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Verizon will provide free internet to students in Los Angeles
Verizon will provide free internet access to all students who need it in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the company announced today. This could help as many as 100,000 students continue to learn while schools are closed.
Native Instruments' $50 retro synth plug-in is currently free
The '80s had no shortage of massive-sounding synthesizers, but many of them have either gone out to pasture or are prohibitively expensive on the secondhand market. Software companies often try to digitally recreate those synths as affordable plug-ins, though, and to keep musicians busy while they're locked inside, Native Instruments has made its Analog Dreams software -- which usually costs $50 -- free to download. That means anyone with a USB keyboard or controller can work on their Duran Duran covers or an isolation-induced synth pop opus.
Smithsonian opens up 2.8 million images to the public
The Smithsonian Institution is releasing a whopping 2.8 million high-res, two- and three-dimensional images from its collections to a new Open Access online platform. The material comes from all 19 Smithsonian museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives and the National Zoo, and it's available for free to anyone with a web browser.
You can still watch the Super Bowl for free on Roku (updated)
Last night, Fox apps were pulled from Roku, which left users who were planning to watch Super Bowl LIV via those apps scrambling. While Fox and Roku work out their differences, the NFL says there is nothing to worry about. The league will stream the game via its free Roku app, NFL spokesman Alex Riethmiller told Fast Company.
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.