Technologies

Best Buy Expands Apple Upgrade Program to Include iMac and Mac Studio Desktops

The «Upgrade Plus» program, which Best Buy launched for MacBook laptops in October, helps people finance Apple computers over 36 months and then upgrade.

Best Buy on Tuesday expanded its Apple computer upgrade program less than two months after its launch, helping people finance an iMac or Mac Studio desktop, in addition to its existing MacBook laptop offer from October. In each case, customers can finance an Apple computer over 36 months, with options to buy it outright at the end of the three-year cycle or turn it in for a newer model.

The move, which offers financing options through Citizens Financial, is among the first of its kind to bring smartphone-like payment and upgrade programs to the computer market. Best Buy’s program starts at $20 per month for a $999 MacBook, with $280.35 remaining to pay on the device, if customers are approved for a 0% interest rate after a credit check. If they trade it in for another MacBook, payments merely continue and Best Buy «will make the final payment on behalf of the customer.» Best Buy will also cover the final payment if a customer turns in the laptop instead of upgrading or paying the final price.

«We’re excited about the amount of customer interest we’ve seen in the Upgrade Plus program over the past couple months,» Jason Bonfig, Best Buy’s chief merchandising officer, said in a statement. «It’s been great to partner with Apple to now bring this program to iMac, especially during a time when customers are looking for value more than ever.»

Read more: Best MacBook for 2022

Best Buy’s move to expand its Upgrade program comes as monthly financing and subscription schemes have become increasingly popular across the tech industry. Apple, for example, doesn’t offer a similar upgrade program for its computers, but it does for iPhones. Other companies, including software giant Microsoft, have increasingly turned to financing and subscriptions as well to lure in new customers with low upfront costs for its Xbox video game consoles.

Environmental advocates believe these subscriptions may have another benefit as well. Companies and retailers are effectively incentivizing people to turn in devices when they’re ready to upgrade, which may help create «closed loop» recycling, in which older machines are kept out of landfills. Instead, they can be torn down for parts or refurbished and reused by someone else.

Best Buy said it plans to similarly find a «second life» for working devices turned in through its program.

The company’s fine print notes that the program does not include configure-to-order models, nor open-box, pre-owned or refurbished items. Citizens Financial will also charge between 0% and 29.99% interest annually, depending on a customer’s credit worthiness.

Technologies

Your Roku Device Is Getting a Free Content Discovery Software Update

Finding something to watch on your Roku will get easier soon. Here’s how to check for the software update once it’s ready.

Roku this week unveiled two updated streaming devices and three new TVs to its lineup for 2025, along with a new set of software features that will head to all Roku devices in the coming months, with a focus on discovering new content to watch.

In its own survey, Roku says that 57% of viewers give up and do something else after searching fruitlessly for something to watch. This new experience hopes to address the scroll fatigue that many streamers face when trying to find something to watch without specific content in mind.

Below, we’ll break down what the new software update is packing and how to manually check for a software update on your Roku device.

For more, here’s how to set up a VPN on your Roku device.

Here are the new features coming to your Roku

So what can Roku users expect with the upcoming update? A lot, actually. Here’s a breakdown of what’s coming.

Coming Soon to Theaters: A new row will be added that will keep you up to date with the latest films that are currently in theaters. If you’re more of an at-home movie watcher than a movie-goer, you can add the films you’re interested in to your Save List and you’ll get a notification when it’s available to stream.
Short-form video content: Roku’s getting on the short-form bandwagon and rows will appear in the All Things Food and All Things Home tabs to get recipes and quick home hacks in a flash.
New badges: In addition to new, paid and free badges, an Award Winner badge will be added to titles so you can prioritize quality content.
Personalized sports highlights: A new and personalized sports highlights in the Sports Zone section will give you the clips that are most important to you for easy viewing.
Sports Zone expansion: Roku is expanding its Sports Zone availability globally, giving you a dedicated spot to catch up on highlights for mobile. You can also select your favorite teams to get notifications when they’re playing.
Additional Roku mobile app updates: Roku is making its app a solid second-screen companion, allowing you to explore what’s on and use the app as a remote for your TV. Updated content details will bring cast and crew, IMDb ratings, trailers and more so you won’t need to switch to another app to get the information you want.
Daily trivia: Test your entertainment knowledge with up to 10 new daily trivia questions each day. From there, you can tap into the Trivia Vault for even more.
New Roku City tile: You’ll soon be able to jump into the side-scrolling Roku City with a press of a button, completely with the purple and orange vibes and plenty of easter eggs hidden throughout.

Here’s a video of Roku City in action in case you need something to mindlessly watch on repeat and are away from your Roku TV.

Roku did not immediately respond to our request for comment about the impending update.

How to manually check your Roku for software updates

If you’re wondering how you’ll be able to get the update (or any update) on your Roku when it’s available, checking to see if new software is waiting for you is a breeze. That said, as long as it’s connected to the internet, your Roku will eventually automatically update itself.

If you’re impatient, here’s how to check for new software updates on your Roku.

Press the Home button on your Roku remote.
Scroll to and select Settings.
Select System.
Select Software update.
Select Check Now to manually check for updates for your device.

If you’re having trouble connecting your Roku to the internet, you can also update the software via a USB flash drive.

For more, don’t miss our best streaming device picks for 2025.

Technologies

Netflix Rolls Out New Dialogue-Only Subtitles Option

Say goodbye to noise descriptions such as [phone buzzing] or [dramatic music swells], unless you want to still see them.

If you got easily distracted by reading subtitles of noise descriptions, like «car engine revs up» or «crowd shouts,» Netflix has a new subtitle option for you — dialogue only. The streaming video company announced the change on Thursday. The new format drops subtitles for sound as well as the names of who’s speaking, only showing the dialogue.

Earlier this year, Netflix increased its prices and added an additional cost for family members that don’t live in your household but are still on your Netflix account. The streaming subscription also added more original titles and upgrades to the service.

Read more: Best Streaming Services of 2025

Currently, the new subtitle option is only available in English, and only for new Netflix original titles. It begins Thursday with season 5 of You, a popular Netflix original thriller.

If you need or prefer to see the subtitles with speaker names and sound descriptions, select English CC in your Netflix settings. If you want the dialogue-only option, you’ll select English. You can customize the size and font of your subtitles, and choose from other languages — but only English will have the new version.

Technologies

Madden NFL 26 Release Date Announced, Skipping PS4 and Xbox One but Coming to Switch 2

Football fans on older consoles will need to update their hardware this year.

The NFL Draft is happening Thursday evening and EA made it official that Madden NFL 26 will be released Aug. 14 and, for the first time since 2013, the game will not be available for the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. It will, however, be launching on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.

EA had its reveal for Madden 26 on Thursday with details about the price, release date and the special MVP Bundle that includes the latest Madden game and College Football 26. Also announced were the platforms for the new Madden game, which will be PS5, PC, Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. The PS4 and Xbox One will not receive a version of the game when it launches on Aug. 14.

Out of all the major video game publishers, EA tends to drag its feet on dropping platforms, especially for sports games. The last Madden game for the PS3 came out in 2016, which was three years after the launch of the PS4. Although that wasn’t the last EA game for the PS3, which was FIFA 19 in 2018, five years post-PS4 launch.

Madden 26 marks the return of the franchise to a Nintendo console. Thanks to the upgraded hardware in Nintendo’s new console, it appears to be enough to handle the football sim. The last time a Madden game was available on a Nintendo console was in 2012 with the release of Madden 13 on the Wii U.

Madden NFL 26 will be released on Aug. 14 for $70 with a Deluxe Edition costing $100. Those who purchase the Deluxe Edition will get early access to the game starting Aug. 11, along with 4600 Madden Points and other digital content. The MVP Bundle costs $150 and comes with Madden NFL 26 Deluxe Edition and College Football 26 Deluxe Edition, which has its own early access starting July 7 before the game’s July 10 release date, as well as more digital content. College Football 26, however, will not be coming to the Switch 2.