Roku support was conspicuously absent when CNN+ launched last month, but that won’t be a problem after today. CNN+ is now available on the Roku platform in the US, including TVs and dedicated media players. You won’t have access to the interactive Club community feature (that requires a PC, phone or tablet), but you’ll otherwise get the same mix of live shows and on-demand programming. This includes the live CNN TV feed.
The service costs $6 per month or $60 per year. Anyone who subscribes within the first four weeks can get 50 percent off the monthly plan for life, dropping the cost to $36 per year (for now, at least).
CNN+ was already accessible through Android mobile devices, Apple hardware (including Apple TV) and Amazon’s Fire TV. This still leaves significant gaps, such as consoles and multiple smart TV platforms. Even so, it’s evident CNN wants to make its service relatively ubiquitous — virtually necessary if it’s going to compete with Paramount+, Peacock and other streaming rivals.
The price of the Apple TV 4K with 64GB of storage has dropped back to the lowest price we’ve seen for the device to date. It’s currently available for $170 on Amazon. That’s $29 less than the regular price, and the best deal we’ve seen for this version of the set-top box since December.
While there are far less expensive streaming devices on the market, we think Apple TV 4K is the best premium option around. It has support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, and it runs on an A12 Bionic chip (which is also used to power the third-gen iPad Air and iPhone XS). You can use AirPlay to share video, photos and more from your other Apple devices to your TV. There’s the option to see a live feed of HomeKit-enabled cameras and to control smart home devices through Apple TV 4K.
Of course, the main reason most folks will pick up an Apple TV 4K is so they can watch shows and movies. The device supports a plethora of streaming services, including Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, ESPN, Disney+, Sling TV, Hulu and Twitch.
You’ll get three months of free access to Apple TV+ if you pick up the device. The service has an increasingly impressive collection of original shows and movies, including sitcom and Emmy powerhouse Ted Lasso, sci-fi office thriller Severance and CODA, the first movie from a streaming platform to win the Oscar for Best Picture. You’ll also be able to play Apple Arcade games through the device and there’s support for Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music.
What’s more, Apple TV 4K comes with a revamped Siri Remote. It has a redesigned, touch-sensitive directional pad that makes navigating menus a breeze. You can use the voice assistant to play a specific show or movie or display a list of options for your favorite genre.
Apple has started manufacturing one of its latest phones in India. Reutersreports the tech firm has begun producing iPhone 13 units in the country. While Apple didn’t say which factory was responsible, a Reuters source claimed a Foxconn plant in the Tamil Nadu town of Sriperumbudur would assemble devices.
This is the fourth iPhone Apple has built in India. The company started domestic production in 2017 with the original iPhone SE.
The decision isn’t surprising. The Indian government has used multiple tools to pressure companies into manufacturing locally, including investment rules that require local sourcing for 30 percent of parts. Rising import duties have also played a role. If Apple didn’t make the iPhone 13 locally, the device might be prohibitively expensive compared to rival equivalents made within India’s borders.
Apple has also been diversifying its production away from China to avoid trade disputes and other issues that might come with a heavy reliance on that country. Indian production could help Apple weather temporary disruptions at Chinese plants. The company was also reportedly set to move some AirPod and MacBook manufacturing to Vietnam, although Nikkeiclaimed the pandemic delayed those plans.
The expansion also comes despite labor trouble in India. Rioting erupted at Wistron’s iPhone plant in the Narasapura industrial area in late 2020 as workers complained about unpaid wages, excessive hours and rough working conditions. Apple put Wistron on probation until the contractor addressed the issues, but it’s safe to say the crisis wasn’t going to help Apple’s manufacturing expansion in the country.
As it does from time to time, Amazon has launched a sale on both Fire HD tablets and Kindle devices, with most items at the second-best prices we’ve seen so far. One of the best deals is on the Fire HD 8 tablet, now available for $50 instead of $90, for a savings of $40 or 44 percent off.
There’s a lot to like about the Fire HD 8 tablet, provided you’re okay without direct support for Google apps. It includes Alexa support, a USB-C port for faster charging, solid build quality, 32GB of storage that can be upgraded via a microSD card slot, a relatively sharp 1,280 x 800 display, 2GB of RAM, a 4,850 mAh battery and a quad-core chip that offers decent performance.
The Fire HD8 Plus boosts RAM to 3GB, includes wireless charging and comes with a 9W charger in the box. And the Fire HD 10 gives you a 10-inch 1080p display, 32GB of upgradeable storage, 2GB of RAM, an 8-core processor and a battery that allows for up to 12 hours of reading with fast USB-C charging.
Engadget
Several Kindle tablets are also on sale at the second best prices we’ve seen. The regular ad-supported model is on sale for $55, a discount of $35 from the regular $90 price. You can also pick up the Kindle Kids Edition with the “Rainbow Birds Cover” for $65 instead of $110, a savings of 41 percent.
The latest Kindle models offer a lot for the money, including an LED-lit screen, weeks of reading time and a touch interface. The Kids Edition adds some perks, like one of four colorful cases, a two-year worry-free guarantee and a year of complimentary access to the company’s FreeTime Unlimited service.
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For a few days now, Amazon has offered a $50 discount on the 256GB model of Apple’s 10.2-inch iPad, allowing you to purchase the tablet for $429. But if all you wanted to do was buy the less expensive base model, you’ve been out of luck until now. As of this weekend, you can purchase the 64GB variant for $309, down from $329, from both Amazon and Walmart. That’s the best discount of the year on Apple’s entry-level tablet. Just note that Amazon is only offering the silver colorway at that price, while you can get both the silver and space gray models for $309 from Walmart.
We gave the ninth generation iPad a score of 86 in 2021. Yes, it features a tired design that Apple hasn’t updated in years, but there’s still a lot to like about the tablet. It’s a solid performer with Apple’s in-house A13 Bionic chip powering everything, including the updated 12-megapixel wide-angle camera that comes with the company’s “Center Stage” feature for improved video calling. Battery life is also solid, with the tablet capable of going 10-plus hours on a single charge.
The main drawbacks of the 10.2-inch iPad are that it doesn’t come with a USB-C port and that you’re stuck using the first-generation Apple Pencil – which you charge by connecting it to the tablet’s Lightning port. That said, if all you need is a device for browsing the web, reading and watching video content, it’s hard to go wrong with the 10.2-inch iPad.
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Apple isn’t exactly known for its cutting edge power adapters — it took ages for the company to embrace gallium nitride (for the current MacBook Pro), and it frequently stuck to basic 5W iPhone adapters while in-box chargers were still a thing. The company may be willing to explore ‘new’ territory, however. 9to5Mac and AppleInsider report that Apple briefly posted a support document for a “35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter” on its website. While this glimpse didn’t include visuals or many details, the accessory would support the USB Power Delivery fast charging standard.
It’s unclear whether the brick would use GaN or offer any special features. However, the 35W suggests this would be intended for mobile devices rather than Macs. You could fast-charge an iPhone 13 Pro Max (which supports up to 27W) while still leaving enough power for an Apple Watch or AirPods. Multi-port chargers aren’t exactly rare in the third-party market, but this might be appealing if you insist on an official solution.
It’s also uncertain as to when Apple might release the dual-port power adapter. This isn’t the sort of product that would get screen time at an event like WWDC, and there’s no guarantee it would debut in tandem with a higher-profile device. While this apparent slip-up might hint at an imminent launch, that debut could just as easily be months away.
The Surface Pro’s design has been with us for almost a decade, so it’s kind of a wonder that in all that time, no one has really ever tried to make a detachable 2-in-1 gaming machine. Pretty much everywhere you look, there’s a hybrid version of every type of gadget — from tablets to smartphones — aside from gaming PCs. And while ASUS teased us with the ROG Mothership back in 2019, now the company has finally returned to transform that concept into an actual retail device: the ROG Flow Z13.
Design and display
For those familiar with Microsoft’s detachables, if you take one look at the Flow Z13 (which starts at $1,800) you’ll immediately see why I mentioned the Surface Pro line, because ASUS has basically taken that blueprint and made it all gamery. You get a bright 13.4-inch full HD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a handy kickstand in back, and a magnetic strip for hooking up a removable keyboard cover. That cover also feels similar to a Surface, right down to the bounciness of the keyboard and its slightly too-small touchpad. This means any hardcore RTS or FPS gamers will definitely want to keep an external keyboard around. ASUS even hid a microSD card slot and removable M.2 cover behind the kickstand, just like the Surface Pro. You’ll also find an 8-MP camera around back, though its image quality leaves a lot to be desired (the cam in front is fine though). Elsewhere, we have one USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4, a USB A port and a couple of other ports hidden beneath a protective seal. But more on those later.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
That said, while its overall design is a lot like a Surface, the Z13 gives off a very different vibe. ASUS’ over-the-top cyberpunk aesthetic combined with a splash of red and black accents might be a bit much for some. But I kinda love it, especially that window with RGB lighting in back. In fact, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say we need more see-through gadgets in general.
Specs and performance
On the inside, we got some relatively beefy components, particularly for a system this size. We’re talking an Intel Core i9-12900H CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB M.2 SSD, and an RTX 3050TI. In normal use browsing the web or social media, the Z13 is rather quiet, though that changes when you launch a game. Fan noise is noticeable, but doesn’t become a real distraction. And while the back of the Z13 does get warm, ASUS’ tablet design and vapor chamber cooling system helps keep throttling to a minimum.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Now normally, pairing an i9 chip with a 3050 Ti doesn’t make a lot of sense. In most games, the Z13 is going to be bottlenecked by its GPU, which makes a high-end CPU seem like overkill. In benchmarks, I saw frame rates of 37 fps in Forza Horizon 5 on ultra settings, 64 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider on highest and 40 fps in Metro Exodus on high. So decent, but not exactly mind-blowing.
That’s where those hidden ports come in. Once you remove the protective seal, you can attach ASUS’ optional (and expensive) $1,400 XG Mobile graphics dock, which has even more ports (HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, Ethernet, four USB 3.2 Type-A ports and an SD card reader), along with an RTX 3080 graphics card. And after I hooked everything up, gaming performance basically doubled, with frame rates in Forza Horizon 5 jumping up to 87 fps at the same settings, with similar results for other titles (134 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and 95 fps in Metro Exodus).
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
So now, we’re looking at a portable gaming tablet that has the kind of performance you’d typically only get from a big 15 or 17-inch notebook. And because the dock is detachable, you have the option to leave it behind if you’re not gonna be gaming. It even has its own power cable, allowing it to send juice to the Z13 when connected. So theoretically, if you throw both of these in your bag, you can leave ASUS’ basic charging brick at home. And when you’re not using the dock, beneath that seal next to ASUS’ proprietary XG port, there’s a USB-C 3.2 connection that supports video out with G-sync.
However, there are a number of quirks about the XG dock. First, you can’t just disconnect it at will. Before you pull the plug, you need to manually disable it from the icon in the Windows system tray, which takes more than a moment. You also can’t pick what GPU goes inside, it’s either an RTX 3080 or nothing. That means if you want to upgrade in the future, you’re gonna have to buy a whole new dock, assuming ASUS even makes a second generation. And because of that proprietary port, the XG Dock is only compatible with this system and the ROG Flow X13, which is basically the laptop version of Z13.
Battery life
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
One of the biggest downsides of the Z13’s tablet design is not having a lot of room for a sizable battery. In our video rundown test, the system’s 56 Whr power pack lasted just five hours and 38 minutes. That’s four hours shorter than the Zephyrus G14 (9:45) and nearly two and half hours less than the Alienware X14. That means you will probably need to bring ASUS’ power brick whenever you leave the house, especially if you plan on actual gaming. And in the real world, even with the most casual workloads, I found the Z13 was often gasping for energy well before the end of the day. On the plus side, the Z13 uses USB-C Power Delivery, so at least the charger can top up other gadgets too.
Wrap up
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
When it comes to summing up a product, I’m usually not this conflicted. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea, I love the way it looks, and I love being able to tack on a beefy GPU when I want extra performance. I also love being able to flip it open, pair a controller and just get to gaming – no need to worry about a keyboard. There really isn’t anything else like the Z13. The problem is that the whole kit isn’t very practical, and it’s not a great value either.
When you’re using it as a laptop – like you know, on your lap – because all of its guts are stuffed inside what is essentially a tablet chassis, it’s really top-heavy. Also, its battery life isn’t very good, lasting at least two to three hours shorter than every other gaming laptop we’ve tested recently. And while it’s relatively thin, when you think about all the accessories you might want to carry around with it, the Z13 doesn’t really let you pack that much lighter when compared to a rival 14 or 15-inch laptop.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
And then there’s its price. The Z13 starts at $1,800, or around $1,900 for one similar to our review unit with a 3050TI GPU, which is as high as you can spec it. And if you want the XG mobile graphics dock your all-in price climbs well above $3,000.
A similarly equipped traditional gaming laptop, like an Alienware X14 goes for about $200 less. Meanwhile, ASUS’ own G14 Zephyrus can be had for as little as $1,450, and that’s with a slightly more powerful RTX 3060. So if you just want to be able to game on the go, you can save a bunch of money simply by getting something less exotic. And if you need some extra performance now and then, you’re probably better off getting a regular external GPU enclosure that you can upgrade yourself down the line instead of ASUS’ proprietary dock.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Now all this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get one. But you should know what you’re getting into first. The Flow Z13 is a wildly interesting system, and for people looking for a portable and adaptable machine with big time performance, I’m glad that ASUS finally made a gaming tablet/detachable 2-in-1 into a real device after all these years. And while its high price will make the Z13 an incredibly hard sell for most people, I still think it’s impractically cool.
