Technologies

Target Is Offering Big Discounts on Next-Gen Video Games, Consoles and More

Doing some last-minute shopping for the gamer on your gift list this year? Don’t miss out on these Target deals on games, consoles, controllers, headsets and more.

Having a gamer on your list makes gift shopping pretty easy. And if you’re on the hunt for some last-minute stocking stuffers, we’ve got a deal you won’t want to miss. Right now, Target is offering up to 60% off video games for Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, as well as up to 35% off accessories like headsets and controllers. There are even some deals on next-gen consoles like the compact Xbox Series S. There’s no set expiration for this sale, but deals are coming and going pretty fast as we get closer to Christmas. We’d recommend getting your order in sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

Target also recommends getting your order in by Tuesday, Dec. 20, if you want it to arrive before Christmas Eve.

See at Target

You can pick up tons of this year’s most popular titles for less at this sale. That includes 50% or more off next-gen games like Madden 23, Halo Infinite, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and much more. There are even some deals on next-gen consoles if you’re looking to upgrade. You can snag the Xbox Series S, the lite version of the full-size Series S, on sale for just $250, $50 off the usual price. Or you can check out the exciting world of VR with this $350 Meta Quest 2 bundle, which saves you $50 and comes with Resident Evil 4 and Beat Saber included. You can even find some rare discounts on next-gen accessories like the new PlayStation 5 DualSense wireless controller. All colors are on sale for $50 right now, which saves you up to $25. Or save $50 on the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max headset, an upgraded version of one of our favorite gaming headsets for both PlayStation and Xbox, which drops the price down to $150.

And for more gaming gift ideas, you can check out our roundups of all the best PlayStation deals and the best Xbox deals you can shop right now.

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Technologies

AT&T Says It’s Pumping $250 Billion Into New Infrastructure Improvements

Technologies

Apple’s New Smart Home Display Delayed Until Fall Over Siri Issues

It has been nearly a year and a half since the company announced the AI-powered product.

Your home could get smarter with Apple’s Siri, but it will have to wait a few more months. Bloomberg reported the iPad-shaped AI home hub won’t be ready until September, several months after the company was hoping to launch it this spring. Apple engineers first need to complete work on a new and improved Siri assistant for the home device, code-named J490, according to Bloomberg.

Apple was hoping to release J490 this month, along with a slew of other new devices, including the iPhone 17e, MacBook Neo, MacBook Air M5, new Pro models, and iPad Air M4. Apple first teased the smart home display in November 2024.

A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Siri is Apple’s virtual assistant that uses voice recognition and AI to fulfill a variety of tasks and commands, along with intriguing uses. You might use Siri to find your iPhone — «Hey Siri, where are you?» — or to hear the weather forecast — «Siri, what will the weather be today?» Siri is available on iPhones, MacBooks and iPads. It was launched in 2011 as a feature of the iPhone 4S.

As CNET reported last month, Apple engineers have struggled to push the upgraded Siri assistant out the door. It isn’t fast enough, gets confused by complex commands and doesn’t interact well with other Apple AI models. The company is also wrestling with how much personal data to access to inform the AI, and the new Siri is not yet able to complete in-app tasks, such as finding a photo and posting it to socials, all with one command.

It has been nearly two years since Apple announced that it would give Siri a major upgrade. In the meantime, competitors like Alexa Plus and Gemini for Home have entered the marketplace.

Tech tester Jon Rettinger, whose YouTube channel has 1.66 million subscribers, says the repeated delays in upgrading Siri can «erode» confidence in Apple’s ability to keep up in the AI race.

«Apple as a whole is still one of the strongest companies on the planet. But their AI play is clearly the weakest link in an otherwise very strong chain,» Rettinger told CNET.

Rettinger said he has had issues getting Siri to complete basic commands, such as setting two alarms at the same time, and that it’s a bit of «a mess» right now.

«Having said that, the iPhone has such massive market penetration that I’m not sure it will actually matter in the end. Which is kind of wild when you think about it,» Rettinger said.

Facial recognition for residents

The hardware for the forthcoming smart home display has already been finished. It resembles an iPad and can be either attached to a wall or rest on a half-domed-shaped base, the Bloomberg report said.

The device will be equipped with facial recognition, so when residents walk up to it, they will be shown personalized data such as music preferences, news headlines, appointments, reminders, tasks and so on.

The screen interface will include a bunch of circular app icons, similar to the display on an Apple Watch. The Bloomberg report said the smart home display will be the first of several home devices by Apple. Future products include a tabletop robotic limb with a 9-inch screen, a smart security camera and a Face ID-enabled smart doorbell.