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The best games for PS4
Sony's PlayStation 4 just hit its sixth birthday, and that poses a problem. You see, game developers have seen fit to release a game for almost every day the console has been available, leaving you with well over 1,500 titles to choose from. The sheer volume of games on offer, coupled with the subjective nature of the medium, makes it impossible to definitively name "the best," and that's not what this list is about.
Save $300 on a highly-recommended Sony Dolby Atmos soundbar this week
Look, I get it. You'd love to have Sennheiser's Ambeo soundbar, but you can't bring yourself to drop $2,500 on one. That's one of the main reasons we recommended several other options in our soundbar buyer's guide in September. More specifically, there was an alternative that would save you some money while still offering the immersive sound of Dolby Atmos: Sony's HT-ST500. The soundbar typically costs $1,500, but this week at Amazon, you can snag one for $1,198.
The best free-to-play games
Gone are the days where free games equated to ropey puzzle games and knock-off clones of games that had a price tag. These days, courtesy of in-app payments and the ease of offering both a sample of title alongside its full-fat version, there's actually plenty of great games to play without spending a dime. Put your card away, and consider this your starting point.
The best games for your smartphone
Sorry, but mobile gaming is the biggest player in the video game market. In 2018, it made almost half of the industry's global revenue. Smartphone games once existed separately from console and PC titles, but in the wake of titles like Fortnite, it's all got a little blurry. You'll find several games in our selection that are also available on your home consoles and PCs, but most of them sing on your smartphone, and the fact that you can play them absolutely anywhere makes up for any other pitfalls. Whether it's Android or iOS, here's some crucial games to start with. We'll be updating this list regularly -- this time, we welcome Pocket City to the fold.
Why are there so many TV streaming services?
The days of television streaming with limited choices are long gone. The list of options grows longer almost daily, and some big names have plans to launch new services that will further silo the content you want to watch. Exclusives are the new streaming currency, and to get everything you desire, you have to hand over a lot more money than you probably want to.
How to get the most out of Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services
A Netflix or Hulu subscription alone won't cut it anymore. The streaming landscape is fracturing as bastions of old media rise up with their own services, offering a blend of originals and library material. Over the coming months, the streaming video options will multiply like Gremlins, as the likes of Disney, Apple, WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal and mobile platform Quibi hop into the game.
The best games for PC
So how do you categorize a beast like gaming on the PC? With decades of titles to pluck from (and the first port of call for most indie titles, too), there's so much to choose from. Gaming on your PC adds the benefits of (nearly always flawless) backward compatibility and console-beating graphical performance -- if you've got the coin for it. We've tried to be broad with our recommendations here on purpose. There are so many great games out there for your PC, consider these some starting points. In our summer update, we've added Beat Saber which replaces Fortnite. With a busy few months for games coming up, expect more changes in the future.
The best streaming boxes (and sticks)
It’s all about streaming nowadays, and TV networks are embracing the space with apps that showcase the content they have to offer. But, in order to use these apps, you're going to need some hardware. Here’s a breakdown of the best streaming boxes and sticks you can buy right now.
The best games for Nintendo Switch
Nintendo's Switch is on a roll. The youngest of the games consoles is punching above its weight with a mix of core Nintendo games that have pushed iconic characters like Mario and Link into the modern gaming age.
Disney is mining nostalgia to make Disney+ a success
When Kevin Mayer, Disney's chairman of Direct-to-Consumer and International business, took the stage at D23 last month, the first thing he said was that the company's goal is to "entertain and inspire audiences of all ages." Mayer pointed to Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox as the perfect example of the breadth of content that will be on Disney+, the streaming service that's launching on November 12th in the US and Canada. "Never [has so much of] our content been previously available, whether you're nostalgic for your childhood favorites or simply need Baby Groot," Mayer, who was an instrumental figure in the Disney purchases of Pixar, Marvel Entertainment and Lucasfilm, said about Disney+.
How and why to buy a projector in 2019
A 100-inch 4K screen? To get that the usual way you might be looking at paying close to six figures. Luckily, there's another option that can get you even more, up to a 150-inch screen for a fraction of that price. Yes, film aficionados are increasingly turning their attention toward home theater projectors. You may think of projectors as either expensive, dim or janky, but with the latest technology, that's all changed. It's possible nowadays to find reasonably bright 4K HDR projectors with near theater-quality images for $1,500 or less. Before you start running to the store for popcorn, it's important to learn a few things and beware of the pitfalls, so we're here to help.
The best games for Xbox One
A series of missteps put Microsoft in second place before the Xbox One even came out. While it's likely to remain there until the next generation begins, there are a lot of people out there who have never experienced what the console has to offer. With the Xbox One X having a clear advantage over Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro when it comes to gaming on a 4K TV, there's never been a better time to jump in.
How to set up your own 'streaming service'
Video streaming is great -- until you lose access to the movie or TV show that you assumed would always be available on Netflix and Amazon Video. With downloads or physical media, this isn't an issue, because once you've bought it, you'll have access to it for life (that's the theory anyway).
How to pick a 4K TV in 2019
Making your way through the sea of flat-panel TVs that fill big box stores and online shopping carts in 2019 is tougher than ever before. Even though many of today's televisions have a baseline picture quality that was nearly unreachable just a few years ago, trying to find one that fits you among identical-looking screens with differences that are only apparent in their price tags will require some skill. The good news? After a few years on the market, availability of the latest technology buzzwords has largely stabilized, so you don't have to spend a lot to get a great looking television.
Get ready for a week of home theater tech on Engadget
The home entertainment industry is in transition. Cable companies are reacting to Netflix by trying to become Netflix, launching countless streaming services of their own. YouTube, having taken a huge bite out of TV viewing, now counts TV as its fastest-growing platform. Ultra HD Blu-ray, undoubtedly the highest-quality medium to watch movies on at home, has done nothing to stop the ever-growing marketshare of streaming.
How to buy a soundbar
It's no secret that the built-in speakers in most TVs are trash. Soundbars are a must-have if you care about your home audio setup. Here's what you need to consider when picking a soundbar, plus our best picks.
