When 1,000 developers were handed their walking papers at Epic Games, one of the first questions that come to mind is “why.” And while CEO Tim Sweeney offered some insight into the decision, professional analysis says that, unsurprisingly, it’s likely a more multi-faceted matter than just Fortnite and the Epic Games Store fumbling. Among some of the other […]

Earlier this month, Apple announced the AirPods Max 2, a pair of over-ear headphones that leverage the company’s H2 chip for AI-powered live translation, conversation awareness, and a host of newer features. However, if you’re okay with a pair of earbuds, the AirPods Pro 3 offer access to all the same features for less — especially given they’re on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $199 ($50 off) as part of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, matching their second-best price to date.

For iPhone owners, nothing else really compares to the AirPods Pro 3. Apple’s latest pair of premium earbuds deliver the best active noise cancellation and richest sound of any AirPods model to date, combined with a more comfortable, angled design that fits securely and naturally in your ear canal. They also feature a new XXS ear tip size and a more robust IP57 rating for sweat and water resistance, making them better suited for long-distance runs and various gym activities.

Speaking of workouts, the Pro 3 can also pull double duty as a fitness tracker, thanks to a built-in heart rate sensor that works with Apple’s Fitness app to track calories burned across more than 50 workout types. It’s a welcome addition if you don’t use an Apple Watch; however, it may not be as useful for those who already own and rely on Apple’s wearable for its health tracking and wellness features.

Lastly, as mentioned up top, the AirPods Pro 3 also boast an H2 chip, allowing for the aforementioned real-time translation features and Apple’s newer Voice Isolation tech, which uses machine learning to isolate and enhance voice quality by removing unwanted background noise. That’s on top of their seamless integration with other Apple devices, mind you, which lets you take advantage of automatic device switching and a Find My-compatible charging case.

Read our full AirPods Pro 3 review.

Other Apple deals

ChatGPT is now accessible from your CarPlay dashboard if you have iOS 26.4 or newer and the latest version of the ChatGPT app, 9to5Mac reports. Apple's recently launched iOS 26.4 update added support for "voice-based conversational apps" in CarPlay, opening the door to let you use AI chatbots with voice features through Apple's in-car platform.

When using ChatGPT through CarPlay, the app doesn't show text conversations, according to 9to5Mac - instead, you can only have conversations with the app using your voice. (Apple's developer guidelines ask that apps don't show text or imagery as responses.) The CarPlay app isn't completely devoid of …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Apple is preparing to shuffle executive positions ahead of former COO Jeff Williams’ retirement this year, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. 

Among other changes, Eddy Cue, Apple’s head of services, will reportedly oversee the health and fitness teams that may soon launch a rumored Health Plus subscription.

Williams previously led Apple’s health initiatives and passed the role of COO to Sabih Khan, the iPhonemaker’s former vice president of operations, in July. The company is splitting up Williams’ other responsibilities before his departure at the end of this year, with Apple software head Craig Federighi taking over watchOS, and hardware leader John Ternus overseeing Apple Watch hardware engineering, according to Bloomberg.

Bloomberg also reports that Johnny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, is “evaluating his future at the tech giant” just months after his team launched the company’s first in-house modem.

Apple is shuffling other positions as well. Bloomberg reports that Apple fitness chief Jay Blahnik will report to health VP Sumbul Desai amid an internal investigation into conduct. Both Blahnik and Desai previously reported to Williams. In August, The New York Times reported that a former employee sued Blahnik, accusing him of creating a toxic work environment.

Amazon’s October Prime Day is in the rearview mirror, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait until Black Friday and Cyber Monday to score a deal. Case in point, Apple’s AirPods Max (USB-C) are still available for $429.99 ($120 off), at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, which is their lowest price since July.

Apple’s latest over-ear headphones have a USB-C port, but the internal hardware and design are otherwise unchanged since they debuted in late 2020. The headphones received an update in March that added 24-bit, 48Hz lossless audio playback if you connect them to a source using the included USB-C to USB-C cable or a $39 USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable. Streaming services — including Spotify — have introduced lossless audio streaming, so you can take advantage of the feature even if you’re not sitting on a hard drive full of FLACs. 

If you primarily use Apple’s gear, the AirPods Max fit neatly into its ecosystem. They’ll pair to your iPhone for the first time just by being near one another—no futzing with the Bluetooth menu necessary—and let you easily move from listening to audio on one device to another. You can use the AirPods Max with non-Apple devices, but they’ll work just like a normal pair of Bluetooth headphones.

The AirPods Max are made from  premium materials: aluminum, steel, and fabric, which makes them stand out from the plastic used by Sony and Bose on their high-end headphones. Those materials are heavier however, so keep that in mind if over-ear headphones have felt uncomfortable to wear. That said, our reviewer found the headphones’ comfort to be “top notch.”

The AirPods Max sounded great in our original tests a few years ago, but its competitors have had years to catch up. Still, the headphones have a well-balanced sound, and you shouldn’t hear distortion when listening to music even when the volume is cranked up. Apple’s H1 chip will adjust the headphones’ EQ based on the seal around your ear, so the audio should be consistent. Read our review. 

Three more great deals

• Dell’s S3225QC is a great general-purpose monitor with additional features gamers can take advantage of, and it’s $599.99 ($200 off) from Dell. The 32-inch QD-OLED 4K display has a 120Hz refresh rate and support for AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro, so PC gamers with an AMD graphics card will see fewer graphical anomalies when playing fast-paced games. It has one HDMI 2.2 port, so you’ll only be able to connect a single gaming device at a time, but there’s a USB-C port that can carry an audio and video signal when connected to a MacBook or other compatible laptop. If you want a smaller laptop with higher refresh rate, you can grab the Alienware AW2725Q on sale for $699.99 ($200 off) from Dell. 
• Google’s Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) is one of the best smart thermostats we’ve tested, and it’s $219.99 ($60 off) at Amazon — a new all-time low. It has sleek design, large screen, and Matter support for compatibility with Apple Home or Amazon Alexa. It doesn’t require a C wire for power like earlier models.  The thermostat comes with a room sensor in case one part of your home never gets warm or cool enough. If you allow it to, the thermostat can learn your usage habits and make temperature adjustments automatically instead of always tweaking it manually. Read our review.
• Nintendo rarely discounts its first-party Switch games, but Amazon has the digital versions of New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and Luigi’s Mansion 3, marked down to $39.99 ($20 off), which matches or exceeds their lowest prices ever. If you prefer physical games, you can pick up Super Mario RPG for $42.98 ($17 off) and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for $59.99 ($10 off) at Best Buy.