Smartphones are simple; they’re pocket-size computers that we rely on for everything from communicating to shopping, banking, working and gaming. The same isn’t true for tablets, which seem to constantly fluctuate between serving as oversize phones, laptop replacements or something else entirely. Just look at Apple’s new iPad lineup and Google’s upcoming Pixel tablets if you don’t believe me.

Apple just announced two new iPads, making its lineup more diverse — but also more cluttered — than ever before. Google completely pivoted its tablet strategy with a new Pixel device coming in 2023 that will essentially double as both a tablet and a smart home hub. And Samsung is experimenting with ways to blend the phone and tablet experience into one with its Galaxy Z Fold lineup and other foldable concepts.

The approaches are different, but the message is the same: It’s getting increasing difficult to define the tablet’s place in our lives because it’s always shifting. That’s evidenced by the degree of experimentation and change we’re seeing in the market from Apple, Google and Samsung. While phones and laptops are largely designed to fulfill the same purpose regardless of which company makes them, tech giants seem to have different answers for what a tablet should be in 2022 and beyond. That will hopefully result in devices that are ultimately more useful and valuable in the long term, but it could make for a muddied shopping experience in the interim.

Apple’s new iPad lineup brings more choice and more confusion

Star Wars series Andor hit its halfway point last Wednesdaywhen episode 6 hits Disney Plus. Cassian (Diego Luna) continued his journey to becoming the Rebel Alliance hero we meet in Rogue Onehaving looks earned the trust of his new rebel buddies as they gear up for a heist on an Imperial garrison, where they’re gonna steal a huge pile of money.

The seventh episode is landing on Disney Plus this Wednesday.

On galactic capital Coruscant, the rebellion against the Empire is being orchestrated by Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) and recruiter Luther Rael (Stellan Skarsgard). They’re trying desperately to stay ahead of the Empire’s spies and informants.

Unfortunately for them, Cassian’s past thievery has drawn the attention of magnificently dressed Imperial Security Bureau Supervisor Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), who reckons it points to a wider rebellion. She’s 100% right, but her bureaucratic superiors will take some convincing.

Andor takes place five years prior to Rogue One, which depicted the events immediately before the original Star Wars film A New Hope. Scroll down further if you want to join a heist on all of episode 6’s SPOILERS.

The Aldhani Job

ALDHANI — Much like last week’s, this episode is super focused on the rebel crew as they make their move on the Imperial garrison using a celestial event — a massive, magnificent meteor show known as the Eye of Alhani — as cover. It’s in a dam, which is

Baseball’s postseason has arrived and in a new format this year. Instead of ten teams in the playoffs, we now have a 12-team tournament — the three division winners plus three wild card teams in each league. Postseason play gets underway on Friday with the wild card round. Each wild card series is now the best of three instead of the previous winner-take-all one-game affair.

In one National League wild card series, the New York Mets host the San Diego Padres. The games will be played in New York on Friday, Saturday and (if necessary) Sunday. Game 1 starts today at 8:07 pm ET (5:07 pm PT) on ESPN with Yu Darvish taking the mound for the Padres against Max Scherzer for the Mets.

Here’s how you can watch baseball’s postseason, from the Wild Card round through the World Series, without cable.

The Mets nearly won the NL East but lost a tiebreaker to the Braves and now must face the Padres in the wild card round. They did finish with a better record than the Padres, however, so all three games will be played at Citi Field in Queens.

Here’s the schedule for the Padres-Mets series.

• Game 1: Friday at 8:07 pm ET (5:07 pm PT) on ESPN
• Games 2: Saturday at 7:37 pm ET (4:37 pm

Florida’s Disney World is raising the prices of base tickets and most annual passes, reports said Tuesday.

Starting Dec. 8, Disney World’s theme parks, which include MagicKingdomHollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom, will reportedly implement park-specific pricing on one-day, one-park tickets. On busy days, that Magic Kingdom ticket specifically will cost park-goers a prettier penny.

According to USA Today, Animal Kingdom will be the only park to keep its existing one-day one-park ticket price range ($109-$159). The other three will cost as follows:

• Epcot: $114-$179
• Hollywood Studios: $124-$179
• Magic Kingdom: $124-$189

“Magic Kingdom Park will be priced at or above our other theme parks due to the incredible demand as it remains the most-visited theme park in the world,” Disney said in a statement to USA Today.

Park Hopper and Park Hopper Plus tickets, the option that lets park-goers visit one or more theme parks per day, will increase in price as well.

the cost of annual passes will almost all increase too, according to CNN:

• Disney Pixie Dust Pass: $399 (remains the same)
• Pirate Pass: $749 (up by $50)
• Sorcerer Pass: $969 (up by $70)
• Incredi-Pass: $1,399 (up by $100)

The ticket increases come as families feel the weight of inflation on everyday items like groceries and gas.

it follows Disneyland last month raising ticket prices in Anaheim. Over on the West Coast, a one-day park hopper ticket can cost up to $244. Genie Plus, the paid system that replaced free fastpasses, now also costs $25 per

Like most streamers, HBO Max has a wide range of sci-fi series, including originals, older titles and excellent international offerings. What sets the HBO originals apart is a stamp of quality marked “prestige TV.” Station Eleven is the prime example of a prestige show. With long episode times, high production values ​​and a great Metacritic score (81), the unconventional post-apocalyptic series is the epitome and the pinnacle of HBO Max’s sci-fi offerings.

Sadly, you might notice a couple of titles disappearing from HBO Max, including Snowpiercer. Plus, Made For Love was canceled after season 2. This all comes in the wake of the Warner Bros. and Discovery mergers. Here’s more on what that means.

For more excellent and noteworthy sci-fi series on HBO Max, scroll down.

HBO Max

While it’s 90% a superhero show, Peacemaker features visitors from another planet, so it lands itself a spot on this list. The Suicide Squad spinoff series centers on the titular Peacemaker, an outrageous John Cena who explores where his catchphrase — “I cherish peace with all of my heart. I don’t care how many men, women and children I kill to get it” — came from. Sweary, bloody and bounce to a rocking soundtrack, the James Gunn-written series is a rolling time with surprising heart.

HBO

The Leftovers (2014-2017)

Maybe it’s considered more supernatural than sci-fi, and it’s definitely nowhere near hard sci-fi, but come on. It’s The Leftovers. It’s Damon Lindelof, the genius who turned Watchmen into a lauded TV