Go deal-hunting in the Amazon Warehouse with an extra 20% off for a limited time

Find a discount on just about anything.

Ahead of Prime Day next week, Amazon is offering an extra 20% discount on over 200,000 products available on Amazon Warehouse exclusively for Prime members. Those who are in-the-know have been checking out Amazon Warehouse to snag deals for a while now, and today’s offer brings the already discounted items there further down to can’t-miss prices. If you’re not a Prime member yet, you can start a free 30-day trial to take advantage of this offer. The 20% discount will be added during checkout automatically.

Amazon Warehouse is where many of your Amazon returns have likely ended up. The selection comprises returned, warehouse-damaged, used, and refurbished goods. Just about anything Amazon sells has a chance of having a warehouse deal, which you’d normally check by clicking on ‘Available from these sellers’ on the product page and looking for any listings which feature Amazon Warehouse as the seller. You can find everything from TVs to unlocked smartphones and deals on brands like Apple, Samsung, and Sony.

You don’t have to be worried about receiving damaged goods either. Amazon Warehouse shows condition grade levels from Like New to Good so you can get a better feel of what condition the item you’ll receive is in. At times, some ‘Like New’ items actually seem to be new and unused even, and the store does a good job of grading items fairly so you won’t be surprised. In the case an item doesn’t meet your expectations, you can always return it within 30 days just like any other Amazon.com purchase.

If you really cannot wait for Prime Day, then this Warehouse sale is a perfect one for you to look through. Along with the already discounted products, Prime members can score an extra 20% off TVs, kitchen appliances, home improvement, baby products and much more.

Past the Warehouse, there’s a selection of other early Prime Day deals that you have just a few days left to check out and redeem if you’re interested. Prime Day starts July 16 and marks the end for many of these offers.

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Beard trimmers, turntables, Bluetooth speakers, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on the UE Roll 2, an Audio-Technica turntable, Amazon Warehouse items, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

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If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

From Apple’s charging mat to Google’s modular phone, these gadgets went MIA

There have been loads of tech products announced over the years, generating various levels of excitement. A few succeed, most fail, and some never even make it across the starting line. We’ve crafted a list of exciting tech products that caught the public imagination with a flurry of press releases, prototypes, or teaser reveals — only to evaporate in the heat of their own hype.

Apple’s AirPower wireless charger

AFP Contributor/Getty Images

In September last year, Apple unveiled the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus making a big deal out of their ability to charge wirelessly. We also caught a brief glimpse of a new Apple wireless charging mat called AirPower, which was touted for an early 2018 release. The mat was shown charging an iPhone X, an Apple Watch, and a set of AirPods simultaneously, but it seems Apple may have bitten off more than it can chew.

Here we are more than halfway through 2018 and the AirPower mat is nowhere to be seen. WWDC 2018 came and went and Apple has remained silent on the subject. But we’re not ready to count this one out just yet. There’s still a chance it will reappear alongside this year’s iPhones in September, but if that event comes and goes without any AirPower news, the charging mat could slip into the realm of the quietly forgotten like the rest of our list.

Sega VR headset

Back in 1991, when Sega was on top of the world riding the wave of the Genesis’ (Mega Drive) success, it rashly announced a virtual reality headset. The product wasn’t shown off until a couple of years later when it was revealed that Sega VR would sell for $200, work with the Genesis, and come with four games on release. It was pushed back and then canceled after prototypes induced motion sickness and severe headaches in testers.

Despite Sega VR being dead and buried, Nintendo pushed forward with the Virtual Boy, which was released in 1995 and flopped spectacularly, burying the idea of virtual reality for almost 20 years until its recent resurrection. The best VR headset today (the HTC Vive) boasts twin OLED displays with a resolution of 2,160 x 1,200 pixels. Sega VR had color LCDs with a 320 x 200-pixel resolution.

Google’s Project Ara smartphone

The idea of a modular smartphone generated a lot of excitement when Motorola announced it back in 2013. Why upgrade your phone every year to get a better camera or a bigger battery when you can just buy an individual component upgrade and slot it into your existing phone? Google had just acquired the phonemaker back then and looked ready to throw its weight behind the project, which was first shown off at Google I/O in 2014.

Although slotting together your dream phone like a collection of Lego bricks appealed to some people, it proved difficult to realize. Different concepts and hints at the involvement of big manufacturers came to nothing and Google shelved the project in 2016. A watered-down version of the idea eventually appeared in the shape of Moto Mods. Ethical smartphone maker Fairphone has also pursued the idea with its modular Fairphone 2, and LG made an attempt with the LG G5, but we’ve yet to see a big modular smartphone success.

Phantom game console

The video game industry is good at generating enormous levels of hype and excitement and then delivering massive disappointment, but few have scaled the heights of the Phantom game console. Infinium Labs announced the Phantom in 2003, promising a console that would outperform the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The marketing babble was suspiciously devoid of details, but the central idea hinged around a good-looking console with PC innards capable of offering games on-demand, downloadable from the internet for subscribers.

It was originally supposed to be released in 2003 for $400 with a $10 per month subscription for games, but it was pushed back again and again until the company removed any mention of it from its website in 2006. Valve eventually realized something close to the idea with Steam Machines, announced in 2013 and released in 2015, but even with the might of Steam behind it the platform floundered and has now all but disappeared.

Saygus V2 smartphone

Simon Hill/Digital Trends

This Android superphone was set to deliver a laundry list of features for Android fans seeking something a bit more powerful than the average release. We actually managed to get a hands-on with the Saygus V squared back at MWC in 2015. It was set to have a 21-megapixel camera, a fingerprint sensor, two MicroSD card slots, a 5-inch display, a 3,100mAh battery, and to be IPx7 water resistant, all of which sounded more impressive a few years ago.

We were suspicious about some of the features that didn’t work in the prototype we tried, but like many people who put more than $500 down to pre-order, we believed it was a real phone close to being released. The release date was pushed back further and further, and Saygus couldn’t deliver, even though it continued to take people’s money. Somehow the company still exists, but a two-year delay for a phone makes it hopelessly out-of-date even if it does belatedly arrive. We aren’t holding our breath, and anyone who pre-ordered should ask for their money back while they still can.

Microsoft Courier tablet

With a string of prototypes and a team of more than 130 people working on it, Microsoft’s ill-fated Courier tablet could have been an iPad competitor of sorts. First reported on back in 2008, the Courier was a folio-style tablet with two 7-inch touchscreens and stylus support. It was designed to be for productivity first and foremost, it ran Windows — so it supported Microsoft’s full suite of Office software — and it was going to be capable of syncing with web services. It also had a camera built-in and support for wireless charging.

After some internal disagreement at Microsoft, the Courier was canned in 2010 and Ballmer led the company towards the touch-friendly Windows 8 platform, almost completely missing the tablet boat. Microsoft eventually tackled the tablet market directly with the Surface line in 2012. The company has continued to iterate, most recently with the $400 Surface Go.

Dishonorable mentions

There are simply too many broken tech dreams to list them all here, but here’s a quick mention of some other hotly anticipated products that never made it.

Nokia Moonraker – This wonderfully-named smartwatch was going to launch alongside the Lumia 930 in 2014, but it got pushed aside in favor of the Microsoft Band when Nokia was acquired.

Microsoft Surface Mini – Gearing up to launch in 2014 alongside the Surface Pro 3, the Mini was set to have an 8-inch display, a Snapdragon 800, and 32GB of storage, but it was canceled just a few weeks before the launch event.

Mattel Aristotle – A $300 voice-controlled hub designed for babies and toddlers, the Mattel Aristotle was set to launch in 2017 but it was canned after an outcry from privacy advocates and child-development experts.

Palm Foleo – Announced in 2007, the Foleo was designed to be a companion for smartphones offering a full keyboard and larger 10-inch screen, while connecting to the internet through your phone. It was canceled three months after being announced.

DigiScents iSmell – This bizarre 2001 product answered a question no one posed: What does the internet smell like? It connected to your computer via USB and could be triggered to create different odors by files embedded in websites, emails, or programs. The inventors miraculously raised $20 million and produced a working prototype before realizing there was zero demand.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Here’s everything we know about Apple’s AirPower wireless charging mat
• FLI Charge’s conductive wireless charging could revolutionize classroom tech
• If you blinked, you may have missed this year’s biggest phone innovation
• Everything we know about Microsoft’s ‘Andromeda’ Surface phone device
• Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Self-healing tents, jellyfish lamps, solar ovens

Amazon Echo vs. Dot vs. Tap vs. Spot vs. Show: Which should you buy?

Which Amazon Echo is best for you? I have no idea. But here’s how I’d approach each one.

I own too many Amazon Echo speakers. From the original Echo to the Echo Dot and the newfangled Echo Show with its screen and camera. Plus the Amazon Tap, and Echo Look, which you can’t even buy without an invitation. (And you probably shouldn’t but it, for reasons I’ll get into in a second.)

This isn’t a cookie-cutter list of all the Echo speakers and why you should buy them. Hell, a couple I think you probably should stay away from. This is a list of how I see things after having used them all for months and months. Hit the links below to jump on down to the Echo that tickles your fancy.

• Echo Dot
• Echo Dot Kids Edition
• Echo
• Echo Plus
• Echo Spot
• Echo Tap
• Echo Show
• Echo Look

Echo Dot: The best Amazon Echo for starting out

Start simple. If you’re just not sure about this whole Alexa thing and really don’t know how much you’ll get out of an Amazon Echo, it’s best to not spend a lot of money. Start with an Echo Dot.

The Echo Dot costs $49 retail, but it’s not uncommon to see it on sale for as low as $30. And at that price it’s kind of a no-brainer. Buy one and give it a go.

Another pro tip here is to buy more than one at a time. Amazon typically has deals if you buy multiple Echoes Dot at one time — $20 is the usual savings. So if you’re like me and you know you’ll want to stash a few of these around the house, save yourself a few bucks and take advantage.

See at Amazon

The redesigned Amazon Echo: A great mid-range option

Amazon has completely redesigned the basic Echo for 2017. It’s shorter than the original and more squat in stature. And you can get one clad in fabric for $99. That’s not a bad buy, and it’s what I’d recommend for someone who wants to get something better than the Dot, but still not spend more than a hundred bucks. The sound quality is decent for that price. Can you get something better? Yeah. But not for less money.

If you want to spend a little more, though, $119 will get you a new Echo with a wood veneer, or in matte plastic. I’ve found the fabric to be plenty good, though.

See at Amazon

Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition: You know, for kids

Amazon has a new Echo Dot that is made especially for kids. Or, really, it’s a perfectly ordinary Echo Dot that comes with a nice little case (because kids apparently will be prone to breaking these sorts of things that aren’t really meant to be moved in the first place) — and a free year’s access to Amazon Freetime Unlimited.

That’s the part that actually justifies the $80 price tag. (That’s $30 more than the Echo Dot at retail, and $40 more when it’s on sale.) Amazon Freetime Unlimited gives you (and your kid) access to a whole bunch of kid-friendly content, including books, music, games and more. Plus parents get access to the Amazon Parent Dashboard, which lets you set how long the kid can use any of this newfangled tech. It’ll also block non-kid-friendly content, shut off the Echo Dot at bedtime, and teach your kids to remember to say please and thank-you to not-quite-sentient tech. (We have a feeling that’ll be more important than we realize at some point.)

See at Amazon

Amazon Echo Plus: The best-sounding Echo yet

Amazon decided to keep the tried and true Echo design, but give it better internals. That gives us the $149 Echo Plus. It sounds a little better than the previous-generation Echo, and definitely better than the current 2017 model. It comes in the same matte plastic, but now you can get silver in addition to black and white.

Also new for the Echo Plus is the ability to serve as a smart home hub — if the devices you’re looking to support use Zigbee to connect. (You’re forgiven if you don’t know what Zigbee is — it’s not something an end user should ever have to worry about.) It likely won’t solve all your smart home problems, but it’s a nice little addition nonetheless.

See at Amazon

Amazon Echo Spot: An expensive, but cool, bedside Echo

If you take the Echo Show and shrink it down, this is what you’d get. It’s a $130 Echo clock with a decent (but not overly great) speaker and a 2.5-inch display. You’ll get the time, of course, along with weather information and the same semi-useful headlines as on the Echo Show. Plus it’ll make phone calls and video chat with other Spots or Shows. (Yes, that means there’s a camera pointed into your bedroom.)

This is a great-looking device, but it’s not inexpensive, and it’s only $10 less than the much larger Echo Show, which will be better for the video it can still display.

See at Amazon

Amazon Tap: Smaller, portable, expensive

For whatever reason, this isn’t an “Echo” device. It’s “Alexa-enabled.” OK. (Maybe it’s because the “Alexa” hotword isn’t enabled by default, and instead you’re supposed to push the microphone button.) But no matter. For all intents and purposes it’s an Echo, and it’s meant to be portable.

The Tap has a charging base that allows you to just pick up the speaker and take it wherever you want. And it sounds decent. Not great, but good. Good enough for $129 retail, though? Eh, now Amazon is starting to ask a lot — particularly when you can get a portable battery base for the original Echo for just $50 and get a much better speaker for your troubles. Or you could stick an Echo Dot in this little cordless speaker and get a decent experience — again, for just $50.

On the other hand, the Amazon Prime Day price drops to $89, which is far more palatable.

Personally, I don’t really see the necessity of a portable Alexa speaker — especially since the speaker itself is going to need to be connected to the Internet at all times for the Alexa stuff to work. And hotspotting to your phone just isn’t something I want to bother with.

Your money probably is better off with any other Echo — or just a traditional Bluetooth speaker.

See at Amazon

Echo Show: Will it ever get better?

I was an early fan of the Echo Show — the potential for an Alexa-enabled device with a large touchscreen is enormous. Unfortunately, it’s yet to pan out in the first few months. The headlines you get are pure fluff, with very little actual news, if ever — and Amazon says it’s done this on purpose.

Then Google decided to not let YouTube videos play on the Echo Show — likely because Amazon’s implementation was doing so without advertising. That killed one of the few reasons I’d actually recommend the Echo Show.

And then there’s the fact that very few Alexa Skills actually take advantage of the display in the first place. It’s a novelty at this point, not a necessity — even though making video calls on the Echo Show is still a great experience.

All that said — the Echo Show normally is $229. If you can pick it up on sale — especially at the low Amazon Prime Day price of $129, do it.

See at Amazon

Echo Look: How much do you care about what you wear?

There’s a pretty good chance you shouldn’t buy the Echo Look. Unless you really care about fashion — to the point that you want to take a picture of what you’re wearing and send it to Amazon for cataloging and analysis — then you’ll just want to ignore this. For that’s what Echo Look is good at. It’s got a camera and its own app for taking your picture from head to toe, and it does a nice job of highlighting you while downplaying everything else.

From there it lets you flip back through what you’ve worn day after day, and you can have it compare two outfits and decide which it thinks looks better on you. (To varying degrees of success, I found.)

You very much will get out of Echo Look what you put into it. I don’t care so much about what I’m wearing, so this wasn’t really $200 well spent for me. Your wardrobe mileage may vary.

And in case you missed it, the Echo Look has graduated from invite status and is now available for anyone to purchase.

See at Amazon

Updated July 2018: Updated pricing and availability.

Amazon Echo

• Tap, Echo or Dot: The ultimate Alexa question
• All about Alexa Skills
• Amazon Echo review
• Echo Dot review
• Echo Spot review
• Top Echo Tips & Tricks
• Amazon Echo vs. Google Home
• Get the latest Alexa news

See at Amazon

Apple Outlines 2018 MacBook Pro Repair Options and Parts Availability

Apple has outlined repair options and parts availability for the new 2018 MacBook Pro in an internal document distributed to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers on Friday and obtained by MacRumors.

If a defective 2018 MacBook Pro is taken to an Apple Store, the Genius Bar will be able to mail it to an off-site Apple Repair Center, which will be able to repair minor components beginning in late July, and major components beginning in late September, according to the document, which doesn’t specify the minor-major distinction.

Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers will only be able to perform limited on-site repairs until service inventory of replacement parts becomes available, as is often the case with a new Apple product:

• Apple says the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models have a “new” power adapter, with replacements available in late July. The adapter is still 61W, according to Apple’s website, and its external design seems to remain the same, so any potential changes may be internal.
• Keycap kits will be available in mid-August. Hopefully they will be needed less, as iFixit discovered the 2018 MacBook Pro has a thin, silicone barrier underneath each key, which they believe is to prevent dust and other particulates from causing keys to stick, repeat, or function inconsistently.
• Other service parts will be available in late September.

MacRumors received this information from a reliable source, but repair options and service parts availability may vary based on store or repair shop, region, and so forth. These are only guidelines that are subject to change.

To initiate a repair, head to the Contact Apple Support portal, select Mac → Mac notebooks, select the category and type of issue, select Bring in for Repair, and book an appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. There are also phone, chat, and email options for troubleshooting.

Related Roundup: MacBook ProBuyer’s Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums

2018 MacBook Pro Models Now Available for In-Store Pickup in the United States

Apple retail stores in the United States have received supplies of the new 2018 MacBook Pro models, which means stock configurations are available for in-store pickup and walk-in purchase as of today.

Both 13 and 15-inch models are available in many Apple retail stores around the country, but not all stores appear to have full stock at this time.

When the MacBook Pro was announced on Thursday, Apple said the new machines would be in retail stores later this week. The first orders placed on Thursday have also started arriving to customers, with Apple shipping some out as early as Friday.

In addition to the United States, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro is also available for in-store pickup in the UK, Germany, and France, but retail locations don’t yet appear to be stocking the 15-inch model. In-store pickup is not yet available in Canada, Australia, or countries in Asia.

Pricing on the new 13-inch MacBook Pro begins at $1,799 for the entry-level 13-inch model with a 2.3GHz 8th-generation quad-core Core i5 chip, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD.

Pricing for the 15-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,399 for a 2.3GHz 6-core 8th-generation Core i7 chip, a Radeon Pro 555X graphics card, 16GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD.

Beyond the two stock 13 and 15-inch models, there are several customization options available for an additional price, with the top of the line 13-inch model priced at $3,699 for a 2.7GHz Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 2TB SSD.

The ultimate 15-inch MacBook Pro is priced at $6,699 for a 2.9GHz Core i9 processor, a Radeon Pro 560X, 32GB RAM, and a 4TB SSD.

Custom configurations are not generally in stock at most Apple retail stores and will need to be custom ordered from Apple’s website. Custom orders placed today will arrive in approximately 10 days.

Related Roundup: MacBook ProBuyer’s Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums

Best BlackBerry Phone in 2018

• Best Overall
• Best for simplicity
• Best for less

Best overall

BlackBerry KEY2

See at Amazon
See at Best Buy

BlackBerry is legendary when it comes to mobile device management and security, and follows that trend when using Android to power its phones. With the KEY2, you also get the keyboard experience that only BlackBerry can offer. The KEY2 is a great way to enjoy Android for people who still want a physical keyboard on their phone, and peace of mind that knowing a company is concerned about security.

The KEY2 is the perfect successor to the KEYone and brings better specs, Android 8.1 Oreo, and a redesigned keyboard that’s even better for typing.

Bottom line: BlackBerry continues its reputation for excellent mobile security and having a great keyboard with the KEY2.

One more thing: BlackBerry Mobile also takes device security very seriously and claims the KEY2 is the “Most secure Android phone”.

Why the BlackBerry KEY2 is the best

The keyboard form factor you love.

BlackBerry’s iconic candy bar keyboard design has been merged with Android, bringing you the best of both worlds with the KEY2.

The KEY2 has everything a BlackBerry fan would want or need. A big bright screen, all-day battery life, a good camera and the legendary BlackBerry keyboard. With Android and BlackBerry’s comprehensive suite of productivity and security applications, you’ll get more done and be able to stay in touch with business and personal contacts across social media as well as through email. And when the workday is done, you’re able to enjoy over a million apps from Google Play.

The KEY2 is the best BlackBerry you can buy.

Best for simplicity

BlackBerry Motion

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The BlackBerry Motion resembles the KEYone at first glance if you were to remove the keyboard.

This 5.5-inch phone has the bells and whistles — IP67 water resistance, a fast fingerprint scanner, a great camera, etc. — that you expect and BlackBerry’s reputation of security in a more traditional smartphone package. The Snapdragon 625 with 4GB of RAM means it can handle both work and play, and Android 7.1 with BlackBerry’s enhancements will keep you secure while doing any of it.

It’s not available in the U.S., but Canadians can buy one right now!

Bottom line: The BlackBerry Motion brings the security you want in a modern and familiar package.

One more thing: The Motion’s 4,000 mAh battery will keep you up and running all day plus!

Best for less

BlackBerry KEYone Black Edition

See at Amazon

The release of the BlackBerry KEY2 also means that the price of another truly great BlackBerry has dropped signifigantly, and you’ll find the BlackBerry KEYone Black Edition for sale with a nice hefty savings.

The Black Edition KEYone coems with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which is a welcome bump up in both categories from the original Silver Edition. You’ll also have that great BlackBerry Keyboard as well as access to BlackBerry Mobile’s excellent communications hub to make staying touch — for business or pleasure — easier and better than ever. The KEYone is still a great phone and seeing it available under $450 means it’s one you should look at if you’re trying to save a few dollars.

Bottom line: The BlackBerry KEYone brings the iconic BlackBerry style at a great savings in 2018.

One more thing: The KEYone is expeted to be updated to Android Oreo in July 2018 and will include all the features and security enhancements that come with the newest version of Android.

Conclusion

There aren’t that many BlackBerry phones available anymore. When TCL took over the manufacturing of BlackBerry’s handsets, it decided to focus on why people bought the phones back in the late 2000s: keyboard, battery life, and security. The KEY2 represents all of those things really well, and the BlackBerry Motion takes those things and exchanges the keyboard for IP67 water resistance and a larger battery.

Best overall

BlackBerry KEY2

See at Amazon
See at Best Buy

BlackBerry is legendary when it comes to mobile device management and security, and follows that trend when using Android to power its phones. With the KEY2, you also get the keyboard experience that only BlackBerry can offer. The KEY2 is a great way to enjoy Android for people who still want a physical keyboard on their phone, and peace of mind that knowing a company is concerned about security.

The KEY2 is the perfect successor to the KEYone and brings better specs, Android 8.1 Oreo, and a redesigned keyboard that’s even better for typing.

Bottom line: BlackBerry continues its reputation for excellent mobile security and having a great keyboard with the KEY2.

One more thing: BlackBerry Mobile also takes device security very seriously and claims the KEY2 is the “Most secure Android phone”.

Update July 2018: The KEY2 is not just a great upgrade of the KEYone, it’s also the best BlackBerry phone overall.

Battlefield V for PlayStation 4: Everything you need to know

Return to the frontlines of World War 2.

Battlefield fans rejoice: the series is returning to World War 2, but this time with the power of the Frostbite engine behind it. This should make for the most realistic and action-packed World War 2 multiplayer shooter we’ve ever seen. Everything you need to know about Battlefield V is straight ahead.

What is Battlefield V?

We weren’t sure which direction DICE would go with Battlefield V after the previous entry – Battlefield 1 – took the series back to its World War 1 roots. With a new mainline entry, we thought the company might look to go with a more modern approach or go a completely different direction with a war they have yet to explore, but it appears they were eager to apply their World War 2 expertise to the new Frostbite engine.

Battlefield V will be a familiar game in that regard. It’ll be a beautiful first-person shooter that should capture that old wartime feeling like no other. The game will be all about multiplayer, but there’s still a bit of fun to be had for those who aren’t in it for the competitiveness.

Single Player

With Battlefield 1, DICE tried something a bit different with their single-player component. Instead of a single lengthy campaign that follows one story that retells the same iconic battles that have been told 100 times, it focused on smaller multiple stories, ones which don’t often get the same kind of attention as, say, the D-Day landings in World War 2.

Expect that to continue in Battlefield V. We’re not yet sure which stories will be told, but if Battlefield 1 is anything to go by then we know they’ll often follow individual soldiers or smaller brigades. DICE is likely to use each individual campaign as an opportunity to deliver vastly different gameplay experiences. One might have you marching on the frontlines to storm an enemy foothold, while you might be taking to the skies to dogfight in another.

We’re also getting a cooperative mode called Combined Arms, a separate set of stories designed to be played with up to four people.

Multiplayer

As you’d expect, multiplayer will be the bread and butter of Battlefield V. There aren’t many games that deliver the level of large-scale that these games do while maintaining a high level of immersion.

In typical Battlefield fashion, a mix of infantry and vehicular combat will make for unpredictable and exciting matches. It’ll have all the staple elements of the series, including massive maps, tons of players, and destructible environments.

You’ll do battle on a variety of game modes, including Domination, Conquest, Frontlines, Team Deathmatch and Breakthrough.

Grand Operations, an epic, large-scale warfare mode, also returns. Our own Reb Valentine spent time with the mode at E3 2018. As she describes it:

Grand Operations is a massive battle that takes place over three days. Your team’s success, either as attackers or defenders, will determine your resources on subsequent days, such as troops, ammo, and medkits. On the final day, no one is able to respawn, allowing the fight to determine the ultimate victor of the battle.

Battlefield V: Everything you need to know about Grand Operations

Fans of Battle Royale games like Fortnite and PUBG will be happy to learn that Battlefield V will have a Royale mode of its own. We’re told to expect all the classic tropes of the genre, but with all the stuff that makes Battlefield special.

While multiplayer elements mostly remain unchanged – you defend or capture some sort of objective, or simply aim to kill everyone in sight – there is one new mechanic worth pointing out. You can now build fortifications such as trenches, sandbag walls, and barbed wire hazards. Another change is that the revive mechanic can now be used by any class, and you can drag your teammates to safety before going to revive them.

Class changes

A big part of Battlefield are the various classes you can play as in the game. You have Assault, Medic, Support, and Sniper.

The Support player specializes in building fortifications, repairing vehicles, and supplying ammo to teammates. In previous games, the ammo supply mechanic wasn’t handy for anything other than replenishing your explosives, as firearm rounds were plentiful. DICE is looking to lessen the amount of starting ammo you get to make the class more meaningful (though players can also pick up extra ammo off of fallen enemies and comrades). You’ll be able to build advanced fortifications that other classes can’t, such as a machine gun nest.

Medics are still focused on healing or reviving allies. Any player can revive a teammate, sure, but that teammate has to be in your squad, and they’ll only get a partial health pool on recovery. Only the medic can revive or heal a teammate to full health using their medkit. Their healing action will also be faster, giving you an excellent reason to play the role if you want to keep your squad healthy.

DICE hasn’t detailed changes to the other two classes, but Snipers are typically only focused on picking off foes from afar and will have a range of tools to keep them safe wherever they decide to hole up. The Assault class, meanwhile, will provide the best balance of firepower and utility.

You can customize classes by changing your exact gear, guns, loadouts, and attachments, but there are also new cosmetic customization options that’ll let you stand out even more. You can now change your gender, race, add face paint, change clothing, and use cool new headgear. You can also give your vehicles a different look with skins and modifications.

Free DLC

Battlefield V will have free post-launch DLC, DICE has confirmed. That means new maps and modes will be accessible to all players without the need to buy them individually or buy a season pass. This is a great move that will solve the issue of community fragmentation.

DICE plans to make up for the money lost through battle packs, which is their cute name for loot boxes. These should only offer cosmetics for the class customization options mentioned above.

Where to pre-order

Pre-ordering Battlefield V? You can get an exclusive in-game outfit, special assignments, and five weapons to use right now in Battlefield 1, and if you pre-order early enough, you’ll be able to get in on the Battlefield V beta earlier than anyone else.

See at Amazon

There’s an $80 Deluxe Edition, too. You’ll get the game three days early for buying this version, as well as more special assignments paratrooper outfits, and 20 weekly airlifts that contain supplies and customization items.

See at Amazon

When can you play it?

Battlefield V launches October 19th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Get the Deluxe Edition to play it three days early, on October 16th.

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

Microsoft’s Surface Go can learn from past Chromebook blunders

There are plenty of bad ideas and bad implementations in the Chromebook world, and Microsoft should be looking at all of them.

Have you checked out the Surface Go? If you haven’t, it’s Microsoft’s latest answer to the iPad and Chromebooks and while it’s not yet available, it’s already doing a lot of things right.

We’re going to talk a bit about it here today, not because I’m interested in using one, but because it’s a smart move that will be good for the entire tech industry the same way Chromebooks have been. Maybe you’re not interested in using one, either, but you can bet that a good many people will be, which means Microsoft has a chance to disrupt. That means Google and Apple have to shake things up a little bit, too, and when things get all shaken up, a product or idea that we really love will be born. When the big dogs scramble and fight over our money, we, the consumers, always win in the end. Except for the release of the Surface RT, that is.

A strong showing from the Surface Go means the next Pixelbook has to be even better.

And the Surface RT is the very first thing I thought about when I heard the news about the Surface Go. Not because the two are similar — the Surface Go will be an Intel product that can run real Windows applications instead of some unloved bastardized hybrid like the Surface RT was. I thought about it because I know Microsoft had to have spent a lot of time and money to make sure they didn’t make the same mistakes. Microsoft needs this to compete in both the education market as well as the low-cost PC market.

There are also a number of blunders from PC makers when it comes to Chromebooks that Microsoft needs to study. Every company makes mistakes, and every new product has a few things that need improvement in the next version. But seeing the list of things consumers didn’t like from products of days past is always a great way to keep from making them again. I already see one or two things I’ll think could be improved on the Surface Go because I’ve used a Chromebook (or a few) for a while. I also see a lot of things I think Microsoft did right, and for the same reasons.

I like most of what I see in all the hands-on reviews of the Surface Go even if the product isn’t for me.

My list of problems is minor — I think the cramped keyboard people who have used it mention could be fixed by excluding some keys or by tying them to a function key. I really think the keyboard should be part of the purchase like was done with HP’s excellent Chromebook X2, even if it bumps the price by $20. I also think they should have gone with a 12-inch screen instead of a 10-inch screen. I’m sure someone at Microsoft hashed all this out and they have a good reason for doing it this way, but as a user, I still have likes and dislikes. So will you.

Some other things, though, are definite no-nos. It’s awesome that companies like Qualcomm and Google are working to design an ARM processor that is specially designed for a lightweight laptop to use. It’s more awesome that Microsoft didn’t go that way just yet and the Surface Go uses an Intel chip. I’ve used plenty of ARM-powered Chromebooks and the ARM architecture has improved at least 100% in just a few years. ARM chips in a fanless laptop don’t run too hot, they don’t throttle as much and aren’t the bottleneck they used to be. But they also can struggle, especially with new ideas from the people who write software, as well as being compatible with the old ideas from people who write software.

Sales numbers don’t lie — some Chromebooks just weren’t great.

We also saw things like companies making HD Chromebooks that didn’t have the right components to drive them or releasing new hardware built from old components (Chromebooks with spinning hard-drives just suck) thinking we wouldn’t notice or care. We noticed. We cared. Companies stopped doing most of these things even if it meant a minor price increase.

There are countless things about every existing product, whether it be a Chromebook or anything else, that customers didn’t love. Google and its partners already went through the growing pains with Chromebooks and found that making affordable laptops that people love isn’t as easy as it looks on paper. Microsoft can look back at these blunders and make sure they aren’t repeated. I want the Surface Go and Windows 10 S to be things we love because the companies who make the things I buy will need to get better.

Microsft doesn’t want to end up clinging to the Xbox in order to stay relevant. I don’t want it to, either.

Microsoft knows that it can’t become another Sony and stay alive in the consumer space because of console sales. It needs a new hook, something to bring in the funds so the company can continue to work on new ideas without trying to make them profitable before they are ready. I believe the “cheap” PC market is that hook and think Microsoft and its partners can make a dent in Chromebook and iPad sales if things are done right.

Chromebooks

• The best Chromebooks
• Chromebooks in education: Everything you need to know
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• Chromebook Buyers Guide
• Google Pixelbook review
• Join our Chromebook forums

What you missed this week on CordCutters.com

Streaming sports is getting better, but still has room to improve.

By the time you read this, the World Cup will be over. Or nearly over. It’s almost over, anyway. France and Croatia. Not exactly the final most were expecting. (My money’s on France.) For the most part, the streaming experience of the World Cup was pretty good. Fox had a chunk of the games — which was great, given that it’s a broadcast network, and thus free for a lot of folks over the air. And that they were willing to air games in the middle of the day is always a nice surprise.

And FS1, of course, is available on all the major streaming services. Now we’ve just got to up the resolution and quality a bit. Fubo attempted to streaming the quarterfinals on in 4K, to varying degrees of success. YouTube TV crashed and burned in the England-Croatia semifinal. (They’re very sorry about that. YouTube TV, that is. England has no one to blame but itself for not showing up in the second half.)

Me? I opted for a tried-and-true over-the-air antenna. It’s one of the best improvements I made to my house in the past couple of years. (Especially paired with an HDHomerun Duo.)

But now the soccer’s almost over. Time for baseball, finally, I suppose. It is summer, after all.

Here’s what else you missed this past week on CordCutters.com:

• We put NVIDIA Shield TV up against Roku Ultra. It’s an interesting fight, and closer for many folks than I’d have expected.
• Apple TV vs. NVIDIA Shield TV really comes down to one or two things, though.
• We’ve updated our list of the best over-the-air antennas for 2018 with a new entry.
• Seriously. Spend a couple bucks and rig up a good OTA antenna.
• The AT&T/Time Warner deal isn’t done yet. This is the new Apple-Samsung slog.
• Still a bunch of days left to win an Amazon Fire TV Cube.
• Xbox One X and One S are getting Dobly Vision. That’s a big deal.

Introducing CordCutters.com

• The hardware you need
• All about streaming services
• What channels are on which service
• FREE over-the-air TV
• How to watch sports
• Join the discussion

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