On a call with analysts in October, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg laid out the future of his giant social networking empire, pointing to its efforts around video, messaging and the ephemeral “Story” format within messaging as the keys to the company’s future. Indeed, Facebook has been significantly ramping up its investments in those areas, having spun off Messenger and rolled out a more stripped-down version of the app.

“Stories” within Instagram, Facebook and Messenger offer yet another revenue-driver for the company now that ads are slowly being inserted between those stories. And the company is commissioning premium video content to build up its nascent Facebook Watch YouTube rival. Facebook’s vice president in charge of its standalone Messenger app, meanwhile, is pretty straightforward when you talk to him about communication between people these days, how people are changing up their social media usage and why Messenger arguably points the way forward for the beleaguered, sprawling social giant.

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BGR Top Deals:

1. The hot new Arc-1 headphones that go toe to toe with Bose are discounted for the first time
2. Amazon has Alexa smart plugs on sale for under $6, today only

Trending Right Now:

1. Yup, Samsung is finally ready to copy the iPhone design decision it’s been mocking since 2016
2. The best-selling Bluetooth speaker on Amazon has 21,500 5-star reviews, and it’s down to $22
3. The $90 Philip Hue LightStrip Plus is awesome, but get this $30 alternative instead

Interview: Facebook Messenger boss says 1-to-1 communication trumps every other form originally appeared on BGR.com on Sun, 2 Dec 2018 at 09:21:55 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Black Friday 2018 gave way to Cyber Monday, which gave way to Cyber Week… but the fun isn’t over just yet. Amazon has kicked off its annual “12 Days of Deals” sale and it’s packed full of bargains that are often just as good as the sales we’ve been seeing over the past two weeks.

Highlights from Sunday’s sale include the best Instant Pot deal of 2018, huge discounts on home security camera systems like Netgear Arlo, a device that cooks perfect eggs every time for $14.99, savings on Bose speakers, $110 off Powerbeats3, all-time low prices on August smart locks, discounts on Leviton smart switches and plugs, the lowest prices ever on crazy thermal imaging cameras for iPhones and Android phones, $15 off a Dremel set with 50 accessories, up to $20 off LIFX Wi-Fi smart LED bulbs, the lowest price ever on the device that lets you control any garage door with your smartphone, $450 off a MacBook Pro, up to 33% off Kasa smart home gadgets, and so much more.

Shop the full sale right here on Amazon’s site, or check out our top deal picks below.

Instant Pot DUO80 8 Qt 7-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooke…: $79.00

Dash Rapid Egg Cooker: 6 Egg Capacity Electric Egg Cooker for Hard Boiled Eggs, Poached Eggs, S…: $14.99

Arlo Pro 2 – Wireless Home Security Camera System with Siren | Rechargeable, Night vision, Indo…: $449.99

Certified Refurbished Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote | Str…: Price too low to display

TP-LINK HS103P2 10 Amp Mini WiFi Smart Plug No Hub Required, Works with Alexa Echo & Google Ass…: $27.99

TP-Link 08507003498 Smart Wi-Fi A19 LED Bulb, Works with Alexa, Dimmable, Tunable White (2700-6…: $20.99

Powerbeats3 Wireless Earphones – Neighborhood Collection – Asphalt Gray: $89.99

Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth speaker – Black: $79.00

August Smart Lock Pro + Connect, 3rd gen technology – Silver, works with Alexa: $164.50

MyQ Smart Garage Door Opener Chamberlain MYQ-G0301 – Wireless & Wi-Fi enabled Garage Hub with S…: $59.99

Seek Thermal XR Imager for iOS-Apple: $188.71

Seek Thermal XR Thermal Imaging Camera for Android UT-AAA: $179.00

GearWrench 3887 Tap and Die 75 Piece Set – Combination SAE / Metric: $99.99

Dremel 4000-6/50 120-Volt Variable-Speed Rotary Tool with 50 Accessories: Too low to display

LIFX (A19) Wi-Fi Smart LED Light Bulb, Adjustable, Multicolor, Dimmable, No Hub Required, Works…: $44.99

LIFX + (A19) Wi-Fi Smart LED Light Bulb with Infrared for Night Vision, Adjustable, Multicolor,…: $59.99

Bosch 18-Volt Cordless Drill Driver/Impact Combo Kit CLPK232A-181 with 2 Batteries (2.0 AH Slim…: $149.00

Greenworks PRO 20-Inch 80V Cordless Snow Thrower, 2.0 AH Battery Included 2600402: $263.50

Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (Mid 2017), 15.4″, Intel Core i7-7700HQ Quad-Core 2.8GHz, 256G…: $1,549.99

Anker PowerCore 13000, Compact 13000mAh 2-Port Ultra-Portable Phone Charger Power Bank with Pow…: $28.59

BGR Top Deals:

1. The hot new Arc-1 headphones that go toe to toe with Bose are discounted for the first time
2. Amazon has Alexa smart plugs on sale for under $6, today only

Trending Right Now:

1. Yup, Samsung is finally ready to copy the iPhone design decision it’s been mocking since 2016
2. The $90 Philip Hue LightStrip Plus is awesome, but get this $30 alternative instead
3. The best-selling Bluetooth speaker on Amazon has 21,500 5-star reviews, and it’s down to $22

Amazon’s 12 Days of Deals sale kicks off with big discounts on Bose, Arlo, smart LED bulbs, more originally appeared on BGR.com on Sun, 2 Dec 2018 at 08:08:34 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As far as movies go, some engender more passion from fans than others, with the Star Wars franchise obviously being one such example. A more recent film franchise that has seemingly created something of a rabid fan base of its own, interestingly enough, is Shrek. In one respect, this shouldn’t be too much of a surprise given that the Shrek films appeal to a wide spectrum of ages. Indeed, the original is something that can be enjoyed equally by adults and kids alike.

In light of the aforementioned Shrek fandom, a group of 200 or so hardcore fans recently banded together to create one of the most bizarre videos you’ve seen in quite some time. Dubbed Shrek Retold, the film is a surreal shot-for-shot remake of the original 2001 film. What makes the film so outlandish is that it’s comprised in a multitude of artistic styles. Specifically, some of the scenes are live action recreations — with actors wearing laughably bad makeup — while other scenes are nothing more than crude animations.

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BGR Top Deals:

1. The hot new Arc-1 headphones that go toe to toe with Bose are discounted for the first time
2. Today’s best deals: Bose headphones, $20 128GB SanDisk microSD, $6 smart plugs, Philips Hue, more

Trending Right Now:

1. Yup, Samsung is finally ready to copy the iPhone design decision it’s been mocking since 2016
2. Best Buy kicks off 20 days of doorbuster deals on tech and gadgets this weekend
3. Amazon has Alexa smart plugs on sale for under $6, today only

200 ‘Shrek’ fans created a spectacular shot-for-shot remake of the original film originally appeared on BGR.com on Sat, 1 Dec 2018 at 14:07:27 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I know you wanted to see the first Avengers 4 trailer this week. We all did. But that didn’t happen, as Disney and Marvel have other plans for revealing the film’s title and trailer. Delaying the reveal isn’t such a bad play, considering that Avengers 4 practically sells itself. That doesn’t mean we won’t have a trailer by the end of the year, however. While we wait, we have other exciting trailers to watch, including Artemis Fowl, which Disney dropped this week.

Continue reading…

BGR Top Deals:

1. The hot new Arc-1 headphones that go toe to toe with Bose are discounted for the first time
2. Today’s best deals: Bose headphones, $20 128GB SanDisk microSD, $6 smart plugs, Philips Hue, more

Trending Right Now:

1. Yup, Samsung is finally ready to copy the iPhone design decision it’s been mocking since 2016
2. Best Buy kicks off 20 days of doorbuster deals on tech and gadgets this weekend
3. Amazon has Alexa smart plugs on sale for under $6, today only

10 new movie trailers you need to watch from this past week originally appeared on BGR.com on Sat, 1 Dec 2018 at 12:05:55 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The DLAND RC-F03 Water Stream Multicolor LED Faucet Tap isn’t going to change any lives anytime soon, but it really is an awesome little device. It screws onto any standard bathroom faucet and water passes through it just like the cap on your faucet now. With this one, however, there’s an integrated LED light that shines blue if the water is cold, red if it’s hot, and green if it’s just right!

2 pack Colorful LED Water Faucet，DLAND RC-F03 Water Stream Faucet Tap，3 Changes Color Depen…: $9.99

Here are the highlights from the product page:

• Made of ABS material with excellent corrosion resistance. Ideal for bathroom or kitchen, very fantastic and durable.
• Easy to install, Helps children avoid scalding water. A device must have for every home.
• This small device is suitable for most taps,When the water temperature is below 32 degrees, the light color is blue. When the water temperature is between 33 to 41 degrees, the right shows green. When the water temperature is between 42 to 45 degrees, it will display the red. When the water temperature is higher than 46 degrees, the light flashing red
• 3 Colors Changes Depending on the temperature for Kitchen and bathrooms. 2 PACK with Connectors
• Note: If the LED water faucet lights up, it requires a certain water pressure. And it won’t light up if the water pressure is too low.

BGR Top Deals:

1. The hot new Arc-1 headphones that go toe to toe with Bose are discounted for the first time
2. Today’s best deals: Bose headphones, $20 128GB SanDisk microSD, $6 smart plugs, Philips Hue, more

Trending Right Now:

1. Yup, Samsung is finally ready to copy the iPhone design decision it’s been mocking since 2016
2. Best Buy kicks off 20 days of doorbuster deals on tech and gadgets this weekend
3. Amazon has Alexa smart plugs on sale for under $6, today only

The LED faucet light that changes color based on water temperature is my new favorite thing originally appeared on BGR.com on Sat, 1 Dec 2018 at 10:28:51 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin apparently just can’t let go of Westeros and its myriad inhabitants. Not only is he hard at work on the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, but we’re also getting the final season of HBO’s TV series early next year, followed by a Martin-helmed prequel at some point after that.

We already know that prequel will be set in the distant past relative to the timeline we’re familiar with, but Martin also has an idea for yet another related show. In a new interview, the epic fantasy author let slip he actually has an idea for another spin-off series he’d like to pursue (though he hasn’t exactly convinced HBO to back this one yet).

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BGR Top Deals:

1. The hot new Arc-1 headphones that go toe to toe with Bose are discounted for the first time
2. Today’s best deals: Bose headphones, $20 128GB SanDisk microSD, $6 smart plugs, Philips Hue, more

Trending Right Now:

1. Yup, Samsung is finally ready to copy the iPhone design decision it’s been mocking since 2016
2. Best Buy kicks off 20 days of doorbuster deals on tech and gadgets this weekend
3. Amazon has Alexa smart plugs on sale for under $6, today only

George R.R. Martin has an idea for yet another ‘Game of Thrones’ spinoff series originally appeared on BGR.com on Sat, 1 Dec 2018 at 09:31:37 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re a Trekkie or if you have any Trekkies in your life, Christmas just came early on Amazon. The nation’s top online retailer is running a massive one-day sale on pretty much everything that has ever been offered on DVD and Blu-ray involving a Star Trek series or the more recent movies. You’ll find deep discounts on Star Trek: The Original Series – The Complete Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Complete Series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Complete Series, and more. And if you’re into the more recent movies, you’ll find the complete trilogy on sale on Blu-ray for less than $12. Or you can snag the complete collection of Star Trek: The Next Generation movies on Blu-ray for under $11.

Shop the entire Star Trek sale right here on Amazon’s site, and check out a few of the best deals below.

Star Trek: The Original Series – The Complete Series: $23.78

Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection [Blu-ray]: $10.75

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Complete Series: $43.98

Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Complete Series: $39.98

Star Trek Trilogy Collection [Blu-ray]: $11.92

Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $64.78

Star Trek: The Original Series: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $34.98

BGR Top Deals:

1. The hot new Arc-1 headphones that go toe to toe with Bose are discounted for the first time
2. Today’s best deals: Bose headphones, $20 128GB SanDisk microSD, $6 smart plugs, Philips Hue, more

Trending Right Now:

1. Yup, Samsung is finally ready to copy the iPhone design decision it’s been mocking since 2016
2. Best Buy kicks off 20 days of doorbuster deals on tech and gadgets this weekend
3. Amazon has Alexa smart plugs on sale for under $6, today only

Pretty much every Star Trek series and movie is deeply discounted on Amazon, today only originally appeared on BGR.com on Sat, 1 Dec 2018 at 08:28:25 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s no denying that the Office suite of apps is Microsoft’s most important product, even more critical for the success of the company than Windows. That’s because many people already use alternatives to Windows, including Mac and Chrome OS. Even iOS and Android count as Windows 10 alternatives.

But regardless of your operating system preferences, Microsoft Office is still the best productivity suite out there. And Office works across platforms, as it’s available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Microsoft is always looking to improve the Office apps, even if it means just minor visual alterations. To that end, for the first time in five years, the Office icons are changing, and we already have a preview of what they’ll look like.

Continue reading…

BGR Top Deals:

1. Today’s best deals: Bose headphones, $20 128GB SanDisk microSD, $6 smart plugs, Philips Hue, more
2. The hot new Arc-1 headphones that go toe to toe with Bose are discounted for the first time

Trending Right Now:

1. Yup, Samsung is finally ready to copy the iPhone design decision it’s been mocking since 2016
2. Best Buy kicks off 20 days of doorbuster deals on tech and gadgets this weekend
3. Leak reveals how insanely thin the bezels are on Samsung’s all-screen Galaxy S10

Microsoft Office apps are getting new icons originally appeared on BGR.com on Fri, 30 Nov 2018 at 23:05:38 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When you’re a smartphone manufacturer preparing to introduce an all-new form factor to the marketplace, you certainly want to give the new handset a great name. A name that conveys something about the device that may seem unusual to people at first, especially those who are used to interacting with their mobile devices a certain way.

Along these lines, it seemed up until this point that Samsung was leaning toward calling its much-anticipated foldable phone something that has the word “Flex” in the name — say, Samsung Flex or Galaxy Flex. That’s based on reporting from The Wall Street Journal in recent days, and it certainly makes sense for conveying how the device works. Meanwhile, however, new potential branding for the bendy phone has also emerged.

Continue reading…

BGR Top Deals:

1. Today’s best deals: Bose headphones, $20 128GB SanDisk microSD, $6 smart plugs, Philips Hue, more
2. The hot new Arc-1 headphones that go toe to toe with Bose are discounted for the first time

Trending Right Now:

1. Yup, Samsung is finally ready to copy the iPhone design decision it’s been mocking since 2016
2. Best Buy kicks off 20 days of doorbuster deals on tech and gadgets this weekend
3. Leak reveals how insanely thin the bezels are on Samsung’s all-screen Galaxy S10

More potential names have leaked for Samsung’s revolutionary foldable phone originally appeared on BGR.com on Fri, 30 Nov 2018 at 21:33:09 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read more here:: Boy Genius Report

You’ve been so good for the past week. You checked out all the best Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Cyber Week deals we’ve been highlighting and you took care of just about all the holiday shopping you needed to do. Now, it’s time to… Treat. Yo. Self. Amazon is running a great sale right now that offers extra savings on three different refurbished Apple Macbook laptops. Prices start at just $819.99 for a model with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, and these are refubs so the deals are only good while supplies last.

Apple MacBook (Mid 2017)

• Renewed products look and work like new. These products have been inspected and tested by Amazon-qualified suppliers, which typically perform a full diagnostic test, replacement of any defective parts, and a thorough cleaning process. Packaging and accessories may be generic. This product is backed by a 90 day Woot Warranty.
• 12-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2304-by-1440 resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
• 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core M3-7Y32 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.0GHz) with 4MB shared L3 cache, 256GB PCI-E based flash memory storage, 8GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
• Intel HD Graphics 615 processor for an outstanding everyday graphics experience – Built-in FaceTime camera for video chatting
• 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
• Bluetooth 4.2 technology for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and cell phones.
• Built-in stereo speakers along with omnidirectional microphone, headphone port

Apple MacBook (Mid 2017) 12″ Laptop, 226ppi, Intel Core M3-7Y32 Dual-Core, 256GB, 8GB DDR3, 802…: $819.99

Apple MacBook (Mid 2017)

• Renewed products look and work like new. These products have been inspected and tested by Amazon-qualified suppliers, which typically perform a full diagnostic test, replacement of any defective parts, and a thorough cleaning process. Packaging and accessories may be generic. This product is backed by a 90 day Woot Warranty.
• 12-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2304-by-1440 resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
• 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core M3-7Y32 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.0GHz) with 4MB shared L3 cache, 256GB PCI-E based flash memory storage, 8GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
• Intel HD Graphics 615 processor for an outstanding everyday graphics experience – Built-in FaceTime camera for video chatting
• 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
• Bluetooth 4.2 technology for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and cell phones.
• Built-in stereo speakers along with omnidirectional microphone, headphone port

Apple MacBook (Mid 2017) 12″ Laptop, 226ppi, Intel Core M3-7Y32 Dual-Core, 256GB, 8GB DDR3, 802…: $899.99

Apple MacBook (Mid 2017)

• Renewed products look and work like new. These products have been inspected and tested by Amazon-qualified suppliers, which typically perform a full diagnostic test, replacement of any defective parts, and a thorough cleaning process. Packaging and accessories may be generic. This product is backed by a 90 day Woot Warranty.
• 12-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2304-by-1440 resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
• 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core M3-7Y32 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.0GHz) with 4MB shared L3 cache, 256GB PCI-E based flash memory storage, 8GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
• Intel HD Graphics 615 processor for an outstanding everyday graphics experience – Built-in FaceTime camera for video chatting
• 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
• Bluetooth 4.2 technology for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and cell phones.
• Built-in stereo speakers along with omnidirectional microphone, headphone port

Apple MacBook (Mid 2017) 12″ Laptop, 226ppi, Intel Core M3-7Y32 Dual-Core, 256GB, 8GB DDR3, 802…: $819.99

BGR Top Deals:

1. Today’s best deals: Bose headphones, $20 128GB SanDisk microSD, $6 smart plugs, Philips Hue, more
2. The hot new Arc-1 headphones that go toe to toe with Bose are discounted for the first time

Trending Right Now:

1. Yup, Samsung is finally ready to copy the iPhone design decision it’s been mocking since 2016
2. Best Buy kicks off 20 days of doorbuster deals on tech and gadgets this weekend
3. Leak reveals how insanely thin the bezels are on Samsung’s all-screen Galaxy S10

Close out your Cyber Week shopping with a killer sale on MacBook refurbs, from $819.99 originally appeared on BGR.com on Fri, 30 Nov 2018 at 20:08:51 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read more here:: Boy Genius Report