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You may be spending more time outside during the summer, especially if you have a grill, but the gadgets in your kitchen will come in handy this season, too. Prime Day deals have already discounted one of our favorite air fryers, so you can grab it on sale and make things like crispy fried chicken with ease. The Ninja Foodi Dual-Zone 10-quart air fryer is $50 off and down to $180 right now. While not an all-time-low price, it's a good sale for this time of year so far from the Black Friday shopping period.

The DZ401 is one of our favorite air fryers. In fact, it's our pick for the best dual-zone air fryer. It heats up quickly and runs quietly, but the real selling point here is the dual-basket setup. If you cook a lot or make meals for several people on a regular basis, the Ninja Foodi DZ401 could be a game changer.

It's possible to use the two baskets to prepare entirely different foods at the same time with distinct cooking modes — you can't do that on a grill. You can also prepare food in both baskets in the same way with the Match Cook feature.

A very useful feature called Smart Finish can adjust cooking times automatically so that the food in both baskets (perhaps you have a protein in one and vegetables in the other) will be ready at the same time. That should help you avoid waiting for one basket to be down while the other gets cold.

On the downside, this is a machine that will take up a considerable proportion of counter space, so it won't be ideal for small kitchens. If you can make room for it, though, the Ninja Foodi DZ401 could be a valuable addition to your setup.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/pick-up-one-of-our-favorite-ninja-air-fryers-for-50-off-this-prime-day-131214503.html?src=rss

Nintendo has confirmed that the top-notch development team behind Super Mario Odyssey, one of the best games for the Switch, has also developed Donkey Kong Bananza for the Switch 2, according to reporting by Eurogamer. The highly anticipated platformer starring Nintendo's iconic ape will be the first 3D Donkey Kong game since 1999's Donkey Kong 64.

We got a chance to go hands-on with Donkey Kong Bananza earlier this year, and we loved the fresh look on the timeless character. DK and his supporting cast were sporting an almost cel-shaded look, reminiscent of the art style seen in recent Zelda games.

Donkey Kong also gained some new skills since we last saw him, including the ability to punch, dig and butt-stomp his way below, into and through much of the terrain around him. It seems that tunneling and shaping the world to your needs will be key to navigating and adventuring in Bananza.

After spending time with the game, we noted, "thanks to all of its new traversal mechanics, in a lot of ways, Bananza reminds me more of Mario Galaxy than Odyssey. It just swapped out the gravity-bending physics for bombastic spelunking."

Donkey Kong Bananza arrives on July 17 for the Nintendo Switch 2.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/donkey-kong-bananza-was-made-by-team-behind-super-mario-odyssey-155453024.html?src=rss

Phishing emails "notify" victims of an active $50 subscriptionVictims can "cancel" the subscription, by clicking on a link in the email bodyThe link leads to a fake login page where Apple ID credentials are harvestedCybercriminals are impersonating a popular video editing app to steal people’s Apple ID logins, security researchers are warning.Earlier this week, the security outfit Cofense warned about spotting a new phishing campaign. In it, the attackers would spoof CapCut, a video and graphic editing app developed by ByteDance, the company behind TikTok.CapCut is immensely popular, boasting hundreds of millions active users. It offers both a free tier, and a paid tier, which is what the attackers are now abusing.Get 55% off Incogni's Data Removal service with code TECHRADAR Wipe your personal data off the internet with the Incogni data removal service. Stop identity thievesand protect your privacy from unwanted spam and scam calls.View DealStealing credentialsThe spoofed email imitates CapCut’s branding to boost legitimacy, and “notifies” the victim that they just subscribed to the paid version, costing $50.Further in the email, the victim is offered to “cancel subscription” if it was made by mistake.With many mobile apps charging for their services by default, it’s not completely irrational to trust the email, and rush to cancel the subscription.However, clicking on the link redirects the victim to a fake Apple login page, where they are asked to provide their Apple ID credentials.These credentials are then relayed to the attackers, which they can use to access people’s images, messages, and other sensitive data. They can also use it to make purchases, causing direct financial harm, as well.The best way to defend against these attacks, Cofense says, is to be skeptical of all incoming emails, especially those that require people to urgently do something:“This phishing campaign highlights how easily trust can be manipulated through familiar branding and urgency. By imitating CapCut’s/Apple’s identity and dangling the threat of unwanted charges, attackers guide victims through a seamless two-stage credential theft process,” the researchers explain.“The use of a fake verification step at the end is a subtle yet strategic move to delay suspicion and extend the attack window. As always, skepticism is a critical defense—check URLs carefully, question unexpected prompts for sensitive information, and report suspicious messages.”Via CybernewsYou might also likeScammers have a new phishing trick for iPhone users – here’s how to avoid falling victimTake a look at our guide to the best authenticator appWe've rounded up the best password managers

Meta announced just a couple weeks ago that it would finally start testing a dedicated inbox for direct messages on Threads. Now, it's making the feature official and rolling out DMs to everyone. As with the earlier test, the update will add a messaging tab to the Threads app where users can access the inbox and exchange DMs with mutuals.

Meta says that initially people will only be able to send messages to users who already follow them or mutual followers from Instagram, though it plans to roll out more customizable inbox controls in a later update. Messaging will also only be available to Threads users over the age of 18. The app also won't support group messaging for now, though it's apparently in the works. Those limitations could be a bit frustrating as it makes Threads DMs more limited than what's available on Instagram, but it's still a lot more convenient than Meta's previous insistence on relying on the Instagram inbox for Threads.

The company's executives were initially very much opposed to bringing DMs to Threads. Instagram head Adam Mosseri explained his thinking in 2023, noting that "two redundant message threads with each of your friends with the same handles in two different apps" seemed like a less than ideal solution. But that position has made less and less sense as Threads has grown to more than 350 million users. "More than a third of daily Threads users with connections follow mostly different accounts on Threads than on Instagram, showing that Threads is establishing its own unique user base," Meta notes in a blog post.

Two years in, the company is also more explicitly positioning Threads as an alternative to X rather than another offshoot of Instagram. While Mosseri once said that the goal of Threads "isn't to replace Twitter," Meta has since walked back its prohibition on recommending political content and experimented with features to help users find familiar creators from X. The company has also leaned more heavily into real-time conversations and news by making trending topics more prominent in the app and surfacing more links in recommendations. Today's update also adds a "highlighter" feature that will make trends even more visible in users' feeds.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/two-years-later-meta-is-making-dms-on-threads-official-160056258.html?src=rss

Big ticket items like TVs and iPads might get the lion’s share of the attention during Amazon’s sale, but there are plenty of Prime Day deals under $50 to check out, too. We’ve combed through the pages (and pages) of discounts to find sales on the brands and gadgets we’ve tested and recommend. Our picks include power banks from Anker, smart plugs from TP-Link and smart speakers from Amazon Echo. We’ve also linked back to our reviews and buying guides to help with your shopping decisions. Here are the best Prime Day tech deals under $50 you can get right now.

Best Prime Day tech deals under $25

Apple AirTag for $23 ($6 off): Here’s our pick for a Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users. These little discs have the most accurate finding ability of any fob we tested, thanks to Apple’s vast Find My network that taps into all nearby iPhones to track down your missing stuff. They could be louder and hole would be nice, but nothing beats its accuracy.

Samsung Fit Plus 56GB flash drive for $23 ($12 off): We named this the best thumbstick drive in our guide to the best SSDs. It has a sleek design, five-year warranty and has a USB 3.1 connection. There’s even a small attachment point for a keychain so you can take your extra storage drive with you when you go.

Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Repeller for $25 ($10 off): The mosquitos aren’t going anywhere. Even places that didn’t used to have these evil bloodsuckers are now overrun. If you would like some reprieve from the bites, this is the repeller we recommend in our guide to outdoor tech.

TP-Link AC1200 WiFi extender for $20 ($10 off): If you’ve got some dead spots in your home’s internet coverage and aren’t quite ready for a mesh setup, a Wi-Fi extender can help. This is our favorite budget option in our guide to these plug-in devices thanks to its easy setup and user-friendly app.

Amazon Echo Pop for $22 ($18 off with Prime): The smallest (and cheapest) Echo speaker is ideal for small apartments or rooms. The half-sphere design comes in purple and teal in addition to the standard black and white colorways.

Kasa TP-Link Smart Wi-FI outdoor plug for $20 ($5 off): We tested this one for our buying guide to smart plugs and named it the best outdoor pick for HomeKit users — but it’ll work with Alexa and the Google Assistant too. The range was decent and setup was easy, like most TP-Link plugs. Grab this now and have automatic control of your holiday lights.

Anker Nano USB-C charger block for $16 ($4 off): Remember when tiny bricks like this all maxed out at a dinky five-watts? This tiny but mighty cube is the best cheap fast charger in our guide to fast chargers and it outputs a generous 30 watts, plus the prongs fold down to make it even more teensy.

Best Prime Day tech deals under $35

TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (4-pack) for $35 ($9 off): This is our favorite smart plug overall because it works with all four major smart home assistants (Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant and Samsung’s Bixby). In our tests, it connected easily and reliably controlled our lamps and other simple appliances.

Amazon Echo Dot for $32 ($18 off with Prime): Amazon seems to wait for Prime Day sales to give its smart speakers hefty discounts. We see minor sales throughout the year, but not quite this steep (though it's gone as low as $23 in past sales). So if you want to bring Alexa’s peppy helpfulness into your home, this is a good time to do so. The Dot is our favorite smart speaker under $50.

Best Prime Day tech deals under $50

Blink Outdoor 4 for $45 ($55 off): We named this outdoor camera the best for Alexa homes in our security cameras guide. It can go just about anywhere you want as the wireless design runs on AA batteries and can last for two years before needing to be replaced. The motion alerts are accurate, but keep in mind you’ll need a subscription to enable person detection and cloud storage.

Anker Nano 3-in-1 portable charger for $36 ($9 off with Prime): We recommend this one in Engadget’s guide to the best power banks. It’s a wall adapter and power brick in one and comes with a handy built-in USB-C cable as well as an additional port. The 10,000 mAh capacity will get just about any smartphone from dead to full, with a little left over.

HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 gaming headset for $36 ($14 off): In our guide to gaming headsets, we ultimately recommend getting an external mic along with a good pair of wired headphones for chatting. But if you really want a two-in-one, the Cloud Stinger 2 is our pick for a budget gaming headset.

Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse for $40 ($30 off): Some prefer a wired connection when playing games. Razer’s Basilisk V3 is our top budget pick for a wired mouse in our gaming mouse guide. It’s comfortable, well-built, accurate and a good value — particularly with a Prime Day discount.

Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off with Prime): The Spot speaker was resurrected last year with a slightly different design than it first had. Now the display is a half-circle on the round face of the clock and it can show you the weather, time and song title. The speaker itself brings you all Alexa can do, like setting timers, adding stuff to your grocery lists and answering questions about the weather.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-2025-deals-under-50-save-on-gear-from-blink-anker-tp-link-and-others-160028343.html?src=rss

Microsoft recently threw a lifeline to consumers, offering alternatives to paying $30 for extended support for Windows 10PIRG thinks this doesn't go far enough in terms of avoiding an impending e-waste calamityThe organization suggests Microsoft considers providing longer-term support for Windows 10, or relaxes the spec requirements for Windows 11Microsoft's recent lifeline to help those stuck on Windows 10 – due to not meeting the stricter hardware requirements for a Windows 11 upgrade – simply isn't enough, according to a consumer rights group.The Register reports that it has spoken to Lucas Rockett Gutterman, who leads the Designed to Last campaign for the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) in the US.As you may be aware, PIRG has a mission to combat obsolescence and e-waste. The organization has previously levelled accusations at Microsoft of its Windows 11 requirements effectively shoving hundreds of millions of otherwise perfectly serviceable PCs into landfill, come the end of Windows 10 in October 2025. (The organization isn't alone in that, either.)You may have seen that last week, Microsoft made a concession on this front. We've long known that one option for consumers will be to pay $30 for an additional year of security updates (something that's never been offered before), but now Microsoft just introduced some other choices too.Instead of forking out cash, you can elect to use the Windows Backup app to sync all your settings to the cloud (OneDrive). Alternatively, you can redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.However, Gutterman remains distinctly unimpressed with the new choices, telling The Register that: "Microsoft's new options don't go far enough and likely won't make a dent in the up to 400 million Windows 10 PCs that can't upgrade to Windows 11."Gutterman adds that: "What [Microsoft hasn't] done is commit to automatically providing longer support for Windows 10 or loosening the hardware requirements for Windows 11.""It's obvious that users are frustrated," Gutterman concludes. "They feel yanked around and don't think this [latest] announcement provides a viable solution."Analysis: thinking beyond a one-year extension(Image credit: Microsoft)To be fair to Microsoft, I think that giving Windows 10 users a couple of new options to avoid paying $30 to keep security updates going for an extra year (through to October 2026) is actually a very positive move – especially because simply using the Backup app isn't a particularly hefty imposition.I can see where Gutterman is coming from with the points he makes, but the suggestion that Microsoft might consider loosening the system requirements for Windows 11 is, I feel, rather a waste of breath. That isn't going to happen at this point, and I think the software giant has been pretty clear on that.For me, the key point raised is providing Windows 10 support beyond an extra year for consumers, and this is something I've been harping on for some time. While businesses can get a three-year program of extended security updates (if they want that much), so far Microsoft is only offering consumers a single year.Perhaps the software giant feels that this is enough, but it really isn't – not when it comes to keeping all those olds PCs off the scrapheap. Why isn't Microsoft looking at extending support for multiple years for consumers too, from an eco-friendly angle?Just a second additional year of support would be some welcome extra breathing room, even if Microsoft charged for it rather than offering any kind of alternative angle like using the Backup app. Of course, a non-paying option would be better. I'd even suggest making Windows 10 ad-supported to keep those security updates coming for two or three years.What do you mean that's already happened and ads are all over the place? Ahem – in all seriousness, I think allowing Microsoft to push more ad notifications (in a still limited fashion) within Windows 10 would be a compromise many would take, rather than paying extra to keep their non-Windows 11 compatible PC alive through to 2027 or 2028. At least suffering the adverts would have a plus side to it in this scenario, and if you can't stand the idea of yet more ads, you can stump up the $30.Whatever the case, I fully agree with PIRG that a one-year extension for consumers isn't good enough in terms of Microsoft's responsibilities towards preventing excessive e-waste – and hopefully the company will see the sense in further extended updates for consumers, too, not just businesses.You might also like...No, Windows 11 PCs aren't 'up to 2.3x faster' than Windows 10 devices, as Microsoft suggests – here's why that's an outlandish claimWindows 11's hidden PC migration feature proves Microsoft isn't messing around when it comes to killing off Windows 10Can’t upgrade to Windows 11? This Linux project wants to save your old PC from the scrapheap when Windows 10 support ends

The latest Steam update adds a new performance monitoring featureThe overlay can display FPS values, monitor CPU and GPU usage, and moreValve says the overlay is designed to help players understand how their PC is performing and how it impacts their game's performanceValve has released a new Steam Client update that lets players easily monitor the performance of their games.As explained in a new blog post, this update adds a performance monitoring overlay and is "designed to help you understand how your PC is performing and how it is impacting your game's performance."Unlike the previous frames per second (FPS) counter that can be toggled to appear in the corner of a game, this new feature will monitor frame rate values, but also break out generated frames from Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) or FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) vs in-game FPS.There are four levels of monitoring with this overlay, including Single FPS Value, FPS Details, FPS Details, CPU & GPU Utilization, and FPS, CPU, GPU, and RAM."It can show you min/max single frame values and a graph of frame rate over time," Valve explained. "Additionally, it will show you CPU performance information, GPU performance information, and system memory usage information. These pieces of data can be useful to understand the causes of bad game performance whether that be a slow CPU, GPU, or too high graphics settings that are over subscribing your video or system ram."When enabled, the overlay will appear at the bottom of the screen, but players can keep the display small with a single FPS value, or expand it to show the full details when debugging a performance issue.Players can freely adjust details live in-game, change color saturation, text size, and background opacity to their liking, show a graph of FPS over time, and a graph of CPU utilization per-core.To enable the new performance overlay, users need to go to Settings > In Game and scroll down to the new Performance Overlay section. There, they can change the position of the overlay, make a hotkey for easier access, and more.Valve also said it has plans to add additional pieces of data to the performance overlay, "to detect certain common bad hardware performance scenarios, and to show a larger summary of your game's performance in the overlay itself when you hit shift-tab."You might also like...The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomicalI’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgradeNintendo is raising the prices of some of its products in Canada, but oddly not the Switch 2 – and what could this mean for other regions?

LG, Samsung and Sony have dominated the OLED TV market for years, with LG and Samsung offering the best overall bang for your buck and Sony delivering a premium picture and superior sound, but at an inflated price.Cut to 2025, and the battle for the title of best OLED TV has never been more competitive. We’ve reviewed the flagship OLED TV for each brand, the LG G5, Samsung S95F and Sony Bravia 8 II, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. Both the G5 and S95F earned five out of five stars in their reviews, and the Bravia 8 II earned four-and-a-half out of five stars in its review.I’ve already compared the Sony and Samsung QD-OLED TVs side-by-side and the LG and Samsung TVs side-by-side, but recently got to put all three next to one another, with each one displaying the same content, so I could determine which TV I would pick if I had the money to buy one.A quick note regarding photos: the Sony Bravia 8 II and especially the Samsung S95F may appear to have a red tint across the screen. This is a result of their anti-reflection screen tech, as it reacts with cameras. In real life, this doesn't look as pronounced.Screen reflections Image 1 of 3Samsung S95F with overhead lights reduced to haze on screen (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3The Sony Bravia 8 II's screen makes overhead lights appear mirror-like, but still reduced compared to other OLED screens (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3The LG G5's glossy screen has the worst mirror-like reflections of the three, but it's still an improvement over previous screens (Image credit: Future)One of the things I appreciated about the S95F’s predecessor, the Samsung S95D, was its OLED Glare Free screen, which eliminated mirror-like reflections. Black levels, however, weren't as rich as I’d hoped. The S95F with its OLED Glare Free 2.0 screen mostly solves that problem by still eliminating reflections while also maintaining rich black levels.The S95F’s screen means darker movies such as The Batman, Nosferatu and Alien: Romulus look good even in brighter viewing conditions. I knew going into this comparison that the LG G5 and Sony Bravia 8 II wouldn’t fare as well as the S95F in bright room lighting conditions, but I was surprised by the results.Of the three TVs, the LG G5 with its traditional glossy screen was the worst for reflections. The Bravia 8 II’s anti-reflection screen, in contrast, did a surprisingly good job at limiting reflections.Above are three images of the TVs in our testing lab with overhead lights turned on. The S95F is the clear winner, with the Bravia 8 II second and the G5 third, in terms of reflection handling.BrightnessImage 1 of 2The Sony Bravia 8 II (center) with its Dynamic Tone Mapping set to Gradation Preferred appears dimmer next to the LG G5 (left) and Samsung S95F (right) (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2Changing the Bravia 8 II's (center) Dynamic Tone Mapping to Brightness Preferred gives it a big brightness boost, bringing it more in-line with the G5 (left) and S95F (right) (Image credit: Future)One thing that was immediately obvious in my comparison is that the Bravia 8 II doesn’t have the same brightness as the G5 or S95F, and in fact looks dim in comparison. When we measured HDR peak brightness on the LG G5 and Samsung S95F in Filmmaker Mode, they hit 2,268 nits and 2,132 nits, respectively. The Bravia 8 II, on the other hand, measured a substantially lower 1,439 nits HDR peak brightness in its Cinema mode.Fullscreen brightness was a similar story. The G5 hit 331 nits and the S95F 390 nits, both in Filmmaker Mode. The Bravia 8 II, on the other hand, only managed 183 nits in its Cinema mode, which seems low for a QD-OLED model. That result is actually lower than the mid-range LG C5 OLED, which hit 199 nits on the same test!This was with the TVs in their default out-of-the-box settings. The Bravia 8 II has a picture setting called Dynamic Tone Mapping, with two options: Gradation Preferred and Brightness Preferred. If you change from the default Gradation to Brightness, the Bravia 8 II gets a nice brightness boost, as you can see in the same image from The Batman above, where Batman’s face suddenly appears much clearer in the second image, compared to the first image. Using the Brightness Preferred setting, black levels and contrast suffer a little, however, so it’ll come down to your personal taste.Colors, black levels and contrastAll three TVs demonstrate superb colors, but it's the G5 (left) that has the most natural and vibrant look (Image credit: Future)Firing up a 4K Blu-ray of Wicked, it was clear that all three TVs demonstrated excellent color reproduction. The pink flowers, Elphaba’s green skin, and blue details on the beige walls all looked vivid on each TV, though it was clear that the Bravia 8 II’s lower brightness took away some of the shine.It was a tough call between the G5 and S95F. While the S95F exhibited more dynamic colors thanks to its higher peak brightness, with all TVs set to Movie/Cinema mode, the G5’s stronger contrast and deeper black levels helped generate better color depth. In the end, I found my eye drawn to the G5 the most.For HDR color gamut coverage, all three TVs hit over 99% of the DCI-P3 color space, so it’s no wonder all three had spectacular color reproduction.All three TVs showcase great black levels and contrast, but the LG G5 (left) stands out for black levels, while the S95F's (right) high brightness helps with contrast (Image credit: Future)For black levels, there was once again a clear winner: the LG G5. Watching The Batman, particularly the opening subway fight scene and crime scene in the mayor’s home, black levels were strong on all three TVs, but the G5’s were the richest and deepest. Next to the G5, the Bravia 8 II and especially the S95F’s black levels looked raised by comparison, although still deeper than what you’ll find on the best mini-LED TVs.Contrast was exceptional on all three TVs. Watching 4K discs with especially dark scenes such as The Batman, Nosferatu, and Alien: Romulus, all three sets showcased an excellent balance between light and dark tones. But once again, the G5 and the S95F’s higher brightness resulted in a more impactful picture with stronger contrast compared to the Bravia 8 II.Sony’s soundThe Sony Bravia 8 II (middle) has the best built-in sound system, and it's perfect for action-packed movie scenes like the Batmobile chase from The Batman (pictured) (Image credit: Future)Reading this, it may seem like I’m underwhelmed by the Sony Bravia 8 II compared to the other TVs. But while the Bravia 8 II doesn’t have the same overall visual impact as the G5 and S95F, it’s still a fantastic TV, and it beats the other two in some key areas.When watching black and white scenes, such as those in Oppenheimer, the S95F and G5’s higher brightness led to a picture with stronger contrast, but I found the Bravia 8 II’s cooler color balance suited black and white scenes better.The Bravia 8 II also has superior built-in sound. Sony’s TVs often rank among the best TVs for sound, and the Bravia 8 II is no different. Using the Batmobile/Penguin chase scene from The Batman, the Bravia 8 II demonstrated the punchiest bass, clearest speech and most accurate mapping of sound effects, such as screeching tyres and spraying bullets.While the S95F delivered impactful bass and clear speech, its soundstage felt narrow compared to the Bravia 8 II, with the sound more contained to the screen. The G5’s bass wasn’t as hefty as the other TVs, but it did deliver a wider soundstage than the S95F. Neither could match up to the Bravia 8 II’s sheer power and accuracy, however.Final thoughts(Image credit: Future)All three of these TVs can be ranked among the best TVs of 2025. They deliver a list of gaming features up there with the best gaming TVs, and have exceptional picture quality and solid built-in sound. Each has its strengths – black levels and picture accuracy on the G5, brightness and Glare Free tech on the S95F, and powerful built-in sound on the Bravia 8 II – but the one TV I would spend my own money on is the LG G5.You might also like I review TVs for a living, and these are the 3 best TVs I’ve tested so far in 2025I test soundbars for a living – here are 3 Dolby Atmos models I’d recommend without questionI tried a super-bright 83-inch OLED TV and now projectors are ruined for me

If you're looking for a really good two-box soundbar system to upgrade your Tv's audio, there's a good deal on the Sony HT-S400 at Amazon: it's down to just $178(was $299), a saving of 41% on the list price. That's an excellent price for what we've described as "phenomenal audio performance": at full price we gave it four and a half stars, and at this price it's a five-star buy.Don't let the low price fool you. This is a powerful setup, capable of pumping out a 330W of total audio. And as you'd expect from Sony it sounds fantastic.Amazon is listing this as a 'Limited Time Deal', so if you were thinking of waiting for the Amazon Prime Day deals to buy a soundbar, you might want to jump the queue and just buy now.Early Prime Day deal: Sony HT-S400This is what we'd describe as a joint record-low price: it's the lowest price this soundbar has ever been, but that low price has been offered on a few occasions previously – and that means we can be pretty confident that the price is going to go back up again for a few months before coming back down again later in the year.So if you've been hankering after a powerful, simple soundbar/sub combination this is a good time to buy this particular model.Why this soundbar is a five-star buyWe really like Sony's soundbars, and the HT-S400 is no exception: as my colleague Ural Garrett wrote, "when it comes to sheer audio quality, the HT-S400 performs well-beyond what its affordable sticker price would suggest... Arguably, the HT-S400 couldn’t be a better bargain" – and that was when it was nearly twice the price it is today.It's good with music as well as movies and games. As we said in our Sony HT-S400 review, "General music listening is a treat as well regardless of music genre. EDM or Southern Hip Hop fans looking to put that subwoofer to work are going to have a blast. Meanwhile, more nuanced instrumentation from rock to jazz will appreciate the richness in mid-tones and treble."In terms of spec, this is a 2.1 system with S-Force PRO Front Surround, Dolby Digital and a completely wireless subwoofer. You can stream via Bluetooth, and it has HDMI ARC and optical cable support. There's no 3.5mm input or USB, but neither of those things would be a deal-breaker for me.We reckon that this specific Sony shines in smaller spaces: in our in-depth review we wrote: "The HT-S400 is probably best for those in small apartments looking for a cinematic audio experience without the need to have multiple speaker set-ups as audio clarity matches volume levels."If this doesn't quite suit your needs, we have our guide to the best soundbars available for you to browse – but for this price, you won't find better bang for buck.Amazon's early Prime Day sale - quick linksAmazon Devices: 50% off TVs, Ring & Fire SticksApple: AirPods + iPads from $99Back to school: deals from $5.99Beauty: 80% off toothbrushes & skincareHeadphones: $120 off Bose, Apple & SonyHealth: electric toothbrushes from $24.99Kitchen: 54% off Ninja, Nespresso & KeurigLaptops: record-low prices from $175Tablets: iPads and Samsung from $54.99Toys: 40% off Lego, scooters & TonieboxTVs: cheap TVs from $59.99Vacuums: Shark, Bissell & Dyson from $49.99

What if reality TV made a show that combined Squid Game with The Hunger Games to bloodthirsty effect? That's the premise of The Running Man, which is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name and focuses on America's most popular and most deadly TV show.If that sounds like a certain Korean drama, The Running Man got there decades earlier – the book was published in 1982 and the first movie version, starring a spandex-clad Arnold Schwarzenegger, came five years later – and appears to be much more violent. And as you'll see from the trailer below, it's a lot grittier-looking too."Everybody runs": what is The Running Man about?The Running Man is the name of America's most-watched TV show, and in that show the contestants – called Runners – must stay alive for thirty days while the cameras follow their every movement. Oh, and they've got a pack of professional assassins on their tails, and they're not pretend assassins either. Think American Gladiators tooled up with assault rifles and hand grenades.Glen Powell plays blue-collar hero Ben Richards, who needs to win the prize money in order to save his sick daughter. And as Paramount Pictures explains, producer Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) may regret persuading him to take part: "Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite – and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall."The mid-80s Running Man was more of a straight-up action hero movie (Image credit: YouTube)As fun as the Arnie version was, it dropped a lot of the more serious parts of the book to focus on making a typical 80s action movie. But the novel was pretty bleak and some would say, prescient: it takes place in an authoritarian US where the economy has collapsed, an elite few hoard all the wealth, resources are scarce and the government uses propaganda, draconian censorship and reality TV to keep the populace quiet.This is really dark stuff, and it'll be interesting to see how much of it features in the actual movie. I've got high hopes: Edgar Wright has said he liked the original movie but wished the book had been given a better adaptation. And this version has a much wider scope than the original: where that was set in a single city, the 2025 version is a cross-country flight.The Running Man will be released in theaters on November 7, 2025.You may also likeMobLand season 2: everything we know so far about the hit Paramount+ show's returnEverything new on Paramount+ in June 2025 – including over 80 new movies to add to your watchlistSquid Game season 3 was going to end differently, but the Netflix show's creator says that big death had to happen because 'it was a better fitting story'