Apple AirPods On Sale For $130, Their Lowest-Ever Price

AirPods are no small investment for Apple users, costing as much as $249 if you’re looking at the AirPods Pro. Right now, though, Apple’s second-gen AirPods are back down to their lowest price ever, hovering around $130. Though we’ve regularly seen this particular pair around $160, the extra $30 savings makes them even more tempting today.

AirPods connect seamlessly with all of your Apple devices and provide quick access to Siri on the go. You don’t have to fumble around with them to connect each time–after a one-tap setup, they can detect when they’re in your ears and will automatically pause when you take them out. They provide up to five hours of listening on one charge, and more than 24 hours with the included charging case. While they don’t feature the customizable fit and active noise cancellation available with the AirPods Pro, the latter might not be a bad thing if you’re someone who still likes to hear a bit of outside noise as you walk around. If great sound at an affordable price is your key concern, the second-gen AirPods are worth grabbing for $130.

Stock may be running low for this deal, as the Amazon listing currently says “in stock soon.” However, you can still place your order and will receive an email when they are ready to ship.

In other Apple deals today, you can snag both the 2021 M1 11-inch Apple iPad Pro and 12.9-inch model for $100 off, the Apple Watch Series 6 for $80 off, and the 2020 MacBook Pro for $350 off.

Ubisoft All-Star Blast Puts Sam Fisher, Ezio, And Rabbids In A Bomberman-Style Battle Royale

Following in the steps of Nintendo’s series of bite-sized battle royale games, Ubisoft has launched Ubisoft All-Star Blast, a Bomberman-style game featuring all sorts of characters from its various franchises.

Available for free, the game tasks you with taking control of a character like Ezio or Sam Fisher and battling against 99 other players. Gameplay is straightforward, and clearly Bomberman-inspired: You navigate through a map laid out like a maze, dropping bombs to blow up obstacles or other players. There are a variety of power-ups and special weapons besides bombs, too. And, like other battle royale games, the map steadily shrinks to force players to confront one another.

You currently don’t have to pay money for anything in All-Star Blast. It’s structured around an ad-supported model, meaning that you can buy all cosmetics with coins earned through gameplay or, in certain cases, by choosing to watch advertisements. In addition, the game has a decent amount of multiplayer features, including the ability to create parties with friends and leaderboards for both your friends list and the world.

All-Star Blast is available via Ubisoft Nano, the company’s platform for small-scale, free-to-play multiplayer projects. In addition to All-Star Blast, the platform also hosts an Assassin’s Creed endless runner, a couple of Rabbids games, and a Trackmania title.

Galaxy Unpacked: Every Gadget Announced at Samsung’s August Event

Samsung announced last month that its next Unpacked event would unveil the latest products of its ever-growing product lineup. In total, the event unveiled four new products from the tech giant: two foldable smartphones, a new smartwatch, and the next generation of Galaxy Buds.

In case you missed the virtual event, here’s everything that was announced today.

Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G

While no new Note phones are coming out in 2021, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G is the latest flagship in Samsung’s smartphone lineup. Most notably, the Z Fold 3 5G includes stylus support for the S Pen, a feature commonly found on the Note series and making it the first Samsung foldable device to support it.

The Z Fold 3 5G features a 7.6-inch Flex display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It features 12GB of RAM with two storage configuration options: 256GB and 512GB.

The front of the camera includes a 10MP selfie camera, a 4MP under-display camera, and the rear features a triple camera setup, with a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 12MP wide-angle, and a 12MP telephoto camera.

To improve on durability, Samsung says the Z Fold 3 5G has IPX8 water resistance. Unfortunately, it does not include dust resistance.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G’s pricing begins at $1,799.99 and is available in three colors: Phantom Black, Phantom Green, and Phantom Silver. Preorders begin today, with a retail release slated for August 27.

Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G

Like the Fold 3 5G, Samsung also announced that another phone from its other foldable lineup, the Galaxy Z Flip 3, includes a 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and an IPX8 water resistance rating.

The Z Flip 3 5G includes 8GB of RAM with no option to increase memory capacity, with the storage options coming in 128GB and 256GB. As far as cameras go, on the front, you have a 10MP selfie camera, with a dual-camera setup on the back: a 12MP ultra-wide and a 12MP wide-angle camera.

Thee Z Flip 3 5G also includes a new Flex Mode Panel, which should make apps running on the foldable better and a lot more seamless to use. The panel is designed to offer more convenient ways for users to use the foldable when it is partially folded, such as using the top half of the screen to display video while the bottom half houses control, allowing you to adjust things such as brightness or volume.

The Z Flip 3 5G has seven color variants in total. Cream, Green, Lavander, and Phantom Black as more common options to choose from, but if you are purchasing on Samsung’s direct website, you have the option to buy the foldable flip phone in Gray, Pink, or White.

Preorders for the Z Flip 3 5G starting at $999 begin today, and the retail release will be on August 27.

Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic

Samsung unveiled not one but two new smartwatches during Wednesday’s event: Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Both wearables include WearOS — Google’s wearable operating system with some slight tweaks by Samsung. In addition to its 3-in-1 BioActive sensor, which uses a single chip to run three health sensors — Optical Heart Rate, which allows you to keep track of your blood pressure; Electrical Heart, which allows you to detect an irregular heartbeat, and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, which allows you to calculate your body composition.

The Galaxy Watch 4 comes in two sizes: 40mm and 44mm, with the prices starting at $249.99, which gives you access to Bluetooth, with LTE versions beginning at $299.99. The colors vary depending on which size you get, both sizes include Black and Silver as a color variant, but the 40mm has a size-exclusive Pink Gold option, while the 44mm includes a Green color choice.

As the name implies, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic offers a more traditional watch shape, but alongside a more “classic look,” this is the only watch in the current Watch 4 series is that the Classic model includes a rotating bezel, a notable feature for Samsung wearables. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic will come in 42mm and 46mm sizes with two colors available: Black and Silver. Pricing begins at $349.99 for the Bluetooth versions and $399.99 for the LTE models.

Both smartwatches are available for preorder starting today and will release on August 27.

Galaxy Buds 2

The next pair of truly wireless earbuds from Samsung is the Galaxy Buds 2. Wild not wildly different from its predecessor if we are going off of the design alone, the Galaxy Buds 2 does include some changes that make it stand out.

The Galaxy Buds 2 are 15% smaller and 20% lighter than the Galaxy Buds Plus, which Samsung claims are its smallest and lightest earbuds yet, with the company touting it as a pair of earbuds that are built for all-day comfort.

The Galaxy Buds 2 offers three flexible ear tips. In an effort to make sure the earbuds fit, Samsung created an Earbud fit test,” which you can access on the Galaxy Wearable app.

The earbuds also feature dynamic two-way speakers, which the company claims will offer “crisp, clear high notes, and a deeper bass.” Active noise cancellation is also featured in the earbuds, though you can adjust the Ambient Sound Levels if you need to hear background noise.

Four colors are available for the Galaxy Buds 2 — Graphite, White, Olive, and Lavender, and the earbuds retail for $150. Like the other products mentioned above, preordering begins today with an August 27 release date.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G Hands On

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G aims to be the every person’s foldable smartphone. It comes at a $999 price and it’s probably a far more understandable concept than its bigger Fold 3 5G brother, as it’s just a regular-shaped phone that can fold in half rather than a thin handset that unfolds into a tablet.

It’s actually startling how normal the Flip 3 5G looks when unfolded. You almost couldn’t tell it wasn’t a regular smartphone unless you spotted the crease or wondered why the back of the phone was bisected in the middle.

The Flip 3 5G offers a big, bright, and colorful 6.7-inch FHD+ display resolving a 2640 x 1080 resolution. That’s a little low by today’s standards on flagship phones, but amazingly this foldable display has an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. Last year’s foldable displays were limited to just 60Hz, and this new handset just feels so much more smooth while scrolling and playing games.

The biggest improvement to the Flip 3 5G interface is the new Flex Mode Panel, which is essentially the slide-out multi-tasking menu taken from Samsung’s other flagship phones. Previously the Flip’s multi-tasking abilities were limited to fold the display halfway to look or take photos, but now you can split a greater number of apps

Additionally, the cover screen on the front of the phone has been enlarged to 1.9-inches from the original Flip’s 1.1-inch outer display. The new display can show up to four lines of notifications and it makes it just a little easier to check yourself out while shooting selfies or when someone else is taking a photo for you.

Speaking of cameras, the Flip 3 5G has a new 12MP ultrawide camera in addition to its main wide-angle 12MP camera and 10MP selfie camera. This compact folding phone also offers just as much power as its little brother with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor. But it’s limited to just 8GB of RAM and your storage options are 128GB and 256GB.

The most enticing about the Flip 3 5G is its $999 price, which effectively makes it the most affordable foldable phone yet. A grand is still a lot to ask and out of reach for many, but right now this seems like the most accessible device you can buy if you want to give foldable phones a shot.

Be sure to check out the rest of our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 coverage.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Kevin Lee is IGN’s SEO Updates Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G Hands On

Foldable phones really feel like they’ve matured at this point with the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G. Samsung’s latest foldable smartphone builds upon bigger screens the Galaxy Z Fold 2 introduced while adding welcome improvements like 120Hz adaptive displays, an under-display camera, and improved durability. Meanwhile, added S-Pen support also basically makes this phone a replacement for Samsung’s Note series, much to the chagrin of phablet fans.

Year over year, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G looks strikingly similar to last year’s model. In fact, the only thing that’s changed externally with the latest version is a slight camera bump. Opening the phone reveals the new under-display selfie camera that helps cover up the glaring hole punch in the screen from last year. The pixels over the camera aren’t exactly perfect, though, as they’re clearly transparent, and they don’t display the same hue and brightness as the rest of the screen.

Another thing that’s clear about the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is it’s noticeably lighter when you pick it up. I described the Galaxy Z Fold 2 overstuffed ice cream sandwich or candy bar when it weighed 9.95-ounces. The Fold 3 5G is less than half an ounce lighter at 9.56 ounces, but it doesn’t feel nearly as dense or heavy.

You still have the same 6.2-inch and 7.6-inch screens as last year’s model on the outside and inside. Both displays are still at the same resolution of 2268 x 832 for the cover screen and 2208 x 1768 on the inner display. What is different is both displays now offer a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, making them just as quick as Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra and the latest OnePlus 9 Pro handsets. The Fold 2’s all-screen tablet display seemed amazing except for the fact that it was limited to just 60Hz, and now this upgrade makes scrolling and gaming on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G feel that much smoother.

Samsung has also implemented a new Eco display technology that increases brightness by 29% without increasing power consumption. While I didn’t have Samsung’s older foldable with me to compare, the increased screen brightness helped overpower any glare from the sun and studio lights in Samsung’s hands-on space. We’ll have to test Samsung’s power savings claims in our full review and they might ultimately be offset by the Fold 3’s smaller 4,400mAh dual batteries that offer 100mAh less capacity than the Fold 2.

One less visible upgrade on the Fold 3 5G is it’s actually IPX8 waterproof now. That’s a big step up in durability when just a few years ago, Samsung’s first foldable phone was recalled due to dust getting under the screens and peeling screen protectors. Speaking of which, the inner tablet display now features Gorilla Glass Victus, the toughest glass for smartphones yet.

The inner display on Samsung’s previous foldable phones always felt a little plasticky, and sometimes it was even easy to leave marks and indents on the screen protector. But this new screen feels like it’s actually made of hard glass, and it comes at a perfect time as the Fold 3 5G is the first Samsung foldable to support S-Pen.

Typically, Samsung leaves stylus support to its Note series and other flagships but writing on a bigger tablet-shaped display feels even better. There’s just more room to doodle and make bigger notes, and thankfully the Fold 3 5G doesn’t buckle even when I’m drawing a line straight down the crease in the middle of the display.

In terms of specs, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G comes fully loaded with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, 12GB of RAM, and the option of either 256GB or 512GB of storage. For cameras, you get three 12MP cameras on the back covering the usual ultrawide, wide-angle, and telephoto focal lengths. There are also two selfie cameras with a 10MP sensor on the cover display and a 4MP sensor under the display.

Clearly, there had to be some compromises with the under-display camera, which also led to compromises with the quality of the display over the camera itself. Personally, I can’t see myself doing a video call with the device in tablet mode, so I would have just skipped it altogether and had an uninterrupted inner screen.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G seems like a great step forward for Samsung’s foldable flagship. It even comes at a substantially lower $1,799 starting price compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 that started retailing for $1,999 last year. Preorders begin on August 11 and ordering on Samsung’s website includes a $200 Samsung store credit plus a free year of Samsung Care if you agree to a three-year subscription to the service.

Be sure to check out our hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G and the rest of our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 coverage.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Kevin Lee is IGN’s SEO Updates Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

Free Guy Director Already Has Big Sequel Plans

Free Guy isn’t even in theaters yet, but director Shawn Levy is already figuring out what a sequel to the film could be. The movie hits theaters on August 13 and you can read GameSpot’s review of Free Guy now. To celebrate the release, Levy spoke to GameSpot about the possible future adventures of Ryan Reynolds’ incredibly naive non-player character Guy and confirmed that he is currently in the brainstorming stage of a potential sequel.

“I do feel like to send that well-intentioned manchild into different worlds where it’s not only different gameplay, but it’s literally different world-building, [would be fun]” he teased. “Because you and I know the range of world creation, it runs the gamut in the world of video games and video game culture. So I would love to see him, maybe even jump from one to the next to the next.”

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While it would be fun to see him jumping between a number of different video games, Levy has a couple of specifics in mind. “I’d love to see him in Minecraft,” he said. “I’d love to see him in Call of Duty. I feel like the possibilities, comedic and otherwise, both in terms of comedy and action, are kind of endless. It’s very juicy to think about.”

Watching Reynolds potentially transformed into a Minecraft block character, fighting creepers and flying everywhere with Elytra and a healthy supply of fireworks does sound pretty fun. Then again, so does dropping him in the middle of a Call of Duty warzone. “I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that we have started brainstorming about some of those possibilities,” he added.

Still, while these are ideas Levy would like to explore, he is quick to admit, “I’m not counting any chickens yet. We need people to show up and we need people to actually make Free Guy a hit.”

Free Guy is in theaters on Friday, August 13.

Shirobako: The Movie Review

Shirobako: The Movie premiered in U.S. theaters on Aug. 10.

Shirobako: The Movie is essentially a lengthier, shinier iteration of its predecessor. It’s animated beautifully, and it’s an absolute treat for the eyes — the very first thing you’ll notice. But it’ll also give you a serious case of deja vu. Given that the anime concluded very neatly, this cinematic adaptation, set four years after the series ended, feels more like a reunion tour or an extraneous victory lap. Most, if not all, of the story beats are quite similar, even identical, to the show, which will no doubt sit well with hardcore fans, but may not seem worthwhile to those curious about whether there’s been any real character progression over the four years spent in-universe.

In fact, the new story can’t even begin without referencing the old. The entirety of the film’s introduction is dedicated to recapping the latter half of the series, which slightly dulls this adventure’s newness. Heroine Aoi Miyamori is still toiling away as a production assistant at Musashino Animation, and when new president Shun Watanabe (Masaya Matsukaze) asks her to head up a new theatrical project, she’s reticent. The company is in a bit of disarray, and it’s unclear if it can handle such a large production. Aoi must navigate the trials and tribulations of her everyday life at Musashino while working alongside newcomer Kaede Miyai (Ayane Sakura) to reach MusAni’s seemingly insurmountable goal.

As Aoi and the rest of MusAni buckle down on their new project, a sci-fi action adventure called Aerial Assault Ship SIVA, they’re working from scratch, scrambling to figure out the most efficient and cost-effective way to move forward while still reeling from the effects of the cancellation of their previous series, Time Hippopotamus. It seems unheard of, too raw, especially since that series was unceremoniously canceled. But it just might work.

Aoi’s confidence that reusing older elements is infectious, and watching personalities we saw scattered throughout Shirobako come together again for another undertaking is a delight. It’s still revisiting familiar territory, but catching up with faces we saw once or twice before is nevertheless enjoyable. It’s a reunion that’s clearly meant to address fans who remember every single detail about Shirobako’s cast, and while that means the movie is jam-packed with cameos, it’s nice that no one was left out of the spotlight.

Like the series did, Shirobako: The Movie shines in both its moments of workplace drama and camaraderie between the employees at MusAni. Watching everyone work together, even when they feel like they’re at the end of their rope to make something special, stirred something inside of me. It’s satisfying in a distinctly Shirobako way. Plus, seeing the early CG designs, workshopping, and brainstorming Aoi leads the team in will make you feel like you’ve done something far more productive than just watching anime.

As usual, some of the best moments stem from the time spent away from the entire roller coaster of production. In particular, we get to see Ryosuke Endo (Shinobu Matsumoto)’s interactions with his impossibly sweet wife Mayumi (Chinami Hashimoto) as he comes out of his shell after the devastation of losing Time Hippo. Their relationship is such a tender one, as Mayumi does everything she can to try and console her lover and help him rediscover his passion for the industry once more.

It’s satisfying in a distinctly Shirobako way.

Similarly, it’s entertaining to see Aoi grapple with her personal decisions and growth when she has to look deep inside herself. That’s where Mimsy and Lolo, a pirate-like doll and a white bear that serve as Aoi’s expository inner voices, come out. It’s always a treat to see them return, even if they’re a little hard on our favorite member of the Donut Five. When things get serious and it seems like MusAni may not be up to the task to create their new feature (again), they tend to offer some much-needed comic relief.

Unfortunately, these small interactions don’t make for a completely riveting movie. What feels like insurmountable odds at first for the anime studio are quickly beaten, and Aoi once again comes through as the protagonist who can solve any mystery — yet she seems to remain exactly where she is. It feels like trying new things, succeeding, and then never moving forward.

In this, Shirobako: The Movie is a comfortable return to a world of day-in and day-out work in a fast-paced industry that’s happy to tread familiar waters. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but after four years in the anime business, it seems we’d see a studio and workers having advanced a bit further than this. Still, it’s a fun romp for anyone who’s been yearning to see their favorite characters return. It’s a better option than revisiting the series once more, since it does offer new elements to explore, but it doesn’t add anything terribly meaningful.

Chucky TV Show Finishes Production Ahead Of October Release

The upcoming Chucky TV show has finished production. The spin-off from the Child’s Play horror franchise premieres on SyFy and USA Network on October 12.

The news that Chucky has completed shooting comes via showrunner and series creator Don Mancini, who posted an image of a clapperboard on the final day. He accompanied it with a caption that reads, “THAT’S A WRAP! Chucky wants to honest the f*** thank everyone, in front of and behind the camera, on this f***ing momentous occasion…” Check it out below:

The first Chucky trailer was released last month, which showed the series’s suburban setting and hinted at some of the murderous mayhem that possessed doll Chucky will be getting up to. The show follows on from 2017’s The Cult of Chucky, which was the seventh movie in the long-running franchise. It is, however, unconnected to the 2019 Child’s Play reboot movie.

The cast of Chucky is a mix of new actors and names that will be familiar to the series. New stars include Zackary Arthur (Transparent), Bjorgvin Arnarson (The Seventh Day), Teo Briones (Ratched), Lexa Doig (Stargate SG-1), and Devon Sawa (Final Destination).

Brad Dourif returns as the voice of Chucky, and he’s joined by Jennifer Tilly, who plays Tiffany, Chucky’s equally dangerous bride. Other returning cast members include Alex Vincent as Andy, the young boy from the first two Child’s Play movies, Christine Elise McCarthy as Andy’s foster sister Kyle from Child’s Play 2, and Fiona Dourif as Nina Pierce.

Madden 22 EA Play Trial: How To Download The 10-Hour Demo On PlayStation And Xbox

EA’s Madden NFL 22 releases on August 20, but you can actually start playing the American professional football game as soon as August 12.

The Madden NFL EA Play trial begins Thursday, August 12, for subscribers–and only on console, apparently. That’s more than a week before the game officially launches. This is the full version of the game, but the one “catch” is that it’s only a 10-hour trial. As such, you’ll want to remember to close the game completely when you’re finished in a particular sitting so you get the most out of it.

To grab the 10-hour trial, you can simply search for Madden NFL 22 on your platform and, provided you’re an EA Play subscriber, it should show up as available to download when it goes live.

According to RealSport101, the Madden NFL 22 EA Play trial will not be available on PC. PC players aren’t being left out altogether from early play, however, as the game’s Dynasty and MVP editions unlock three days early, beginning August 17.

And this is the full version of Madden NFL 22 without any time restrictions. These versions are also available on Xbox and PlayStation, with the same early access bonus.

In terms of the exact time that Madden NFL 22’s EA Play trial will be available, we don’t know yet, but keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest. We’ll update this post when it’s live.

Madden NFL 22 features Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady on the cover, together. One of the game’s new systems is a home field advantage feature that aims to replicate how difficult it can be for away teams to win on the road. For more, check out the top Madden NFL 22 player ratings.

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GameFly Pre-Played Games Sale Has Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart For $48, Pokemon Snap For $40, And More

Video game rental company GameFly is hosting a pretty awesome sale on preowned games right now. The Pre-Played Blowout sale features steep discounts on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch games, including a bunch of 2021 releases that are available for their lowest prices yet. All games come with cases, inserts, and any DLC codes that are packaged with new copies. Now’s your chance to grab 2021 hits for excellent prices, including Resident Evil Village, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, New Pokemon Snap, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury. Orders come with free shipping regardless of how much you spend, and you don’t need a membership to take advantage of these offers.

There are several notable deals for PS5 owners, including on two of the best exclusives released this year. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is on sale for $48. We’ve yet to see a discount for Rift Apart, so saving $22 is quite the deal. Meanwhile, Returnal is down to $40, the best price we’ve seen for the stellar roguelike shooter from Housemarque.

Nintendo Switch owners can grab some notable exclusives for ultra-low prices. New Pokemon Snap and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury are both available for only $30. Capcom’s wonderful action-RPG Monster Hunter Rise is also down to $40.

Meanwhile, some great multiplatform games for Xbox and PlayStation are also featured in the sale. Resident Evil Village is $33, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is $35, and MLB The Show 21 is $30 for Xbox and $40 for PlayStation. Nier Replicant, the recently released remaster of the cult classic action-RPG, is $30 for PS4 and $35 for Xbox.

We’ve rounded up the best deals in GameFly’s Pre-Played Blowout sale below. It’s certainly possible some of the best deals will sell out, so you may want to make your picks soon.

Best preowned game deals at GameFly

PlayStation

Nintendo Switch

Xbox