These 7 Streaming Devices Make Perfect Holiday Gifts

The perfect foil to the affordable 4K streamers above, the new Apple TV 4K still costs too much, but is a good choice for people who want to check every feature box -- or who just want an Apple device to use  for gaming or take full advantage of their  subscription bundles. Video purists will appreciate its  and , while those with older Apple boxes will love the new and improved remote. 

The scheme is focused on making it ultra-convenient for Australian consumers to recycle batteries and drastically reduce the estimated 90 per cent of batteries that wound up in landfill before the scheme began.

Regulators also wanted to know if there would be sufficient alternative suppliers in the market following the deal and also in the event Microsoft decides to make Activision's games exclusively available on its Xbox, its Games Pass and its cloud game streaming services.

Games developers, publishers and distributors were asked whether the deal would affect their bargaining power regarding the terms for selling console and PC games via Microsoft's Xbox and its cloud game streaming service Game Pass.

"The European Commission's review of the deal is progressing in line with the expected regulatory schedule and process, and we remain confident that the acquisition will close in fiscal year 2023," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

unch In the height of the pandemic, video games offered people solace in isolation. But now that life is slowly returning to pre-crisis normal, and inflation is soaring, gaming companies are feeling

Those looking to give the gift of Google should love the Chromecast with Google TV 4K streaming. It isn't quite as good as the Roku Express 4K Plus, but this TV streaming device comes closer than any other device on the market. It outdoes that device by adding  compatibility, but its biggest smart device strength is Google Assistant voice search, which works well for finding stuff to watch. We also like the impressive integration with other Google services, such as Google Photos and YouTube TV. The interface is more evolved-looking than Roku, but ultimately we prefer Roku's simpler approach and no-nonsense search results. That said, the new Chromecast media streaming device is a better smart streaming device choice for those already living in Google's world.

BRUSSELS, Oct 6 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators are asking games developers whether Microsoft will be incentivised to block rivals' access to "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard's best-selling games, according to an EU document seen by Reuters.

They asked if such exclusivity clauses would reinforce Microsoft's Windows operating system versus rivals, and whether the addition of Activision to its PC operating system, cloud computing services and game-related software tools gives it an advantage in the video gaming industry.

The questionnaire, with about 100 questions, asked which of the rivals such as Nvidia's GeForce Now, Sony's Playstation, Google Stadia, Amazon Luna and Facebook Gaming could be considered the most attractive following the deal.

The EU competition enforcer also asked if Activision's trove of user data would give the U.S. software giant a competitive advantage in the development, publishing and distribution of computer and console games, the EU document shows.

Sure, it's an expensive media streamer at $150 -- and that's before adding a game controller -- but if you want a Jack-of-all-trades video streaming player, the Shield is it. In addition to a streaming media player with 4K streaming and HDR, it offers a robust library of games, both console-level and Android, Steam Link, built-in Google Assistant complete with  control, , HDHomeRun integration and much more.

nment. Early in the pandemic, "people flocked to Twitch in droves -- streamers and viewers alike," said Brandon Williams, who goes by the handle "BWpaco" on the Amazon-owned platform where gamers broadcast video ga

play - Matt Piscatella, an analyst with market research group NPD, estimated that people in the United States will spend about $55.5 billion on gaming in total this year, less than last year but still up 28 percent from the pre-pandemic yea


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"We recognise this has presented issues for the recycling industry as it scales up and adjusts to a role in product stewardship with its increased focus on transparency and accountability," he wrote in a report on the scheme's first six months of operation.

"This growth is also leading to concerns about the impact of new energy systems on the long-term availability of resources and the economic and environmental impacts of the extraction and use of critical metals and other elements.

lysts. "Higher prices in everyday spending categories such as food and gas, Avoidingplastic.com the return of experiential spending such as travel and attending live events, a lighter release slate of new games, and continued new generation console hardware supply constraints were all likely contributors to the decline seen in the second quarter," Piscat