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You have a week left to enter our holiday giveaway with prizes from Sony!
End-of-the-year festivities are just around the corner, so here's hoping your holiday shopping is squared away. If not, our guides are here for some last-minute reference, and in any case you owe it to yourself to enter the giveaways. Sony's supplied some pretty awesome gear, from its acclaimed RX100 II camera to the convertible VAIO Flip PC. Simply head to the bottom of each of our 11 guides and enter the raffle -- we're accepting entries until 11:59PM, EST on December 31st. Good luck!
On The Gadget Table: the products that defined 2013
The snow is falling, the trees are all lit up and servers everywhere are beginning to groan under the strain of last-minute shopping sprees. It's beginning to look a lot like Gadget Table time. To celebrate the season -- and put one last ribbon on the year that was -- we're bringing back an old Engadget Show favorite. We've dusted off the table and filled it full of some of the best and most memorable gadgets of 2013. Tablets, smartphones, video game consoles, tablets, wearables and even the occasional dongle -- all are fair game. Join Brian and Dana after the break, as they take you through the year in gadgets.
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide 2013: For the Geek who has everything
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides. We all know at least one of them: that borderline-annoying person who always seems to have the latest gadgets the moment they're announced. The Nexus 5 isn't going to cut it for such people; you'll need to think outside the box if you want to really impress them. Consider the ideas below -- from 3D-printing pens to a stunning e-motorcycle, these (probably) haven't found a place in your friends' lives just yet.
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Home Theater
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. For many of us, "home entertainment" systems can be tucked in backpacks or propped up on an airline tray table. For diehard media fanatics, however, such lightweight solutions won't do. If you or someone you love knows their LCD from their plasma -- and you have the money to spend -- the TVs below are sure to please. The days of 4K may still be early, but, hey, nothing makes watching Planet Earth more social than a giant, brilliant set. Even if your wallet isn't fat, you can upgrade a living room with our favorite set-top boxes and TVs.
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Audio
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Like cameras, audio gadgets are the kind of gifts you want to start using fresh out of the box at this year's holiday parties. Okay, it's probably not a good idea to ditch the festivities to test out that new pair of over-ears, but the speakers and services listed below should guarantee that your party playlists are taken care of.
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Peripherals
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Peripherals sound about as exciting as a trip to the dentist, but trust us: Companion devices have plenty to offer, and some even have a wow factor. Just take the Pebble smartwatch, for example; it lets you view notifications (as well as the current time) directly from your wrist. Especially well-heeled types can shell out for a VR headset or 3D printer, but we're sure your loved ones will be thankful for a cutting-edge hard drive all the same.
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Gaming
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. This is an especially good year for gamers: With major consoles from Microsoft and Sony debuting just in time for the holidays, there are some pretty obvious items to add to the wish list. If hand-held gaming is more your thing, don't fret; we've got you covered, too.
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Tablets
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Tablets are right up there with 3D-enabled 4K TVs in terms of gift appeal; no one can resist firing them up the moment they've been unwrapped. Maybe it's their super-thin form factors; maybe it's because they make great couch companions; or maybe it's because they're just plain fun. Whether it's an Android, Windows 8.1 or iOS slate you're shopping for, you'll find suitable picks across all budgets below.
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: fall 2013
As the leaves turn to gold and flutter from the trees, the Engadget team digs out their scarves and mittens to get ready for the mad rush of phone launches that take place ahead of the holiday season. We've seen big devices (both large and high-profile ones) enter the world over the last few months, including new heavyweights from Apple and Google. Then there's Samsung, Nokia and HTC, which are all following the philosophy that bigger is better. But it's not just on the hardware side that things are getting exciting. T-Mobile's eliminated roaming charges and Verizon is doubling its LTE speeds to a whopping 80 Mbps. AT&T is offering customers a $5 daily pass for internet and is making mobile share plans the standard rather than the exception. Of course, if you'd prefer unlimited data, Sprint is promising that its Spark LTE will beat the field -- but it's currently only available in NYC, LA, Chicago, Tampa and Miami. Whether you're looking for a smartphone right now, or if your contract is about to expire, this is your guide to the best ones on the market.
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Laptops
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Chances are you stick with a laptop longer than a smartphone -- not everyone can afford to upgrade machines every two years, after all. And since you'll be using that notebook for a while, it better be a mighty capable one. Whether you're shopping for a lucky relative or friend or perusing for yourself, this shortlist of laptops and Ultrabooks is a great place to start. Our resident laptop expert Dana Wollman, along with others from the Engadget team, break down the best systems for all budgets.
Engadget's 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Smartphones
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Who doesn't want a new smartphone? Even if you love the handset in your pocket, there's bound to be a newer, higher-specced device calling your name. If you're generous enough to give the ultimate mobile-tech gift, we'd like to help. We've lined up the hottest phones both on- and off-contract, from less than $100 to north of $500. Extra points if you foot the bill for the giftee's early termination fee.
Engadget's 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: E-readers
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Weighing your e-reader options isn't as difficult as, say, deciding on a new smartphone. There are fewer models to sift through, for one, and your allegiance to Amazon or B&N could further narrow things down. Still, you have a range of options in every camp -- from barebones devices meant for reading and nothing else to full-fledged tablets with the higher-end specs to match. Below, we make the case for some of our top picks.
Engadget's laptop buyer's guide: fall 2013 edition
We're not sure how many of you will be lucky enough to receive a spanking new notebook for the holidays, but just in case you've got one on your list (or are shopping for someone else), we've got a newly updated laptop buyer's guide full of suggestions. Whether it's a convertible Ultrabook you're looking for, or a regular Ultrabook, or maybe a gaming machine, we're here to be of service.
Engadget's 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Cameras
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. With smartphones like the Nokia Lumia 1020 offering outstanding photo performance, you may wonder why you'd want a standalone camera at all. Leave it to the professionals and photo enthusiasts here at Engadget to clarify why a devoted shooter is still your best bet if snapping stills and video is a serious hobby -- you won't find many of these specs in a phone any time soon.
Walmart Black Friday deals: Cheap 2DS, consoles, starter packs, games
Walmart has posted its Black Friday deals, which kick off on 6pm Thursday, November 28. Walmart will roll out the discounts throughout the weekend during "events," the first of which highlights video games. The savings begin with a few console specials. There's a 4GB Xbox 360 (without Kinect) for $100, a 12GB PS3 system for $150, a 250GB PS3 system with The Last of Us and Batman: Arkham Origins for $200 - the same bundle Target is offering - and a $100 deal on Nintendo's new 2DS handheld. Naturally, select games will also be discounted. Starter packs for both Disney Infinity and Skylanders: Swap Force will be down to $40, as will Call of Duty: Ghosts on current-gen platforms. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, NBA 2K14 and GTA 5 and more will be on sale for $35; Beyond: Two Souls, The Last of Us, Injustice, Diablo 3, Battlefield 4 and more will be $25. For $15, you can grab StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, Tomb Raider, Borderlands 2, MineCraft: Xbox 360 Edition and more. The full online ad, which will serve up your local Walmart's deals automatically, is visible through the link below. Happy spending!
Target Black Friday preview: Hardware, headsets and games, oh my
Target has posted a sneak preview for its deluge of Black Friday deals and quite a few have been extended to the video games section of the store. Headlining the weekend of savings from November 28 to November 30 are a pair of console deals: a 4GB Xbox 360 S bundle, which includes Kinect Sports Season Two and Kinect Adventures, for $190 and a 250GB PS3 system with The Last of Us and Batman: Arkham Origins for $200. Select current-gen games have also had their prices slashed. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Max Payne 3 are both down to $10; Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Splinter Cell: Blacklist are $25; and Battlefield 4, Batman: Arkham Origins and Madden NFL 25 are $35. Target is dishing out gift cards, too. Pick up a copy of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag and you'll net a $20 gift card, while snagging a copy of Call of Duty: Ghosts or Mario and Luigi: Dream Team will earn a $10 card. To see the full multi-page ad, click the source link below and you'll be directed to your local Target's circular.
Engadget's 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Household
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. If you ask us, gadgets for the home make some of the greatest gifts. After all, your parents may be doing just fine with their smartphones du jour, but now's your chance to give them the intelligent thermostat they never knew they were missing. The picks in this category represent some of the freshest ways to tech up the living room -- seriously, even the vacuums are cool.
Engadget's 2013 holiday gift guide
It's that time again: The approaching holidays provide a perfect opportunity to take inventory of the best gadgets on the market across every budget and category imaginable. And what better way to highlight your best bets than stealing from the wishlists of Engadget editors? Not to brag, but we have pretty good taste. Come for the expert advice, and stay for the giveaways! Enter the raffle in each of our guides for the chance to win one of 11 Sony products. Keep this page handy, as we'll be adding guides throughout the month. Happy holidays!
Amazon offers buy 2, get 1 sale on PS4 games starting tomorrow
Starting tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. PST, Amazon shoppers can get a free PlayStation 4 game with purchase of two qualifying titles from the console's launch lineup, one-upping a similar ongoing sale at Target. Amazon's deal is activated with the promotion code GR8TNESS at checkout. Featured offerings include console-exclusive games like Knack and Killzone: Shadow Fall, along with upgraded ports of current-gen hits like Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghosts, and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. A full list of eligible games is after the break below.
30 days of PlayStation Plus, $10 PSN voucher free with US, Canadian PS4s
Expect to find a 30-day trial for PlayStation Plus, a $10 voucher for the PlayStation Store, and a 30-day trial for Music Unlimited in your new PS4 if you live in the US or Canada. Sony has announced via the PlayStation Blog that, for a limited time, new consoles will come with these three pack-ins to help new users get all nice and comfy with their shiny new box. While PS Plus will be required for online multiplayer on the PS4, you'll also get access to the Instant Game Collection and the ability to cloud-save your games. The PS4 will also limit your music-listening options to Music Unlimited - which is kind of ironic when you think about it - so if you want to crank some tunes, the trial will get you started. The $10 voucher is arguably the real treat here, as you can use it however you like in the PlayStation Store. Movies, games, TV shows and more will be available on your new PS4, but if you're a Call of Duty fan, you've probably already noticed that $10 is the same amount it will cost to upgrade from a PS3 copy of Call of Duty: Ghosts to a PS4 copy. Update: Note that Ghosts isn't the only game that can be upgraded for $10. Battlefield 4 will also be available to upgrade for the same price, as will Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag and Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition.
