Technology

mardi 6 février 2024

The best instant cameras you can buy right now

We found the best cameras for your budget and needs.

Even with the ability to take excellent photos with our phones and instantly share them across the world, there’s something magical about the old-school instant camera. With just a click of a button, you can capture a moment in a photo that you can see and touch almost immediately. Images captured by an instant camera aren’t as pristine or perfect as those produced by modern digital cameras, but their soft images and imperfections are often a big part of the allure.

Yet not all instant cameras are the same, and some of them are better suited for different needs and budgets. That’s why we tested some of the most popular instant cameras on the market from brands like Fujifilm, Polaroid, and Kodak.

All of the models featured in our best instant camera guide here are enjoyable to use, but each offers a different set of features at a different price point. As a result, some are more appropriate for a child or budding photographer, while others are more advanced and provide added creative control (for a price). When it comes down to it, though, we consider print quality, ease of use, and affordability to be the hallmarks of a quality shooter. That’s why we picked Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12 as the best instant camera for most people, as it ticks all three boxes wonderfully.

If you’re looking for more creative control or features like filters, however, the Instax Mini Evo is our choice, one that boasts great image quality and allows you to choose which photos you’d like to print. Other instant cameras, like the second-gen Polaroid Now Plus and Kodak’s Mini Retro 3, also offer a variety of advanced creative modes for those who desire more.

Take a look at this list of our instant camera recommendations to find the best fit for you.

Best instant camera for most people

Film type: Fujifilm Instax Mini film (sold separately) / Film size: 2 x 3-inches / Weight: 306 grams / Charging method: AA batteries / Companion app: None / Other features: Built-in selfie mirror, film counter

If all you’re looking to do is just click a button and get a decent print for a reasonable price, we recommend Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12. It’s a basic instant camera that’s similar to our former pick, the Instax Mini 11, but with some minor updates. It still takes less than five minutes to start shooting, but the setup process is easier since all you need to do is twist the lens to either “on” or “off.” Such ease of use, combined with the camera’s thinner build, makes it particularly well suited for kids and those new to photography.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 photos of animals, nature, art, and drinks. — *For an instant camera, Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12 produces vivid, relatively true-to-life photos.*

For an instant camera, image quality is also better than most of the other cameras I tested, producing relatively true-to-life photos. Most of the cameras I tested struggled to capture low-light conditions well, and this one is no exception, but the built-in flash does help. Fujifilm claims the Mini 12 optimizes image quality in both dark and bright environments better than its predecessor, but I didn’t notice much of a difference. The flash — which you can’t disable — is also still overpowering in some instances, resulting in a few overexposed images. If anything, the photos actually seemed a little darker and less vivid than before.

However, at least the Instax Mini 12 captured my features and skin color more accurately when I used the included selfie feature — which is really just a small mirror mounted on the front of the camera.

A closeup of Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12 camera and its lens structure surrounded by photos it printed in the background. — *Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12 features a new lens structure that’s fun and more intuitive to play with.*

You can also now zoom in a little easier thanks to a new lens structure, which you can twist to enter the Close-Up Mode in lieu of pressing a button. When in this mode, you can take advantage of the camera’s new “Parallax Correction” feature, which is supposed to result in a more aligned photo. The lens was fun to play with and reminded me of a traditional point-and-shoot, but actually using it to take quality photos takes some time to figure out. As with the Mini 11, it’s still somewhat tricky to center your subject in the frame using this mode, even with the updated lens. Thankfully, it became easier to properly align photos after a couple of attempts (as well as some composition guidance from the manual).

The Mini 12 also offers a number of other niceties. I appreciated the larger-than-average viewfinder and the fact that the camera comes with a small counter that displays the remaining number of shots, which is a feature many of the other instant cameras I tested lacked. It’s easy to lose track of how many photos you’ve taken, especially when out for drinks or while sightseeing on vacation. Yet given each print costs about $1, it’s important to be mindful of how many shots you’ve got left.

All in all, the Instax Mini 12 is a basic camera that caters to all ages and experience levels and gets the job done — and done relatively well. It doesn’t feature Bluetooth or pair with a companion app that allows you to edit photos (only scan them), and it also doesn’t offer advanced features like filters, lens options, or portrait modes. But if you’re looking for an instant camera that offers a great traditional analog experience, this is it.

A white Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 instant camera surrounded by wallet-sized photos it produced. — *Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12 is a cute instant camera that’s great for all ages.*

Best premium instant camera

Film type: Fujifilm Instax Mini film (sold separately) / Film size: 2 x 3-inches / Weight: 285 grams / Charging method: USB-C (on newer models) / Companion app: Yes / Other features: LCD screen, smartphone printing

One of Fujifilm’s newest instant cameras, the Instax Mini Evo, is my colleague Becca Farcase’s favorite — and it’s mine as well. A hybrid camera that bears a resemblance to Fujifilm’s more expensive Fujifilm X100 line of cameras, it looks good and boasts vintage dials and buttons so stylish that they even caught the attention of passersby as I walked around Los Angeles taking photos.

It’s easy to balk at its $199 price tag, but this camera offers a level of flexibility that could save you money in the long run if you use it a lot. That’s because the Instax Mini Evo includes a full-color three-inch LCD screen that lets you preview and select which images you want to print, which can help you avoid wasting film on unwanted shots. The added flexibility gave me more room for creative experimentation, too, as I wasn’t worried about running out of film. I also loved using the Instax Mini Evo app to print photos from my smartphone. Plus, unlike the Instax Mini 12, the Evo now uses a USB-C port (though older black models still use the Micro USB port) for charging so you don’t need to keep buying new batteries.

The Instax Mini Evo resting on a table sideways with the large LCD screen and back mostly in view. — *The Instax Mini Evo comes with a large LCD screen that doubles as a viewfinder and allows you to choose which photos to print.*

Unlike Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12, the Mini Evo comes with a few extra features that can help you capture better photos. For example, you can actually turn off the flash on the Mini Evo and use the three-inch LCD screen as a viewfinder. You can also use the menu to adjust how bright you want the film to look when it’s printed out, which was helpful given neither the Evo nor the Mini 12 are particularly great at capturing dark environments.

Additionally, there are dials you can use to apply various lens options and filters, ranging from retro to monochrome shades, as well as a mirror lens, vignette, soft focus, and more. You can take app-based remote shots, too, which adds an extra element of photographic control that can help you take better selfie shots than the selfie mirror in the front.

The Instax Mini Evo resting on a table surrounded by photos it’s produced. — Being able to adjust the brightness of the prints helped me capture night photos and a low-light immersive exhibit a little more clearly and realistically, which is a feature the Instax Mini 12 doesn’t offer.

Of course, it’s not a perfect device, and there are some downsides to consider outside the price. For instance, although you can add some filters and make a few edits using Fujifilm’s companion app, it just isn’t as feature-rich as some of the apps available for the other digital and hybrid instant cameras I tested. The Evo’s extensive menu system also wasn’t particularly easy to navigate, and it took me some time to figure out how to turn the flash on and off. Plus, if you rely on internal storage solely, you can only take 45 images before the device is full. Still, all of these are minor issues, and I was very happy overall with how portable the stylish camera is, as well as how easy it is to take good photos quickly.

Read our Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo review.

Three clear photos the Instax Mini Evo produced outside under the sun. — *The Instax Mini Evo, like the Instax Mini 12, shines the best when capturing photos taken in well-lit environments.*

Best instant camera for social occasions

Film type: Kodak Instant Print 3 x 3-inch cartridge (included) / Film size: 3 x 3-inch square prints / Weight: 467 grams / Charging method: Micro USB / Companion app: Yes / Other features: LCD screen, smartphone printing

Whereas the Instax Mini Evo’s companion app is more functional, Kodak’s hybrid Mini Shot 3 Retro is all about fun. The camera’s accompanying mobile app allows you to apply frames, stickers, filters, and a plethora of customization options to photos, making the camera great for scrapbooking. There’s even a beauty feature within the app to conceal blemishes, as well as a set of Snapchat-like filters you can use to add, say, dog ears, making this a fun instant camera to use as a mini photo booth of sorts at parties.

The yellow and black Kodak Mini Shot 3 Retro being held up sideways with a hand and a bush as the background. — *With its feature-rich app, Kodak’s Mini Shot 3 Retro is more modern than retro. It’s also a ton of fun.*

Like the Instax Mini Evo, Kodak’s Mini Shot 3 Retro comes with an LCD screen (albeit a much smaller one) you can use to decide whether or not you want to print a shot. It also supports Bluetooth, and you can use the Kodak Photo Printer app to upload photos to social media or print decent, relatively crisp photos from your smartphone. Unlike the Mini Evo, however, Kodak’s Mini Shot 3 Retro retails for around $150 and includes a pack of a film (it’s also often on sale for a lot less). It also uses cheaper film; you can currently pick up a 60-sheet cartridge for about $17.99, which equates to roughly $0.33 a shot. The fact that the film is cheaper arguably encourages play and creative experimentation, even if the large 3 x 3-inch square prints feel lower in quality and more flimsy than both Fujifilm’s and Polaroid’s.

Two photos produced by the Kodak Mini Shot 3 that are relatively true-to-life but too oversaturated with a pink tint. — *Photos taken with the Kodak Mini Shot 3 aren’t particularly sharp and can have an excessive pink tint.*

However, there are notable drawbacks to the Kodak Mini Shot 3. My biggest issue is that the resulting prints of photos taken with the camera aren’t nearly as crisp or clear as those taken with a smartphone. Photo quality wasn’t consistently as good as the Mini Evo’s or Mini 12’s nor, for the most part, as clear and sharp. The photos also sometimes had an excessive pink tint that can interfere with quality. It doesn’t store images the way the Mini Evo does, either, which means you can’t decide whether you’d like to print them later. It’s also noticeably heavier than the Mini Evo and, frankly, nowhere near as stylish.

Nonetheless, if you don’t mind compromising on photo quality and want a relatively affordable hybrid camera that comes with a bunch of fun app features, the Kodak Mini Shot 3 Retro is a good choice.

Best instant camera for retro fans

Film type: Polaroid i-Type Color Film (sold separately) / Film size: 4.2 x 3.5-inch prints / Weight: 451.5 grams / Charging method: USB-C / Companion app: Yes / Other features: Lens filter kit, film counter

If you’re looking for an instant camera that offers the most old-fashioned, instant-film experience, the second-gen Polaroid Now Plus is the camera for you. Compared to the other instant cameras on this list, it most closely resembles vintage instant cameras like the Polaroid 600 with its classic, retro-inspired design. Meanwhile, its square I-Type film prints and iconic Polaroid-style frame give photos a more authentically vintage look.

A hand holding a blue lens the Polaroid Now Plus comes with outside. — *The Polaroid Now Plus comes with a set of color lenses you can snap onto the camera.*

Yet, at the same time, the second-gen Polaroid Now Plus also comes with the convenience and usefulness of more modern features, including support for USB-C charging. It also offers Bluetooth support and a companion app boasting several creative modes that allow for greater photographic control. These include a remote shutter, a self-timer, and a “Polaroid Lab” where you can adjust the exposure and various color settings. The app also features a handful of shooting modes — including a manual option and one for capturing multiple exposures — while the camera includes a set of five colored lenses you can snap onto the front. These were enjoyable to play with and allowed for more artistic expression.

The back of the green second-gen Polaroid Now Plus resting on a table with its viewfinder. — *The latest Polaroid Now Plus is too big and awkwardly sized to easily fit into a bag, but I did like that it has a small counter on the back underneath the power button.*

If there’s one thing the Polaroid Now Plus isn’t known for, it’s portability. Given how heavy, large, and awkwardly sized it is, it’s not the kind of instant camera you can easily slip into your purse or carry around. Plus, it takes up to 15 minutes for prints to develop, and you have to make sure it’s not exposed to light while developing. That’s quite an inconvenience if you’re out with friends, say, at the beach on a sunny day.

Six photos produced by the second-gen Polaroid Now Plus. — *The photos I took with the second-gen Polaroid Now Plus weren’t that true to life, but they did give off an old-school vibe that I found charming.*

If you’re looking for an instant camera that can easily print a good, clear photo without much effort on your part, this is not the camera for you. Of all the cameras on this list, the latest Polaroid Now Plus struggles with low-light environments the most. I could barely see images I took indoors, and I was only able to get the clearest shots when the light was directly behind me during the day — more specifically, in the morning. Even these images weren’t as clear in comparison to Instax film, and both contrast and color saturation levels tend to be quite low.

Admittedly, this gave my pictures more of a dreamy vintage look that felt artistic, and you can use the Polaroid Lab to slightly adjust saturation and exposure settings. However, doing so is time-consuming. Given all these issues, I found it was easy to quickly waste film, which proved expensive. After all, you only get eight I-Type sheets for $16.99, and that’s in addition to forking out $149.99 for the camera.

Truth be told, however, you could argue that many of these shortcomings are typical of a retro Polaroid-inspired instant camera and, thus, part of the experience. If that’s what you’re looking for, and you don’t mind the price, the second-gen Polaroid Now Plus is the perfect camera for you.

As a final note, it’s worth mentioning that while the older, first-gen Polaroid Now Plus is no longer a part of Polaroid’s official lineup, some retailers still have it in stock at a discounted price. Except for the fact the new model features USB-C and replaces the blue option with a green colorway, the two cameras are identical. So if price matters more to you than relatively fast charging, you’ll be just as happy with the first-gen model.

A closeup of a green second-gen Polaroid Now Plus held up against a brown background. — *The second-gen Polaroid Now Plus is a good combination of old-school and modern but was way too big for me to comfortably hold with just one hand.*

Best instant camera for portability

Film type: Polaroid i-Type Color Film (sold separately) / Film size: 2.6 x 2.1-inch prints / Weight: 242 grams / Charging method: Micro USB / Companion app: Yes / Other features: Selfie mirror, film counter

Whereas the Polaroid Now Plus is huge, the Polaroid Go is tiny. When I first held it, I couldn’t help but find it adorable. It easily fits into the palm of my hand — which is saying a lot given I’m petite and a little over five feet tall. In fact, it’s so small there were times I forgot I was even carrying it in my purse, making this easily the most portable instant camera on our list. It even produces the tiniest prints of all the instant cameras I tested, which could be nice if you’re trying to save some space and want something even smaller than Instax Mini prints.

Weighing just over a pound, the Polaroid Go is also the lightest instant camera I’ve ever held, and you can easily use it with one hand. That’s actually pretty convenient, given I sometimes struggled to take pictures with the heavier Polaroid Now Plus and, to a lesser extent, some of the other instant cameras I tested. In fact, if the images produced looked more true-to-life and didn’t require you to hide them from light for about 15 minutes while developing, I’d be tempted to call this the best instant camera for travel or small children.

The tiny white Polaroid Go held up against a palm tree. — *The tiny Polaroid Go is easy to hold in one hand.*

The Polaroid Go is also one of the most affordable Polaroid cameras currently on the market, with film that costs just a little more than Fujifilm’s Instax Mini shots (or about $19.99 for a 16-sheet double pack). Thankfully, the low price doesn’t come at the expense of image quality. While the Go struggles with capturing low-light environments like the bulk of the cameras on our list, it’s not to the same extent as the Polaroid Now Plus. Surprisingly, it was easier to capture clearer photos indoors, which meant I didn’t waste as much film. Contrast and color saturation levels are still low, but in a way that still exudes the vintage, almost dreamy look of the photos the Now Plus prints.

Four tiny photos produced by the Polaroid Go. — *The Polaroid Go produced tiny, slightly clearer photos than the Polaroid Now Plus, although still struggled to capture low-light environments.*

Unlike the Polaroid Now Plus, however, the Go lacks creative modes and more advanced features, although double-pressing the flash button does give you double-exposure shots. There’s also no Bluetooth support and thus no fancy app that will allow you to add extra effects — although, thankfully, it is rechargeable and includes a Micro USB charging cable. In addition, as mentioned, the prints are even smaller than the Instax Mini, which could be a drawback for those who prefer larger, more traditional Polaroid photos. While it produces similar vintage-style shots, design-wise, it doesn’t look anything like old-school Polaroid cameras either, which could also take away from the retro experience some desire.

That said, none of the older Polaroid cameras came with an app either. All in all, the Go’s simplicity makes it a suitable candidate for those seeking a camera that provides a more traditional instant film experience — one they can take advantage of just about anywhere.

A few more good instant cameras (and one to avoid)

Instax Square SQ1

While it didn’t make the cut, the Instax Square SQ1 is worth a brief mention. Like the Mini 12, the Instax Square SQ1 produces good-quality shots, is easy to set up and use, and comes with a built-in selfie mirror. The reason we didn’t include it above, however, is that it costs nearly twice as much as the Mini 12 at $119.95, though we do sometimes see it on sale for $100.

That said, it might be worth a look if you prefer large 2.4 x 2.4-inch square prints and relatively true-to-life photos over vintage-looking stills. After all, the SQ1 is still cheaper than the Polaroid Now Plus and produces higher-quality images than the Kodak Mini Shot 3 Square Retro, which also prints similarly sized square shots.

Fujifilm also sells the newer Instax Square SQ40. It’s similar to the Instax Square SQ1 but with a vintage look that’s more visually striking, yet it’s also more expensive at $149.95. Given it produces similarly good-quality photos and is not likely to go on sale anytime soon, I’d recommend the Instax Square SQ1 or the more capable Instax Mini Evo for $50 more.

Avoid the Kodak Printomatic

We also tested a few instant cameras that we would advise people to steer clear of. The Kodak Printomatic is chief among those, and we specifically mention it because it’s often one of the bestselling instant cameras on Amazon. We suspect that’s because it’s routinely on sale for $49.99 ($30 off) with a pack of film — specifically, a 10-pack of Zink photo prints with adhesive backings so you can use the images as stickers. However, if you’re simply looking for a budget-friendly instant camera, it’s not worth purchasing over Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12.

As is common with Zink photos, the Printomatic’s resulting photo quality isn’t clear and tends to be oversaturated. In fact, many photos were so bad that I barely recognized the subject in the frame. The camera is also slow to print and wasn’t always responsive when I pressed the shutter button, which meant I occasionally had to press it a few times to take a shot. All in all, it was a frustrating camera to use that’s not worth the $30 you may save by picking it over Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12. Besides, you’ll probably be using the money saved to buy extra film given how many prints you’ll waste.

Update February 6th, 2023: Adjusted prices.

Sony’s latest PS5 beta improves DualSense controller audio and screen sharing

A PlayStation 5 DualSense controller rests on a PlayStation 5 console. — Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Sony has started testing a new PS5 beta update that will improve the speakers and microphone on the DualSense controller, alongside adding pointers and emoji reactions to the Share Screen feature. The update is available to testers today via an email invite, and it also includes the ability to dim the brightness of the PS5 power indicator.

The firmware for both the DualSense and DualSense Edge wireless controllers has been updated with this PS5 beta to improve the volume of the speakers that output in-game sounds and voice chat. Sony is also improving the microphone capabilities of both of the DualSense controllers to better deal with noise.

“The mic input quality on these controllers has been improved, courtesy of a new AI machine learning model,” says Hideaki Nishino, a senior vice president for platform experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “Background noise from button presses and game audio are suppressed, resulting in a better voice chat experience.”

*Don’t worry you can turn these pointers and emoji off when you’re screen sharing.*

If you use the Share Screen feature on PS5 then friends will now be able to use pointers and emoji reactions to interact with your gameplay. “Viewers can move a pointer around, send a ping or draw a line on the shared screen, allowing them to highlight certain objects or areas to guide the host player more accurately,” explains Nishino.

That sounds like a great addition to help friends complete a level, beat a boss, or finish a challenging puzzle in a game. Viewers can also send emoji reactions to the host of the screen sharing, but don’t worry you can disable the pointers and emoji if you have a friend who just loves to troll you while you’re playing.

*You can’t fully disable the PS5 power indicator.*

The last addition in this PS5 beta update is the ability to control the brightness of the PS5’s power indicator. There are three options to choose from: dim, medium, and bright (default). Unfortunately you can’t fully disable the power indicator.

Sony is making this PS5 beta available to select testers in the US, Canada, Japan, UK, Germany, and France today. Beta updates typically ship to all PS5 owners within a few months.

lundi 5 février 2024

Sony just let slip a Final Fantasy VII Rebirth playable demo is imminent

A screenshot from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth featuring Cloud and Sephiroth. — Image: Square Enix

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is nearly here. It’s coming February 29th, and yes, we will find out what happens to Aerith unless the game’s producer was playing us. But we won’t have to wait that long to get a taste, because Sony will release a playable demo as soon as tomorrow, February 6th.

That’s the word from Wario64, who spotted a trailer for the demo on PlayStation Network, one you can watch below — and the news that the demo will let you “step into the shoes of either Cloud or Sephiroth during the Nibelheim episode.”

PSN confirms that a Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo is coming tomorrow (says it's "out now" but I think the trailer was meant for tomorrow)

"...allowing you to step into the shoes of either Cloud or Sephiroth during the Nibelheim episode" pic.twitter.com/T9YbqGqQIN
— Wario64 (@Wario64) February 6, 2024

I won’t spoil what happens in Nibelheim just in case this is your first rodeo beyond Midgar’s walls, but in the original game... let’s just say it was pivotal. Perhaps the first true “wait, what is going on here” moment in the game, if I recall.

Sony’s planning to give us “an extended look at Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” on Tuesday at 6:30PM ET / 3:30PM ET / 11:30PM GMT, and I would expect this demo to drop then. The stream will be live on Sony’s YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok.

Some other trailers while you wait:

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Here are the best Apple Watch deals right now

Man in yellow jacket models Apple Watch SE (2022) — *The entry-level Apple Watch SE is a gateway smartwatch if there ever was one.* | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Editor’s note: Apple was recently banned from selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 due to a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo. A federal appeals court recently stayed the resulting import ban, however, forcing Apple to begin selling both models without blood oxygen measuring features. Read more about the ban here.

In September, Apple launched its latest batch of smartwatches, introducing the Apple Watch Ultra 2 ($799) alongside the new Apple Watch Series 9 ($399). Each wearable has its own pros and cons, as does the second-gen Apple Watch SE ($249), but the introduction of the new wearables also means there are now more Apple Watch models on the market than ever before — and a lot more deals to be had.

But with all of those options, which one should you pick? Generally speaking, you want to buy the newest watch you can afford so that it continues to receive software updates from Apple. The latest update, watchOS 10, launched in September on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer, though no one can say with certainty whether the Series 4 will get the next big software update or whether it will be exclusive to newer watches.

Picking up a watch from the latest (or a recent) generation ensures you’re getting a smartwatch with an updated design, a robust number of features, and plenty of sensors. Now, let’s get into the deals.

The best Apple Watch Series 9 deals

The Apple Watch Series 9 represents the latest wearable in Apple’s flagship Series lineup. It introduces a slightly faster S9 SiP chip and a second-gen ultra wideband chip, which allow for onboard Siri processing and precision finding with your iPhone. It also offers a brighter, 2,000-nit display and works with Apple’s new “double tap,” a feature that lets you tap your thumb and index finger together to carry out various actions. While the improvements are welcome, the Series 9 isn’t a vast departure from the prior model, the Series 8.

The Apple Watch Series 9 has only been out a few months, but the GPS-equipped model is currently on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy in the 41mm sizing starting at $329 ($70 off) or in the larger 45mm configuration at Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy for as low as $349 ($80 off). As for the LTE model with cellular connectivity, it’s currently available at Walmart in the 41mm configuration starting at $399.99 ($100 off) — an all-time low — or at Amazon and Best Buy starting at $429 ($70 off). You can also pick it up in the 45mm sizing at Walmart starting at $429.99 ($99 off), or at Amazon and Best Buy for $459 ($70 off).

Read our Apple Watch Series 9 review.

The best Apple Watch SE deals

The Apple Watch SE received a refresh in late 2022. It has the same chipset as the Series 8, which is great, but with fewer sensors, no always-on display, and a slightly outdated design compared to the Series 8 and Series 9. Those omissions might take this out of the running for some people, but it still may be exactly what you’re after. Best of all, it starts at $249 for the 40mm Wi-Fi / GPS model, which is $30 less than the previous generation’s baseline cost. Opting for cellular connectivity bumps up the starting price to $299 for the 40mm size (44mm adds $20 to each configuration).

At the moment, the best deal on the latest Apple Watch SE can be found at Walmart, where you can pick the 40mm model with GPS for $179 ($70 off). If that deal sells out, however, it’s also on sale for $189 ($60 off) at Amazon and for $199 ($50 off) at Best Buy. The 44mm sizing, meanwhile, is available starting at $209 ($70 off) at Walmart, or for $219 ($60 off) at Amazon.

If you want the LTE configuration, the 40mm configuration is available at Walmart for $229 ($70 off) or at Amazon and Best Buy for as low as $239 ($60 off). The larger 44mm size is also available for $259 ($70 off) at Walmart, or for $279 ($50 off) at Amazon and Best Buy.

Read our Apple Watch SE (second-gen) review.

The best Apple Watch Ultra 2 deals

Apple’s latest Apple Watch Ultra launched at $799 in September with GPS and LTE support, much like the original model. The ultra-capable smartwatch has the most features, sensors, and ruggedness of any Apple Watch model available thus far, along with a display that’s 50 percent brighter than the first Ultra. The 49mm smartwatch also packs Apple’s new S9 SiP and second-gen ultra wideband chips, just like the Apple Watch Series 9, while maintaining long-lasting battery life, precise GPS tracking, and a bevy of diving-friendly sensors.

We recently saw the Apple Watch Ultra 2 dip to $739 for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Right now, however, it’s on sale for even less at Amazon, where you can grab it in selection configurations with an Alpine Loop strap starting at $737.99 ($61 off). It’s also available at other retailers, including Best Buy and Target, but only for its full retail price.

Read our Apple Watch Ultra 2 review.

A note on the more premium models

While all of the Apple Watch models and colorways covered here are encased in aluminum (except the Ultra 2, which has a titanium build), Apple does make a more premium range built out of stainless steel and titanium. These offerings are functionally and aesthetically similar to their aluminum counterparts, with slightly refined colors and finishings — polished for the stainless steel and brushed for the titanium. However, they start at much steeper prices of $749 and above. They, too, can often be found on sale, but they’re never discounted as low as the standard base models, so we don’t include them here.

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Why Is Big Tech Still Cutting Jobs?

Why Is Big Tech Still Cutting Jobs? Profits are up and the economy is strong. But the tech industry faces two challenges — dealing with a frenetic work force expansion in the pandemic and building A.I.

dimanche 4 février 2024

Bambu Lab is recalling every A1 3D printer — don’t use them until you read this

A picture of the A1 3D printer. — *The Bambu Lab A1 3D Printer in question.* | Image: Bambu Lab

Bambu Lab is officially recalling all A1 3D printers (not counting the A1 Mini). The company “strongly” urges owners to stop using it for safety reasons after it was alerted to “unstable temperature readings” that it first traced to a faulty heatbed cable last week, as reported by Tom’s Hardware. After further investigation, Bambu says “less than 0.1% of all the A1 printers sold” are affected by the problem, but it can’t say with 100 percent certainty what the cause is, so it’s offering a full refund to any A1 owner who wants it.

The company isn’t recalling any other printers in its lineup, so if you own an X1 series, P1 series, or the A1 Mini that our own Sean Hollister called “almost the easy button” of printers.

Here’s a TL;DR of what’s going on:

Last week, Bambu Lab found that the design of the A1 3D printer’s heatbad cable could lead to kinks and possible short circuits.
This week, it says there may be a separate issue causing heat problems in some printers.
In the interest of safety, the company is recalling all A1 3D printers that it has sold, and Micro Center is no longer selling them — Bambu is offering full refunds, $80 vouchers for choosing a replacement, or a $120 voucher for its store if you choose to fix it yourself with free repair parts.

And some more detail:

The company wrote last week that it hadn’t properly designed the heatbed cable’s strain relief — the fatter part of the cable meant to prevent kinking where it connects — making it too easy to damage and possibly short circuit. But Bambu now believes another, yet unknown issue could be at play for some printers, leading it to its decision to recall the A1.

Bambu Lab says that it will take up to 15 business days to process each refund, but if you want to apply the refund to one of its other printers instead, it will give you an $80 voucher to use towards that purchase — or towards a redesigned A1 printer when they’re available “around May.”

Alternatively, you can choose to repair the A1 yourself when new heatbeds are ready around the end of March and receive a $120 voucher to use for anything in Bambu’s online store (provided self-repair is legal in your country). Bambu uploaded a video of the replacement process and detailed it in a written tutorial to help you decide if you’re comfortable going the DIY route.

Finally, Bambu asks that A1 printer owners let the company know which option they pick on this registration page so it can order the right number of parts to prepare. Opting for the self-repair process will actually extend the A1’s warranty by six months. Bambu says its official resellers “should” offer the same terms to those who purchased through one of them.

In its blog last week, Bambu included some pictures. Here’s what it says a damaged cable will look like:

An image of the damaged heatbed cable shows a wrinkle in the cable housing where it connects to the outer stress relief sleeve. — *A damaged headbed cable.*

And here’s a healthy cable:

A picture of an undamaged cable. — *An undamaged cable.*

Update February 5th, 2024, 12:24AM ET: Added some more detail.

Microsoft weighs launching Indiana Jones on the PS5

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle — Image: Bethesda

Bethesda’s upcoming Indiana Jones game is also tentatively set to launch on Sony’s PlayStation 5 console. We got our first glimpse of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle during Microsoft’s Xbox Developer Direct event last month, where it was announced for Xbox and PC. A source familiar with Microsoft’s plans tells The Verge that Bethesda is also considering bringing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to PS5.

A new multi-platform approach for certain Xbox games is emerging inside Microsoft, we’re told, with the company weighing up which titles will remain exclusive and others that will appear on Switch or PS5 in the future. Indiana Jones appears to be part of this new wave of multi-platform games.

While Bethesda will launch its Indiana Jones game first as an Xbox console exclusive, it’s currently set to have a rather short period of exclusivity we’re told. A release for PS5 is being considered for some months later, with Bethesda tentatively targeting a December 2024 launch for the Xbox and PC versions.

Exact timing and platform availability for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle could change, particularly as Microsoft’s new multi-platform approach for Xbox games hasn’t been finalized. Microsoft has been evaluating bringing certain Xbox exclusives to PS5 and Nintendo Switch in recent months. Sea of Thieves and Hi-Fi Rush have both reportedly been under cross-platform consideration, and we understand Microsoft has also looked into bringing other Xbox games to rival consoles.

I can confirm that the Hi-Fi Rush datamine is legit and these t-shirt texture files are in the game. It looks like Hi-Fi Rush is coming to PS5 and Nintendo Switch https://t.co/hy6BUjOV4Z pic.twitter.com/WjgPk2bIqH
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) February 1, 2024

We’re told that a Hi-Fi Rush announcement for non-Xbox platforms is expected in the coming weeks. Datamined game assets hinted at a release for PS5 and Nintendo Switch earlier this week. XboxEra is also reporting that Microsoft is planning to bring Starfield to PS5, following the release of the game’s “Shattered Space” expansion for Xbox and PC.

Last year we learned during the FTC v. Microsoft case that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was originally planned for multiple consoles. Pete Hines, Bethesda’s former head of global publishing, testified that Disney had a contract for multiple consoles and that the deal was amended to be an Xbox console exclusive after Microsoft acquired Bethesda.

Hines put the change down to potential delays in bringing the game to multiple consoles, adding that “you’re dealing with a licensor who’s going to have a ton of feedback on what you’re making, add a lot of time to your schedule.”

An Indiana Jones launch on PS5 would certainly be a surprise, but we’re told there’s still an intense debate internally at Microsoft over which Xbox games to bring to rival consoles. It now looks like Microsoft has settled on some Xbox titles making their way to PS5 and Nintendo Switch, but like I said last month the devil will be in the details.

How we all get news now

Image: William Joel / The Verge

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 24, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, so psyched you found us, and also, you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

This week, I’ve been reading Kyle Chayka’s great book about algorithms, Filterworld, getting nostalgic about Tecmo Bowl, seeing if this show can get me into NASCAR like Drive to Survive got me into Formula 1, catching up on old Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend episodes, spending too much time debating whether I want a Vision Pro, trying to make my basement look more like Peter McKinnon’s studio, and trying desperately to figure out why everyone’s so worked up about rice cookers.

I also have for you a new AI search app, a bunch of shows to watch this weekend, a deep dive into all our news-gathering options, a new podcast about the internet, and much more. Let’s get into it.

(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What are you into right now? What should everyone else be into right now, too? Tell me everything: installer@theverge.com. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, tell them to subscribe here.)

The Drop

Arc Search. Honestly, can someone else build a cool new browser so I can stop talking so much about Arc? Please and thanks. For now, this is easily the most interesting company in this space, and the new Arc iOS app is both really cool and maybe an existential crisis for the internet. (Got a lot of recommendations for this one this week — thanks to everyone who sent it in!)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith. I love the 2005 Brangelina movie, so I was slightly worried about whether this show would hold up, especially given all the behind-the-scenes shenanigans. But it seems to! People like it! (I also got a lot of recommendations for this one. My hopes might now be too high for this show…)
Project Tapestry. As a rule, I don’t love linking to Kickstarters here, but for this, I’ll make an exception: the folks behind Twitterrific and Ivory, two wonderful social media apps, are building an app for collecting, organizing, and reading the internet. I think this is going to be awesome.
Infinite Craft. Also as a rule, I will pretty much always post whatever Neal Agarwal makes on his website, which is full of fun and silly things to play with. This one is just an endless series of ways to combine things and make new things, and I cannot explain why I love it so much. But I love it so much.
Circle to Search. Now available on a Pixel or Galaxy near you: a nifty way to search just by drawing a circle around whatever you see and care about. I love this — and I’m psyched to see that Microsoft might be bringing something similar to Edge and that Google’s multisearch feature is getting so much better in general. Bring this everywhere!
The Skylight Calendar Max. My calendar app is the only reason I’m a remotely functional human being, so of course the idea of a 27-inch screen dedicated to blaring my calendar at me seems super compelling. It’s $600, which is ludicrous, but I’m this close to buying the 15-inch $300 model. Maybe I’ll start being on time for stuff.
Curb Your Enthusiasm. I have a confession: until very recently, I’d never really watched Curb. Like, I’ve seen episodes, but I’ve never just done a full run-through of the show. Now, I’m about halfway through, and I can’t believe I was missing it. My goal is to be done before the final episode of this new, and final, season — which is apparently a great one.
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Echo. This is less a specific recommendation for this one and more a general recommendation for the whole Assembled series. Disney Plus is full of great behind-the-scenes stuff, and there are docs like this for a bunch of different Marvel stuff, almost all of which are super wonky and cool.
Never Post. So far, there are only two episodes of this podcast — which is basically a bunch of Extremely Online people talking about Extremely Online things, and I mean that in the very best way — and I’ve loved them both. The first episode, on independent media companies, was particularly great.

Deep dive

A couple of weeks ago, I asked you to share all the ways you read the news. And by “news,” I mean any of the information you care about. This was mostly a selfish thing; with Artifact shutting down, I was losing one of my best sources of good links, and I didn’t know whether to reinvest in Flipboard or Reddit or Apple News Plus or something else entirely. Obviously, The Verge is the number one best news source for all things Verge, but I understand there are other things out there, too.

As always, the Installerverse delivered. Thanks to everyone who emailed, texted, posted at me, and otherwise hit me up with all your thoughts! I got a ton of new ideas. And as promised, I wanted to try and summarize and share how we all do things. So here goes:

Most people just have A Place. Or two. Overwhelmingly, I heard from folks who mostly just open up one or two sources to get their news. The New York Times app was the most-named one by a pretty wide margin, which didn’t really surprise me. But I also saw a lot of The Washington Post, a lot of The Economist, some Wall Street Journal, a few fans of The Atlantic — the big national sources seem to be where most people start.
There are so many good curators! I heard from a bunch of folks who really like getting a broad swath of stuff, quickly, all in one place. The three most popular ones were Informed News, Ground News, and Inkl.
And then there’s Google News. If you want a news app that knows what you like, a number of folks said Google News is the place that most consistently shows them stuff they care about from all over. I got a couple of Apple News recommendations, too, but you all seem to really like Google’s personalization.
We stan an RSS reader. Feedly got a lot of votes, but Inoreader and NetNewsWire both have some fans, and Feeeed and Unread both got a couple of shout-outs.
Video isn’t huge, but it’s out there. I got a couple of “I get stuff from YouTube” emails and a couple of shouts for Philip DeFranco in particular, but not as many as I expected. One person, Josh, also specifically recommended PBS NewsHour on YouTube, which I’m also enjoying now.

A few of you even built your own bespoke news-gathering systems, which I loved hearing about. An email from Jeff was my favorite: Jeff made a tool called clickthru.news, which has “no tracking, no customization, no ‘mark as read,’ it updates itself a couple times a day, and I just read it until I get bored.” It’s delightful, y’all.

You know what surprised me most? How few “I get all my stuff from social networks” answers I got. A few years ago, I suspect Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and others would have dominated this list, and now, they’re basically absent. Granted, the Installerverse isn’t the world, but still! Basically nothing to that effect! We’ve all just kinda moved on.

Personally, I’ve settled into a new routine. Most days, I start in Flipboard, which I set up with a few of my interests — I can swipe from general news to tech news to Formula 1 news to news about my town, and the content’s not always amazing, but it’s usually pretty solid. Then I do the big-name app roundup so many do: I check the Times, the Post, the Journal, and The Economist (which I think has the best app by far). All my blogs and feeds go into Feedbin, which I now read mostly in the Unread app. And thanks to you all, I also downloaded Google News, and I check it a few times a day. I do like it so far.

Oh, and then every once in a while, for as long as I can, I’ll still open Artifact. It had so many good ideas.

Screen share

Fun fact: before Installer launched, I made a prototype version of the newsletter and had Jake Kastrenakes – a deputy editor at The Verge and the crucially necessary, endlessly patient, and thoroughly-responsible-for-its-existence editor of Installer — share his homescreen. And then I promptly forgot that actually nobody ever saw it but me.

So now that we’re live, and we’re all here, I asked Jake to share again. Last time, I remember him having some delightfully weird wallpaper ideas. Turns out, not much has changed.

Here’s Jake’s homescreen, plus some info on the apps he uses and why:

The phone: Pixel 8. It’s the slipperiest phone I’ve ever owned, and it finally convinced me to buy a phone case. I got the hazel one from Google.

The wallpaper: I love this illustration for how in contrast it feels to everything else on a phone. I found it on Twitter after I went down a rabbit hole of following a bunch of Japanese illustrators. The piece is by Shiho Konno, and I rudely ripped the illustrations from a tweet and rotated it to portrait orientation.

The apps: X and Threads (slightly out of reach to slightly reduce my usage), a step counter (to shame me into moving when I work from home), Spotify, Google Maps, Google Photos, Pocket (I used to use this, now it mostly sits there), The New York Times (now I read this instead), a shortcut to ChatGPT’s voice mode (I wanted to encourage myself to try more AI stuff; I don’t use it often, but the voice mode is really compelling), Instagram, Camera, Phone, Firefox (I just switched to this when it launched extension support), The Verge (with an Edge shortcut; the web icons Firefox makes are small and weird, so I’m just living with two browsers in my dock), Gmail, Google Messages.

I also asked Jake to share a few things he’s into right now. Here’s what he sent back:

I just got an Analogue Pocket. Using it feels like playing games the way you remembered them. (Even if the games maybe play just a bit worse 20 years later.)
This Yeule album from last year is like 50 percent of my Spotify listening right now. I will not be answering what percent Olivia Rodrigo is.
Kashmiri Red Chili. It’s going in everything.

Crowdsourced

Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now as well! Email installer@theverge.com or message +1 203-570-8663 with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week.

“Really enjoying PI.FYI after reading Kevin’s story. Lotta bugs but makes me feel indescribable things.” – Akhilesh

“Don’t know why NotePlan isn’t getting more attention — it’s a fantastic app for writing notes and planning using time blocks and has great integration with calendars and reminders. The developer, Eduard, is extremely good at listening to users.” – Anders

“The Memphis Belle is an (incredibly well-made) propaganda documentary from 1943. Watching it on YouTube and comparing it to Masters of the Air is fascinating and makes it obvious that it must have been a big source of inspiration for the show. The overlap is huge.” – Nino

“Arturia released a free update to their modern softsynth, Pigments, this week. While I can’t complain about a free upgrade to an already solid product, it’s not my pick: using Pigments 5 has underscored how much I prefer using the built-in synthesis tools of my DAW of choice, Bitwig Studio (it’s better than its name, honest!). Bitwig’s approach to modularity and consistent systems that apply across every aspect of the program really clicks with my nerd brain.” – Andrew

”I’ve been getting re-obsessed with Halo due to new Halo Infinite content as well as the forthcoming season 2 of the show, which seems like a massive improvement from the rather compromised first season.” – Kenton

“I recently started training for a triathlon using my Apple Watch. While it’s great in many ways, Apple’s Fitness app does not show as much data as I would like. HealthFit is a simple yet powerful app that fills this gap with its crazy graphs and more.” – Krystof

“Spurious Correlations. It’s absolutely lovely to have such weird pairings correlated. Example after example of the adage, ‘Correlation is not causation.’ And then to see the AI descriptions below the graphs’ completely made-up drivel applying causation is just chef’s kiss.” – Matthew.

“Obsessed with the James Figurine (Jimmy Tamborello from Dntel and The Postal Service) song from 2006 about texting and relationships before smartphones (and without T9).” – Michael

“My podcast recommendation is Pop Pantheon — ultra-deep dives into pop music careers and wider topics from host DJ Louie XIV and expert guests. Every episode is a joy to listen to; full of well-researched insight without any fat (despite the often multi-hour length), and I always come away with enhanced appreciation for the featured acts.” – Ben

“I’ve been watching video game expert Jeff Gerstmann play and rank every single NES game released in North America! It’s a wild endeavor to embark on, but there’s nobody else I’d rather see do it.” – Luke

“Winter travel is great: fewer crowds, things are cheaper. Dry hotel rooms are not great. I bought a portable USB-powered humidifier ahead of two winter trips. Putting it on the nightstand next to my face made a noticeable difference when waking up. In Europe, I plugged it into my battery pack when I left the room so it keeps going as power gets cut, and it worked perfectly. Amazon is littered with them, but I settled on this one.” – Sean

Signing off

Kevin Nguyen, a deputy editor at The Verge, sent over a recommendation that derailed my whole week. Here’s what he said: “There’s no football this weekend, but you can bridge that gap to the Super Bowl by playing Retro Bowl. It’s styled like the 8-bit days of Tecmo Bowl and has a perfect balance of simplicity and depth for a phone game. The free version is great (no ads, just some in-game currency you can purchase but don’t need at all), and there’s a version on Apple Arcade, too. My screen time went up 39 percent the week after I downloaded it, so you’ve been warned.”

He’s not kidding. I have been playing this game more or less nonstop since Kevin told me about it (it works really well with a controller, by the way), to the point where I have to leave my phone in the other room or I’ll play it all night and not sleep. I’ve been playing the Retro Goal soccer game, too, and it’s just as fun. Like Kevin said: you’ve been warned.

See you next week!

How A.I. Is Remodeling the Fantasy Home

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iFixit pulls the Vision Pro apart, exposing its connectors, screens, and fans

We’ve already found out a few hidden tidbits of Apple’s Vision Pro over the last week, like the revelation that it has not one, but two different kinds of Lightning-esque connectors. But now you can see so much more in iFixit’s first teardown video, offering some answers to questions like what contributes to its weight, and which parts could be very expensive to replace.

Disconnecting those Buff Lightning connectors for the battery cable and strap arms is pretty easy, requiring only a SIM eject tool. After that, the disassembly is pretty standard for Apple hardware: heat gun, prying, screws everywhere, brackets, and connectors.

The details of the EyeSight feature that shows a rendered version of the wearer’s eyes have been uncovered. A filter uses lenticular lenses and film that create a 3D effect, so viewers on the outside can see the right image depending on their angle, even if it’s not as bright after all the filtering.

In a tweet from iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens, you can see what the Vision Pro and that screen look like without the outer layers, the removal of which also exposes the cameras and sensors mounted around the outside. The video is in and out pretty quickly. But there’s more to come — iFixit says the headset is too complicated for one video, and promises a later one showing “just how deep this rabbit hole goes.”

This teardown is getting WILD. pic.twitter.com/OAuOQGhJqr
— Kyle Wiens (@kwiens) February 2, 2024

Neck lamps are a bookworm’s best friend

A man in a dark bedroom wears a neck lamp that illuminates just his face and the book he’s holding while sitting upright in bed. — *Callum at home NOT annoying his partner.* | Photo by Callum Booth / The Verge

As convenient as e-readers are, I can’t quit actual books. Maybe it’s their reassuring weight, the satisfying crinkle of their pages, their beguiling musk; but there’s something addictive about that combination of paper, ink, and glue.

Despite this — and as much as it pains me to say it — physical books aren’t perfect. One issue that’s been a particularly large albatross around my neck is reading in low-light environments. When I do so, I’m either keeping my partner awake with a blazing bedside lamp, twisting my body into awkward positions to illuminate the pages, or — worst of all — having to turn on the dreaded Big Light.

But you know what? That’s all history. I’ve seen the light! More specifically, a neck light. And the longer I use it, the more certain I am that it’s a gadget every bookworm should own.

A neck light (or neck lamp) is exactly what it sounds like: a light that sits on your neck. The majority of models are U-shaped with an LED bulb at the end of either arm. These are flexible, meaning you can adjust the position and angle of the light. Many units — including my Glocusent, like the one in the video above — come with an array of white color settings from very warm to cool and the ability to toggle through brightness levels. Even better, they’re cheap, often costing under $30.

I started searching for a solution to my low-light reading woes years ago. The first thing I tried were those clip-on book lights often sold in stationary stores. While they do the job, it’s not a particularly good one, as they can only uniformly brighten the top of a single page and have a tendency to flap around wildly while reading.

Undeterred, the next gadget I tested was a headlamp. This was an improvement but had its own problems. During long reading sessions its weight and strap became uncomfortable, especially as I had to keep my head still and at a slight angle to keep the light consistent.

Soon afterward, I stumbled across the neck lamp. I was skeptical at first. Not only did I think it’d have a raft of problems similar to the clip-on light and headlamp, but gadgets you strap around your neck don’t exactly have a glittering track record.

Just think about the Bose SoundWear, a horseshoe-shaped speaker that rests on your shoulders because… I’m still not entirely sure. Or, indeed, the Pulsetto, a stress management device that uses radio waves to (supposedly) stimulate the vagus nerve in the neck. Why? Wellness purposes, of course.

No, the neck light is more akin to the unsung hero of the wearable world: wireless neckband headphones.

Because of the rise of true wireless technology (thanks, AirPods), these “neckbuds” have been largely forgotten. This, friends, is a crying shame, as both they and neck lights share a lot of positive traits. Specifically, they’re comfortable, relatively inexpensive, and, due to their size, tough to misplace.

There is one key difference between them: it’s a lot more embarrassing to be seen outside with a neck lamp — and neckbuds are embarrassing enough.

For better or worse, I’m a man who likes to read. As such, I’ve taken my neck lamp to a number of public places. And what I’ve learned is this: you shouldn’t. It’s tough to seem suave, discreet, or mysterious when you’re illuminating a dimly lit corner of a bar like some sort of nerdy angler fish.

There are some exceptions I’ve discovered in my… tests. A neck lamp is broadly accepted in public places with a modicum of privacy, think a plane or train, but in most other cases? Unless you’re truly above caring, you’d best keep it at home, people.

All in all, this is a minor quibble. While it’s true that wearing a neck light won’t get you invited to the Met Gala, I’ve got a big TBR (to be read) pile to get through anyway. And fashion isn’t everything. Sometimes you just want something comfortable, efficient, and affordable. Like sweatpants. The neck lamp, then, is the sweatpants of the reading world: cozy and best used in the comfort of your own home.

Beyond even that, I can genuinely say the gadget has improved my life. My partner is no longer sleep deprived, my posture isn’t quite as appalling, and, blessedly, the Big Light remains unused, all for the price of a single cocktail in Manhattan.

I believe a neck lamp can help others, too. From going over documents in a dark office to combating some effects of presbyopia as people age, this gadget can make an actual difference in people’s lives.

But wouldn’t a Kindle work just as well? Honestly, there’s no better way to read in dim environments — but I’m not ready to give up on my romance with physical books. And if you feel the same way about paper and ink smushed together, then you also need to get yourself a neck lamp.

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vendredi 2 février 2024

‘There is no such thing as a real picture,’ says Samsung exec

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on a blue and yellow background showing rear panel and grey device color. — The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, showing off its cameras. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

How does Samsung defend itself against the notion that its phone cameras are spitting out fake AI photos of not only the Moon, but most anything else you’d care to aim them at these days? For starters, the company’s head of product is saying that every photo is fake.

Samsung EVP Patrick Chomet told TechRadar recently:

There was a very nice video by Marques Brownlee last year on the moon picture. Everyone was like, ‘Is it fake? Is it not fake?’ There was a debate around what constitutes a real picture. And actually, there is no such thing as a real picture. As soon as you have sensors to capture something, you reproduce [what you’re seeing], and it doesn’t mean anything. There is no real picture. You can try to define a real picture by saying, ‘I took that picture’, but if you used AI to optimize the zoom, the autofocus, the scene – is it real? Or is it all filters? There is no real picture, full stop.

While I expect more than a few photographers will be offended by the idea that a photo “doesn’t mean anything,” he does have a point: What is a photo, really? It’s a question that we’ve been exploring on The Verge and The Vergecast for years as companies like Apple, Google, and Samsung increasingly combine multiple frames across multiple cameras to produce their final smartphone images, among other techniques.

Now, of course, the rise of generative AI is really bringing the debate to a head — and Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 and S24 Ultra are the latest phones to market that feature.

Chomet’s take has a bit more nuance to it than “nothing is true, everything is permitted,” though. He told TechRadar that the industry does need to be regulated, that governments are right to be concerned, and that Samsung intends to help.

In the meanwhile, he says Samsung’s strategy is to give consumers two things it’s decided they want: a way to capture “the moment,” and a way to create “a new reality.” Both use AI, he says — but the latter get watermarks and metadata “to ensure people understand the difference.”

The best ebook reader to buy right now

Various floating in the air against a blue background — Image: Will Joel / The Verge

From reading in the bath to scribbling notes in the margins, from diving into the Amazon ecosystem to avoiding it outright, there’s an e-reader for everyone.

Any ebook reader will let you cram a Beauty and the Beast-sized library’s worth of books in your pocket, but so will your phone. An ebook reader offers a more book-like reading experience, with fewer distractions and less eye strain, and many include extra features, like adjustable frontlighting. Some really are pocketable. Others are waterproof or offer physical page-turning buttons, while a few even let you take notes.

I’ve been using ebook readers for nearly a decade, and I’ve gone hands-on with dozens, from the Kindle Paperwhite to lesser-known rivals like the Pocketbook Era. Whether you want something your kid can throw against the wall or a waterproof, warm-glow Kindle that won’t ruin your spa ambiance, these are the best ebook readers for everyone.

The best Kindle

Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.9 x .32 inches / Weight: 205 grams / Screen area and resolution: 6.8-inch screen, 300ppi resolution / Storage: 8GB or 16GB / Other features: IPX8 waterproofing, Bluetooth audio support

If you mostly buy ebooks from Amazon, you’ll want a Kindle, and the 11th-gen Kindle Paperwhite is the best choice for most people. Starting at $139.99, it’s cheaper than the Kobo Libra 2 — my top non-Amazon ebook reader, which I’ll dive into later — for many of the same features. Those include a large 300pi display and an adjustable warm white frontlight, which make for a clear and enjoyable reading experience. The latter also conveniently improves sleep by cutting down on blue light that interrupts melatonin production.

That warm white frontlighting is an advantage over the cool white of the $99.99 base-model Kindle, and unlike the base Kindle, the Paperwhite has IPX8 water resistance. The $189.99 Signature Edition Paperwhite also has an auto-adjusting frontlight and no lockscreen ads. It also has wireless charging, which is a rare feature to find in an e-reader.

The Kindle Paperwhite in front of a stack of books. — *The Kindle Paperwhite comes with an adjustable warm white frontlight.*

Amazon is the largest online retailer in the world, and it dominates the US ebook market, so Kindle owners have access to advantages owners of other ebook readers don’t. Much of Amazon’s hardware strategy depends on offering cut-rate discounts to pull you into its content ecosystem. If you have Prime and buy a lot of Kindle ebooks, the Paperwhite is the best choice because Amazon makes it incredibly easy to buy and read its stuff. Its ebooks and audiobooks are often on sale, and Prime members get more free content through Prime Reading. Rivals like Kobo offer sales, too, but it’s hard for them to offer discounts as steep as Amazon does.

There are downsides, though. The Paperwhite has lockscreen ads unless you pay $20 extra to get rid of them. It’s also too big to hold comfortably with one hand. Perhaps the Kindle Paperwhite’s biggest flaw, though — which it shares with all Kindles aside from Fire tablets — is that it’s not easy to read books purchased outside of Amazon’s store. Kindle ebook formats are proprietary and only work on Kindle. Unlike Kobo and other ebook readers, Kindles don’t support EPUB files, an open file format used by pretty much everyone except Amazon. So, for example, if you often shop from Kobo’s bookstore (or Barnes & Noble or Google Play Books or many other ebook stores), you can’t easily read those books on a Kindle without using a workaround. There are ways to convert and transfer file formats so you can read on the Kindle and vice versa, but it’ll take a couple of extra steps.

However, if you don’t buy your books elsewhere or you don’t mind shopping from Amazon, you’ll be more than happy with the Kindle Paperwhite.

Read our full review of the Kindle Paperwhite.

The best non-Amazon ebook reader

Dimensions: 5.69 x 6.36 x 0.35 inches / Weight: 215 grams / Screen area and resolution: 7-inch screen, 300ppi / Storage: Up to 32GB / Other features: Physical page-turning buttons, waterproofing, Bluetooth audio support

The Kobo Libra 2 is an excellent alternative to an Amazon ebook reader, especially for readers outside the US. It’s just as nice as the Paperwhite, with many of the Paperwhite’s standout features, like waterproofing, USB-C support, and a 300ppi display. It doesn’t work as well with Amazon’s ecosystem, of course, but it offers a few extra perks that make the e-reader, in some ways, even more enjoyable to use.

For one thing, it supports more file formats, including EPUB. It’s also much easier to directly borrow books from the Overdrive library system, while native support for Pocket means you can read your saved articles offline. The Libra 2 also comes with easy-to-use physical buttons and starts at 16GB of storage, double the capacity of the base Paperwhite. There are no annoying lockscreen ads to contend with, either. Plus, instead of a flat-front screen, the display is slightly recessed into the frame. I loved that as it meant I didn’t accidentally tap the screen and skip a page, as I often did with the Paperwhite. It also kept the screen cleaner and — combined with the wide side bezel — made the Libra 2 more comfortable to hold.

The Kobo Libra 2 is my favorite ebook reader to use. I kept having to restrain myself from using it all the time to give the other e-readers on this list a fair chance.

However, at $189, it costs $50 more than the ad-supported Paperwhite, though it’s only $20 more than the ad-free Paperwhite. That gap widens even more when the Paperwhite is on sale, which it regularly is. Plus, as somebody whose digital library consists mainly of Amazon ebooks, I found the fact that I couldn’t easily and quickly read my vast collection of Kindle books frustrating. You can do it, but you’ll have to convert file formats using third-party apps, which can take time, especially if you have a large library. But if those things don’t matter or apply to you, the Kobo Libra 2 will give you the best digital reading experience of all the e-readers on this list.

The best cheap ebook reader

Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.3 x 0.32 inches / Weight: 158 grams / Screen area and resolution: 6-inch screen, 300ppi resolution / Storage: 16GB / Other features: USB-C support, Bluetooth audio support

The base-model Kindle ($99.99 with ads) is the best cheap ebook reader. Its 300ppi resolution makes text clearer and easier to read than the lower-resolution screens on other ebook readers in its price range, and its 16GB of storage is double even that of the Paperwhite. It even has USB-C for relatively fast charging.

Reading on its six-inch screen feels a little more cramped than it does on the larger displays of the Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Libra 2. However, the flip side is that its small size makes it pocketable, light, and easy for small hands to hold. Combined with its relatively affordable price, the Kindle is also the best ebook reader for kids — especially in the kids version Amazon sells for $20 more. It shares the same exact specs but is ad-free with parental controls, a two-year extended replacement guarantee, and a case. It also comes with one year of Amazon Kids Plus, which grants kids access to thousands of kids books and audiobooks for free. After that, though, you’ll have to pay $79 per year.

A child holding and reading a pink Kindle while sitting on grass. — *The kid-friendly version of the Kindle comes with colorful cases.*

The base Kindle doesn’t have extra conveniences like the physical page-turning buttons found on Barnes & Noble’s entry-level e-reader, the Nook GlowLight 4e. However, you do get something more important: snappier responses. On most of the other entry-level ebook readers I tested, including the GlowLight 4e, I had to wait a few seconds after tapping the screen for the page to turn. The Kindle, in comparison, offered no perceptive lag.

There are other tradeoffs. There’s no water resistance, unlike the Paperwhite, and battery life is good, but it’ll last you three weeks tops — not months, like the Paperwhite. And because it’s an Amazon ebook reader, you’re also locked into the Amazon ecosystem and have to pay extra to get rid of ads. But if you can do without all of that, the Kindle delivers the essentials for under $100.

Read my full review of the Kindle.

The best ebook reader for taking notes

Dimensions: 7.6 x 8.94 x 0.30 inches / Weight: 390 grams / Screen area and resolution: 10.3-inches, 227ppi resolution / Storage: 32GB / Other features: Handwriting to text conversion, magnetic stylus, Bluetooth audio support

Of all the large ebook readers I tested, the Kobo Elipsa 2E stood out the most because of its excellent note-taking abilities. You can directly write on pages, and the notes will not disappear, which makes for a more intuitive note-taking experience than the Kindle Scribe, which only supports on-page notes on select Kindle titles. Otherwise, you’re limited to making annotations on cards that are like disappearing sticky notes.

You can also sync your notes with Dropbox or view them online, and Kobo can even convert handwriting to typed text. Amazon rolled out a similar capability for the Kindle Scribe, but it can only convert handwriting to typed text when you export notebooks and not as accurately. By contrast, Kobo lets you convert your handwriting not just while exporting but also from within a notebook itself.

The Elipsa 2E also offers other helpful note-taking tools. It’s even capable, for example, of solving math equations for you. You can also insert diagrams and drawings, and it’ll automatically snap it into something that looks cleaner and nicer. There’s also a great selection of pen types and ink shades.

True, the Kindle Scribe starts at $60 less, but the Kobo Elipsa 2E comes with twice the storage. You can step up to the 32GB Kindle Scribe if you want the same storage capacity, but that puts it at essentially the same price as the Kobo. I recommend just forking out the money on the Elipsa 2E instead.

I also recommend the Elipsa 2E over the Onyx Boox Note Air 2 Plus, even though it, too, offers much better writing tools than the Kindle Scribe. That’s because it costs a whopping $449 and also isn’t as readily available in the US market. The Onyx Boox Note Air 2 Plus also comes with too many distracting extras, like an easy-to-access music player and the Google Play app store preinstalled so you can download multiple reading apps, including both the Kindle and Kobo apps. However, Kindle and Kobo notes didn’t show up on the Onyx Boox Note Air 2 Plus — and you can’t annotate their books anywhere as easily as you can on their respective devices.

Note-taking capabilities aside, the Kobo Elipsa 2E is also a good e-reader, but it comes with the same strengths and weaknesses as other Kobo e-readers. There’s support for a wide range of file formats, but you can’t easily read Kindle books without converting them first. Its 227ppi display is also slightly less sharp than the 300ppi screen found on the Kindle Scribe and the Kobo Libra 2. However, the 10.3-inch screen does balance things out a bit and makes text easier to read, so it’s not really a noticeable drawback.