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Epic Games Store will keep offering free games throughout 2020
The Epic Games Store has faced something of a challenge in capturing the hearts and minds of gamers since its launch in 2018. Its continued insistence on exclusives, plus its relative immaturity compared to the likes of Steam, has seen complaints from all sides. But its hard graft is paying off, and the platform is sharing its good fortune with its fans. Today, it announced it will be continuing its weekly free game program throughout 2020 -- claim a game for free, and it's yours to keep forever.
Apple's App Store holiday giveaway starts today
Whether you're a longtime user or you have a new iPhone waiting under the tree, the company is celebrating the holidays with some App Store stocking stuffers. According to 9to5Mac, App Store users in Australia and some Asian countries who navigate to the Today tab are seeing an announcement that Apple will be offering a free download each day between December 24th through the 29th. Engadget's Canadian team already has access to today's free download -- Looney Tunes World of Mayhem, an action RPG from 2018 -- so a wider roll-out seems imminent.
BMW will drop its Apple CarPlay fees (updated)
For years BMW has charged customers for access to Apple CarPlay. Initially, the automaker charged a $300 lifetime fee, but this summer, it introduced a yearly subscription model at $80 per year. That didn't go over well with drivers, especially because Apple doesn't charge car manufactures a fee to use CarPlay. Now, BMW says it will no longer charge a subscription fee for cars equipped with Apple Car Play in the US.
Amazon expands free music streaming to Android, iOS and Fire TV
Amazon's free, ad-supported music tier is no longer confined to Alexa devices. The service is now available through the Amazon Music app on Android, iOS and Fire TV for listeners in the US, UK and Germany. You're still limited to listening to playlists and stations (based on artists, eras, genres and songs), but this makes it trivial to check out the latest rap tracks or queue up holiday songs.
Netflix UK offers the first episode of 'The Crown' season 3 for free
As the so-called streaming war intensifies, companies have to seek out new ways to attract subscribers to their platforms -- and Netflix thinks offering freebies might be the way to go. When season three of smash hit period drama The Crown hits UK Netflix on November 17th, the first episode will be available for free.
Via now provides veterans with free rides in the DC area
Veterans in the DC area can now book up to four free rides per month through the ride-sharing company Via. The new VetRides program could help veterans get to medical appointments, classes and job interviews.
Verizon is giving Unlimited customers 12 months of Disney+ for free
Verizon (Engadget's parent company) is offering 12 months of Disney+ to all of its new and existing 4G LTE and 5G Unlimited wireless customers. New Verizon Fios Home Internet and 5G Home Internet customers will get 12 months of the new streaming service too. The offer begins November 12th, the same day Disney+ launches.
Best Buy takes on Amazon with free next-day deliveries
Best Buy is offering free next-day deliveries over the holidays. The expedited shipping will be available to almost everyone (99 percent of customers) and include almost everything (except heavier items like big-screen TVs and refrigerators). If customers are outside of the next-day zone, they'll still get free standard shipping.
Sling TV's free streaming comes to Android and Amazon devices
Sling TV offers cord-cutting cable packages and movie rentals, but until recently you needed a subscription starting at $25 per month. Earlier this year, however, it unveiled a free streaming option for select episodes of Hell's Kitchen, Project Runway and other shows, but only on Roku devices. Now, Sling TV is rolling out the same deal on Android and Amazon smartphones, tables and TVs, letting you enjoy limited programming without an account.
Pocket Casts will give existing desktop customers Plus for life
Earlier this week the popular podcast app Pocket Casts announced some big changes. In addition to making the mobile app free, Pocket Casts unveiled a new paid subscription tier, Pocket Casts Plus. It said customers who previously paid for desktop access (a one-time fee of $9) would be given three years of access to the new Plus version. That didn't go over well with existing customers, so Pocket Casts has backtracked. Now, the company says anyone who paid for the desktop version will be given lifetime access to the new Plus tier.
Roland releases Zenbeats, a cross-platform music-making app
Roland has been making electronic musical instruments for nearly 50 years and has delivered products like the JU-06A tiny portable synth, keyboards with built-in Alexa controls and mini smartphone mixers. Now, it's entering the world of mobile music-making apps. Today, the company released Zenbeats.
Xfinity internet-only customers now get the Flex streaming platform for free
As of today, Comcast will provide its internet-only customers with its streaming TV service Xfinity Flex at no additional cost. Xfinity Flex, which is essentially a streaming device and platform, launched in March and originally cost $5 per month. Now, Comcast is waiving the fee, and all internet-only customers will have access to the 10,000 free movies and TV shows that Xfinity Flex offers.
Popular podcast app Pocket Casts is now available for free (updated)
We're big fans of Pocket Casts here at Engadget. The podcast app is arguably the best option for listening to the regular episodic content, keeping them all organized and easily finding what you're looking for. Until now, you had to pay a one-time fee of $3.99 to get Pocket Casts on Android or iOS, but that is changing.
Some AT&T unlimited subscribers will get Spotify Premium for free
AT&T is adding a new streaming option to its Unlimited & More Premium wireless plan: Spotify Premium. AT&T customers with the Unlimited & More Premium plan are now eligible for Spotify Premium at no additional charge. Other select AT&T customers can sign up for a six-month free trial of the streaming service, after which they'll be able to purchase a Spotify Premium plan for $9.99 per month.
Apple taps renowned artists for AR art walks
Apple has been pushing its way into the world of augmented reality for years. Now, it wants to get more users involved. Working with artists like Nick Cave, an American fabric sculptor and performance artist, Apple has installed AR art in public spaces in San Francisco, New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Users in those cities can sign up for a free Today at Apple experience called [AR]T. It involves an interactive walk to tour the AR installations, an in-store session that teaches the basics of creating AR using Swift Playgrounds and an AR installation in the store.
YouTube TV gifts free Showtime subscriptions to 'longtime friends'
If you've subscribed to YouTube TV for a while, then it's likely you're getting free Showtime this summer. If you are a "longtime friend" of the service, then you'll get the cable channel for "no cost" through September 5th, 2019. Users can activate the officer by going to the settings menu on desktop and, best of all, there's no automatic renewal, so you don't need to worry about being forced into paying for more.
Epic Games offers up to 75 percent off select games in its 'Mega Sale'
Tired of waiting for the Steam Sale? Starting today, you can find some of your favorite games for up to 75 percent off. The "Epic Mega Sale" runs now through June 13th, and during the sale, Epic Games is also offering an additional $10 off for every game purchase over $14.99. Plus, it's throwing in one freebie a week. Today, you can snag a free copy of World of Goo, and according to the site, you'll soon be able to download Stories Untold at no cost.
Lyft offers free bikeshare trips on Earth Day
While you might still think of Lyft primarily as a ridesharing company, it also has the largest bike-sharing network in the country -- thanks to its Motivate acquisition last summer. To celebrate Earth Day and promote its carbon-free transport, the company is offering free bikeshare rides on Monday, April 22. You'll be able to hop on a free bike in New York City, Washington, DC, Chicago, Minneapolis, Columbus, OH and Portland, OR. But each city will handle the promotion slightly differently, so check in with your local network before you plan to ride.
Why can’t all set-top boxes be as stylish as the Freebox Delta?
It might seem strange to do a deep-dive of an internet and TV set-top box, let alone one that you can't have in the United States. But the Freebox Delta from French carrier Free, equipped with Devialet speakers, is so strange, stylish and interesting that it merits a much closer look. And it's always good to see if the grass is greener on the other side of the Atlantic, non? It's one of the first set-top/fiber boxes to deliver high-speed internet, media-player capability, high-end sound and 4K HDR video. It has Alexa, streaming services and even a free Netflix subscription, so it can handle most AV chores with no extra devices needed. On top of that, it's chic and, like many things French, a touch political. But the biggest question is, what can it do? Let's take a look.
AudioKit's free, feature-loaded synth is available for iPhone
AudioKit Synth One was a minor breakthrough for mobile music making as a free, open source synthesizer that could compete with the heavyweights, but its iPad-only nature limited its audience. You'll be glad to hear, then, that AudioKit Pro has launched a universal version of the app that works with iPhones. It's the same professional-grade hybrid analog/FM poly synth as before, complete with LFOs, oscillators, sequencers and hundreds of presets. It's just crammed into a smaller screen area. You wouldn't want to use this for full-time music creation due to the limited room for controls, but this could be helpful for starting work on a track when you're nowhere near a studio.
