChatGPT. You will only be able to utilize specific functionalities in ChatGPT, as detailed above. For more intricate tasks, you will likely need to transition to the complete Adobe applications, which provide more comprehensive experiences. The positive aspect is that you can effortlessly switch to an Adobe app and continue your work from where you stopped.
At the time of this writing, the bundle for Photoshop and Express begins at $22.99/month, while Acrobat starts at $12.99/month. Photoshop is also accessible via the web and mobile through the Firefly Pro app ($19.99/month), the Photography and Lightroom bundle ($19.99/month), and the Creative Cloud Pro plan ($69.99/month). Adobe Express is also included within Firefly Pro and Creative Cloud Pro. A standalone Adobe Express Premium subscription is priced at $9.98/month.
Read Morestorage options such as a USB flash drive. Another key feature provided through the essential USB-C port on various Android devices and iPhones is video output support, enabling you to connect your phone to your TV and duplicate the screen. However, to take advantage of this functionality, a USB-C to HDMI adapter, such as the Anker 310, is required, since most televisions are equipped with an HDMI port for video input.
The Anker adapter costs just $17 and is highly praised by Amazon users, who have rated it an average of 4.6 out of 5 based on over 35,500 reviews. This device allows you to view video content from your phone, which includes material from streaming platforms, as well as play games on the TV’s larger display. This capability to transmit streaming media from your phone to the TV could prove useful, especially considering Netflix’s restrictions on casting content from mobile devices.
The Anker 310 USB-C to HDMI adapter is a straightforward plug-and-play device that links the USB-C port of your smartphone with the HDMI port on your television. For it to function properly, you must confirm that your phone’s USB-C port is compatible with DisplayPort (DP) Alt Mode, which is generally found in flagship and premium models, though not necessarily in mid-range or budget-friendly phones.
You can refer to your user manual or reach out to the device manufacturer to verify compatibility for
Read MoreHuawei is elevating foldable cameras with the Mate X7.
Huawei evidently excels in the foldable market, with the tri-folding Mate XT standing out as the most groundbreaking device. Beyond being a mere technical marvel, Huawei continues to produce traditional book-style foldables, with its newest offering — the Mate X7 — featuring an enhanced battery and improved cameras.
Huawei presented the Mate X7 in China on November 25, followed by its global introduction at a launch event in Dubai on December 11. This foldable will be available for purchase in select areas of Southeast Asia in the upcoming weeks, priced at approximately €2,099 ($2,459).
The Moto G 2026 has officially launched in the U.S. and Canada.
Motorola presents another budget-friendly success with the Moto G 2026, now on sale in the U.S. at motorola.com and in Canada at <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=92X1690538&xcust=ac_gb_3435006981356065972&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motorola.ca%2F&sref=https%3A
Read MoreNo, Meta is not withdrawing from VR or “implementing significant reductions,” as some may have you think. It is returning to its roots and what initially made Quest exceptional.
Recently, a flurry of news articles and analyst evaluations concentrated on Meta’s “substantial cuts” within its Metaverse division. This new division of Reality Labs, established just a month ago, was designed to neatly divide Reality Labs into more concrete business objectives, and it was clearly set up prior to the significant developments we witnessed in the last two weeks.
According to a Bloomberg report, Meta might be initiating 30% reductions to the division starting in January. That was sufficient for numerous outlets to rally and proclaim that “VR is dead” yet again, a refrain that far too many technology-oriented publications enjoy shouting year after year. However, the actual situation contradicts that narrative entirely. In fact, the truth is quite the opposite of what these sources suggest.
Right before this news broke, Meta hired two elite designers from Apple, and this news surfaced just days after new leaks indicated a gaming-centric, high-end Meta Quest 4 in development. Ironically, all of this transpires as CTO Andrew Bosworth’s assurance that 2025 will be “the work of visionaries or a legendary misadventure” nears its end, signaling that the company’s preoccupation with Horizon Worlds as the primary “metaverse” has been the issue all along.
Returning to fundamentals
The primary Reality Labs division was established on August 25, 2020, right before the Meta Quest 2’s debut. Since then, this division has been in charge of developing VR headsets, smart glasses, Horizon Worlds, sEMG gesture bands, the Horizon operating system, next-gen realistic avatars, and more.
Meta invests billions in Reality Labs technology each quarter, with expenditures rising from around $2 billion in Q4 2020 to an astounding $6.05 billion in Q4 2024. Since 2022, over 50% of Reality Labs’ budget has been allocated to developing genuine AR glasses like Meta Orion, although the closest Meta has come to launching a consumer product is the Ray-Ban Display Glasses.
Since late 2022, Meta has been reducing spending across most divisions by about 10% annually to regain financial control. Due to Reality Labs’ unchecked spending growth, Zuckerberg allegedly requested a 20% reduction in expenditure by the end of 2025. That reportedly never materialized.
Now, the division needs to reduce spending by 30% to align with the 10% annual cut plus the 20% 2025 cut that did not occur. That’s not a drastic cut; it’s an alignment with all other divisions within Meta.
Meta is not abandoning VR whatsoever, quite the contrary. However, I believe the company is making crucial transitions away from unsuccessful projects like Horizon Worlds and toward the creation of new mixed-reality glasses. The December 4 report from Business Insider supports this viewpoint, and new leaks regarding a gaming-focused, ultralight Meta Quest 4 further elucidate what is unfolding at Meta.
Now, does that imply Horizon Worlds will vanish tomorrow? Certainly not. Meta has notably redesigned the operating system that powers the Meta Quest (referred to as Horizon OS) to focus on utilizing Horizon Worlds as a central social platform. Some aspects of this transition have proven beneficial to the Quest’s OS, such as more straightforward ways to connect and communicate with friends and decreased barriers for new users.
Instead, I believe Meta will now re-emphasize game developers as it seeks to mend relationships that suffered when it fully committed to Horizon Worlds integration. VR games have been obscenely challenging to locate on the official Meta Quest store because Horizon Worlds content has dominated the forefront for the last 15 months or so, leading to significant issues for developers and sales of Meta Quest games.
With all of this clarified, it creates a much clearer understanding of Reality Labs’ activities and what Meta’s future offerings will resemble. For now, Meta Quest headsets, alongside smart glasses like Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 and Oakley Meta HSTN, will continue generating about a billion in revenue each quarter, with Meta anticipating further growth in these areas as it begins to substantially reduce expenditures.
That is not Meta surrendering on VR or “the Metaverse,” as many like to claim. That’s the company ensuring that the products and services that matter to people remain available long-term and continue to evolve as users engage with them. Services like Horizon Worlds are fading, while ultralight hardware with the same beloved capabilities we know today (like Android XR’s Project Aura) is becoming the new trend.
Meanwhile, Quest gamers can still look forward to thrilling games such as Batman: Arkham Shadow, Deadpool.
Read MoreHere’s a 14-inch HP Chromebook priced under $180.
Individuals seeking an outstanding Chromebook bargain for the holidays can rejoice. Currently, shoppers can benefit from a $231 discount on this HP 14-inch Chromebook at Walmart, representing a substantial markdown of over 50% off the usual price.
This 14-inch HP Chromebook operates on the fast and efficient Chrome OS, ideal for various tasks like internet browsing, streaming music and videos, document editing, and more, making it a solid choice—particularly at the sale price.
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