Need something to listen to right now?Check out our favorite podcasts. Spotify has acquired podcasting startup Gimlet Media for around $230 million and has also snapped up Anchor, a startup that makes it easier for people to record and distribute their own podcasts, according toRecode. These purchases make Spotify the second-biggest podcasting platform behind Apple, according to ablog postby CEO Daniel Ek, announcing the acquisitions. These purchases are apparently just the beginning, as the company hasoutlined its plansto spend $500 million on podcasting investments....

After some extensive, deliberate, and difficult debates, the Digital Trends Gaming team has reached a consensus:The Last of Us Part IIis our favorite game of the year. The recurring theme among our top nominees this year was communication. In 2020, video games weren’t just a solitary hobby that helped players unwind after a long day of work. They played a key role in filling social gaps that faded away when the COVID-19 pandemic sent the world into lockdown....

In light of Twitch’s silence on hate raids and other harassment against streamers, streaming software creator Streamlabs has announced its own measures to protect content creators. Called Safe Mode, the setting will adjust a streamer’s chat and clear any queued alerts in order to prevent a streamer from being spammed with fake followers and receiving hateful messages in chat. The mode is available today for all Streamlabs users and works with Cloudbot, Streamlabs’ Twitch chat bot....

Working on two monitors will save you a lot of time and effort in switching between tabs and apps, but simply placing two screens side-by-side on your desk will take up a lot of space. It’s highly recommended that you buy from this list of the best dual monitor stands if you’re interested in such a setup, not just to free up your workstation but also to make sure that the displays will be in the most comfortable position for you....

Early reviews of the iPad mini (2024),which Apple announced last week, are primarily favorable. They highlight the impressive performance of the A17 Pro chip and the device’s continued portability. Reviewers also appreciate the brighter display and support for the Apple Pencil Pro, which enhances precision for drawing and note-taking. However, the design remains unchanged, with noticeable bezels around the display that feel somewhat dated compared to other modern tablets. A significant drawback for some users will be the need for more support from Apple keyboard accessories, which limits its productivity potential....

If you’re watching for the Watch, better set your alarm — because Google’s long rumored device may be just around the corner. Google has dipped its toes into the consumer hardware business for years, and while the endeavor started off rocky — ahem, Google Glass — the tech giant quickly redeemed itself with its line of smartphones,Pixelbooks, andGoogle Homeproducts. Eventually, it may re-enter the wearables market with its first smartwatch. The Pixel Watch has been rumored for years now, and 2019 could finally be the year that we see it....

Nvidia’s latest flagship GPU — the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti — will have a third 8-pin adapter, according toTom’s Hardware. We’ve known for a long time that the 3090 Ti would be power-thirsty, and now it’s clear how Nvidia intends for the card to draw its power. It’s been known for quite a while that the3090 Ti would require a different power supply for PC upgraders. The actual power cable is a next-gen PCIe 5....

No matter how spectacular the display of your4K TV, a watching experience isn’t complete without excellent audio. If you want to retire from tinny, muffled TV speakers, we suggest going for asoundbar. They come in a small footprint, are easy to set up, and sound much better than TVs alone. Amazon has theSamsung HW-R550andLG SL5Y2.1 channel soundbars discounted at the moment, cutting up to 34% off their standard price tags. Sale prices are $198 and $185, respectively....

Earlier this year, Verizon announced its newmyPlan packages, an “à la carte” offering that lets customers pay for only the extra services they want rather than what the carrier decides is good for them. Now, Verizon is sweetening the pot with a new streaming bundle that will tie togetherNetflixandMaxinto a single $10-per-month add-on. That works out to a 40% savings compared to subscribing to the two services individually. Netflix and Max on myPlan Verizon has done a great job keeping its myPlan perks as simple and accessible as possible....

Warzone 2 guru predicts best long-range meta loadout for Season 5 Before Warzone 2 Season 5 begins, FaZe Booya highlighted an AR that has the potential to become the season’s best long-range meta weapon. As things currently stand, the Cronen Squall and Kastov 762 dominate Warzone 2’s long range meta. However, that will most likely change on August 2, following Season 5’s weapon buffs and nerfs update. The Cronen Squall already got nerfed inSeason 4, and Infinity Ward doubled down onJuly 24by decreasing the weapon’s damage output....

Yamaha has a new set oftrue wireless earbudsthat it claims are the smallest ones it has ever made. The $100TW-E3Bpick up where theTW-E3Aleft off, with tons of color options (black, green, gray, blue, pink, and purple) and a size and shape that the company says is 25% smaller than the previous model. You’ll be able to buy the TW-E3B in late October. Other than the new color options and smaller size, there doesn’t appear to be much difference between the old and new models, which explains why Yamaha simply called the new edition “E3B,” instead of giving it a whole new model number....

Apollo Moon Landing with RTX Technology; courtesy of NvidiaImage used with permission by copyright holder In addition to launching 10 new RTX Studio laptops targeting creators at SIGGRAPH, Nvidia also announced some of the work that its research teams have been doing in the fields of artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and computer graphics. On the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing, Nvidia showcased how ray tracing technology from its RTX graphics card is used tovisually enhance the imagescaptured by NASA 50 years ago....

Young Sheldon’s George Sr breaks silence on Georgie & Mandy’s “replacement” Now that George has gone, Mandy’s dad Jim is tipped as his “replacement” in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. But does the Young Sheldon star think he’s up to the challenge? We know what you’re thinking – nobody can replace the GOATGeorge Cooper, no matter how hard they try. Still, Young Sheldon spinoffGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriageis setting up Mandy’s dad Jim as his replacement, with Georgie taking a job at his tire shop in theYoung Sheldon Season 7 ending....