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Nintendo / Nintendo Switch 2 / Getty Images / Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s stupid trade war and his blatant abuse of tariffs continue, showing no clear indication this madness will end.
Orange Mussolini said aht aht aht after numerous reports claiming he was gonna exempt smartphones, PCs, and chips from his sweeping tariffs.
Spotted on Eurogamer, Donald Trump has backtracked on those exemptions, saying “no one is getting off the hook” and “there was no Tariff ‘exception” on his Truth social account. This kills all hope of anyone avoiding the absurd 145 percent tariff he slapped on China.
There is also a separate tariff specifically for semiconductors coming as well.
Per Eurogamer:
Chinese electrical goods would simply now be placed in “a different tariff bucket”, Trump continued, concluding that National Security Tarriff Investigations would be reviewing “the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN”.
US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick has told ABC News that a separate “semiconductor tariff” was now planned – exact details of which are yet to be determined.
“We need to have semiconductors, we need to have chips, and we need to have flat panels, we need to have these things made in America,” Lutnick said. “We can’t be reliant on Southeast Asia for all of the things that operate for us.”
Speaking to CBS News, US trade representative Jamieson Greer confirmed this semiconductor tariff meant Chinese electrical goods had therefore been given something that was “not really an exception. That’s not even the right word for it.”
“It’s not that they won’t be subject to tariffs geared at reshoring,” Greer continued. “They’ll just be under a different regime. It’s shifting from one bucket of tariffs to a different bucket of potential tariffs.”
There is no clear plan for anything this Trump administration does; there is no exact date on when the Trump administration will introduce the semiconductor tariff or how much it will be.
The Gaming Industry Has Begun Prepping For Trump’s Tariffs
The video game world has been prepping and making moves ahead and after Trump’s “Liberation Day.”
Nintendo has already delayed Nintendo Switch 2 preorders in the US indefinitely, begun stockpiling the console in the country, and shifted most of its non-Chinese output there.
Nintendo is not alone. Sony just recently announced it was raising the price of the PlayStation 5’s digital edition in the UK, mainland Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
The company said the “tough decision” was a result of “the backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates.”
This nightmare has no end in sight.
Sony has unveiled its latest superstar partnership with none other than chart-topper Post Malone. The global star has teamed up with the brand for the launch of its new Ult Power Sound series, part of Sony’s For The Music audio brand campaign, the company announced on Wednesday (April 9). According to the release, Sony picked […]
New York University (NYU) and Sony Corporation have announced the launch of a new institute at the school through which students will have access to Sony audio technology, be given real-world opportunities and more.
Formally dubbed the Sony Audio Institute for Music Business and Technology, the institute will be based within NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, whose leadership and faculty co-created it alongside Sony’s personal entertainment business. Through the partnership, students enrolled in Steinhardt’s music business and music technology degree programs will have access to Sony audio technology, including 360 Reality Audio and the 360 Virtual Mixing Environment — both of which will be outfitted in the newly-named Sony Audio Institute Studio at NYU’s Brooklyn campus.
NYU’s Music and Audio Research Lab (MARL) will also receive input from Sony researchers and engineers in conducting its research on music and audio technologies. Current areas of focus at MARL include music and auditory perception and cognition; machine listening and music information retrieval; spatial and immersive audio; and music in the health and rehabilitation sciences.
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The institute will additionally offer workshops, internships and special events to students, while NYU venues “will present student-driven programming that bridges the gap between academic learning and real-world industry experiences,” offering students “a platform for hands-on innovation and collaboration,” according to a press release.
Through the institute, NYU will also establish a scholarship program to assist undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students at NYU Steinhardt “who demonstrate financial need and academic merit with a preference for students who have an interest in pursuing research or careers in the audio industry,” the release adds.
The institute, which has been established for an initial 10-year term, is set to open this spring, with NYU Steinhardt clinical professor and music industry veteran Larry S. Miller serving as inaugural director. Miller will also continue serving as the director of the music business program at NYU Steinhardt until fall 2025.
“It is an honor to establish this collaboration with New York University, one of the world’s premier music schools, renowned for its long-standing legacy of producing some of the audio industry’s top talent,” said Kimio Maki, president/CEO at Sony Corporation, in a statement. “Through this collaboration, we look forward to inspiring creativity for the next generation of music creators and witness how their artistry will influence the music industry for years to come.”
NYU president Linda G. Mills added, “We are excited and grateful that Sony has chosen NYU Steinhardt to collaborate on this important initiative, which will create new opportunities for our amazingly talented students through scholarships, internships, research fellowships, and other unrivaled experiences. This forward-looking initiative will not only create new opportunities for creative expression, it will give our students a competitive advantage in a rapidly changing industry. I’d like to thank the team at Sony and everyone at NYU who worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality.”
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
When looking for new home audio products, it can be difficult to find the best Bluetooth speaker that delivers amazing audio quality while still looking sleek and stylish. However, we found the best portable speaker — and it’s on sale.
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And right now, on sale for $118 (reg. $200) at Walmart, the Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker is a portable speaker that syncs to any smartphone. It gives your favorite music richer and fuller audio with deeper bass that you can share with your family and friends at a get-together at home, like a Super Bowl party.
And since the Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker is from Walmart, you’ll get it shipped to you for free if you’re a Walmart+ member. Otherwise, your cart has to be more than $35 to get free shipping.
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If you’re not a member, then you’re in luck: You can sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of everything the retailer’s rewards program has to offer with perks such as free, fast delivery; fuel discounts’ streaming access to Paramount+ to watch hit originals; additional savings with early access deals and much more.
In addition, Walmart+ comes with access to SiriusXM for all sorts of talk radio and music — including popular channels like “The Coffee House” for stripped-down songs from Noah Kahan, Kacey Musgraves, The Lumineers, Phoebe Bridgers and others. Learn more about what Walmart+ can offer you here.
The Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker is also available on Amazon.
Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker
$118
$200
41% off
As for the speaker itself, the Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker is just over nine inches in height, while it’s designed to evenly distribute audio with a powerful and wide soundstage. As a result, your favorite music and podcasts are crystal clear and robust with no distortion.
In addition, the speaker is waterproof, dust-proof, and shockproof (with an IP67 rating), and it provides up to 24 hours of battery life per charge. The Bluetooth speaker is also compatible with the Sony Music Center mobile app for audio customizability, the Sony Fiestable app for fun party effects and Sony Party Connect app to wirelessly daisy chain up to a whopping 100 Sony SRS-XE300 speakers together for the ultimate party.
The Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker is on sale for $118, or $82 off its list price, at Walmart — a 40% savings. It comes in two colors: Black and blue.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Source: T3 Magazine / Getty / PS4
PS4 PlayStation Plus subscribers received bad news: In 2026, Sony will no longer offer free monthly PS4 games.
You have a year to upgrade your life and get a PS5 or PS5 Pro console because it seems Sony is moving on from the PS4 console and shifting all of its attention to the current generation.
However, all is not lost. Sony will also offer PS4 titles occasionally through PS Plus Monthly Games and Game Catalog.
“As many of our players are currently playing on PS5 and have shifted toward redeeming and accessing PS5 titles from the Monthly Games and Game Catalog benefit, PlayStation Plus is also evolving with this trend and will focus on offering PS5 titles through the Monthly Games and Game Catalog benefit starting January 2026,” a statement on the PlayStation Blog reads.
PS Plus members enjoyed the monthly benefit of PS4 and PS5 titles as part of the least expensive “Essential” tier. Those subscribed to the higher tier enjoy a rotating selection of games added to the PlayStation Plus’ Game Catalog.
Another Announcements From PlayStation
Sony did note that PS4 games that users have already added to their collection through the monthly games program will not be affected. Sony said that PC players will now get in-game bonus awards for players who log in with a PSN account on PC ports PlayStation’s first-party titles like the recently announced Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Yup, it looks like the PS4’s time is winding down; it was a good run for the console that blessed us with titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Last of Part II, Infamous Second Son, and more.
On a more positive note, game developers can now focus on making games primarily for the PS5 console and not worry about optimizing them for the PS4.
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Source: T3 Magazine / Getty / PS4
PS4 PlayStation Plus subscribers received bad news: In 2026, Sony will no longer offer free monthly PS4 games.
You have a year to upgrade your life and get a PS5 or PS5 Pro console because it seems Sony is moving on from the PS4 console and shifting all of its attention to the current generation.
However, all is not lost. Sony will also offer PS4 titles occasionally through PS Plus Monthly Games and Game Catalog.
“As many of our players are currently playing on PS5 and have shifted toward redeeming and accessing PS5 titles from the Monthly Games and Game Catalog benefit, PlayStation Plus is also evolving with this trend and will focus on offering PS5 titles through the Monthly Games and Game Catalog benefit starting January 2026,” a statement on the PlayStation Blog reads.
PS Plus members enjoyed the monthly benefit of PS4 and PS5 titles as part of the least expensive “Essential” tier. Those subscribed to the higher tier enjoy a rotating selection of games added to the PlayStation Plus’ Game Catalog.
Another Announcements From PlayStation
Sony did note that PS4 games that users have already added to their collection through the monthly games program will not be affected. Sony said that PC players will now get in-game bonus awards for players who log in with a PSN account on PC ports PlayStation’s first-party titles like the recently announced Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Yup, it looks like the PS4’s time is winding down; it was a good run for the console that blessed us with titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Last of Part II, Infamous Second Son, and more.
On a more positive note, game developers can now focus on making games primarily for the PS5 console and not worry about optimizing them for the PS4.
Sony Group Corporation has pledged $5 million to support relief efforts related to the Los Angeles-area wildfires. The sum will be allocated to organizations supporting first responders, community relief and rebuilding efforts, as well as employee assistance programs. “Los Angeles has been the home of our entertainment business for more than 35 years. Through our […]
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Source: Arrowhead Game Studios/ Sony Interactive Entertainment / Helldivers 2
Sony is all in on Hollywood and announced several projects based on its popular video game IP are on the way.
Building on the success of its hit HBO series, The Last of Us, and other movies, Sony announced at CES that film cameras would continue to roll as the company builds a strong portfolio of titles at PlayStation Productions.
During its CES presentation, Sony announced that popular PlayStation games, Horizon Zero Dawn and Helldivers, will get film adaptations while Ghosts of Tsushima will be developed into an anime.
Guerilla Games Horizon Zero Dawn has become one of PlayStation’s most popular IPs, spawning a sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, a PSVR2 title, Horizon Call of The Mountain, and most recently, LEGO Horizon Adventures.
Horizon Zero Dawn was initially supposed to be an animated series for Netflix, but the studio eventually scrapped it, and we now know why.
Helldivers II has become one of the biggest titles to launch on the PlayStation console in 2024 and continues to be a hit with fans as new content continues to be added to the live-service game. So it makes all the sense to drop a Helldivers movie, even though it will be a complete rip of the cult classic film Starship Troopers, which the game is an adaptation of.
Both Horizon Zero Dawn and Helldivers have no release dates.
Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima will be adapted into an anime series called Legends that will live on Crunchyroll and will be made by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba studio, Aniplex. It is set to release in 2027.
PlayStation Productions Lineup Is Strong
Horizon Zero Dawn, Helldivers, and Ghosts of Tsushima: Legends join God of War, which is coming to Prime Video. Twisted Metal, starring Anthony Mackie on Peacock, is in its second season. Box office hits include Uncharted, based on the Naughty Dog video game franchise, starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, and Gran Turismo, starring David Harbour.
We will be seated for every single project.
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Source: Bernard Smalls / iOne Digital / HHW Gaming / PS Portal / PlayStation
It looks like Sony is eager to return to the handheld gaming market after the surprise success of the PS Portal.
According to a Bloomberg report, Sony is developing a new handheld gaming console that will allow gamers to play PlayStation 5 games without being tethered to the internet or console.
The website reports Sony is making the console to rival Nintendo, which currently dominates the handheld gaming market, with the Nintendo Switch and its successor, rumored to be arriving in 2025, will only cement that dominance. Microsoft is also currently making its own handheld gaming device, which is a “few years out,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer revealed.
Portable PC gaming consoles, such as Valve’s Steam Deck and Asus’ ROG Ally, have also made great strides in the handheld gaming market.
PlayStation is looking to build off the success of the PS Portal, the eight-inch gaming device that steams PS5 games via the cloud over Wi-Fi, and the PS5 console’s remote play feature. Bloomberg reports that Sony originally intended for the PS Portal to be a standalone device to expand PlayStation’s gaming audience.
If this is the case, it will mark PlayStation’s return to a territory that it is very familiar with thanks to previous devices, the PSP (PlayStation Portable), and its successor, the PS Vita.
Social Media Is Smelling What Sony Is Cooking
Gamers have been reacting to this news because, believe it or not, plenty of people out there, like Kinda Funny’s Greg Miller, have been screaming at Sony to drop a follow-up to the PS Vita.
Well, that day is currently far away. Until Sony officially drops the bomb, you can peep more reactions to the rumored new PlayStation handheld device in the gallery below.
2. Mmmmhmmm
3. Never forget
4. Interesting
5. Yes please
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Sony and Olivia Rodrigo are expanding their partnership and adding a fresh lineup of earbuds to the LinkBuds collection. On Tuesday (Oct. 1), Sony unveiled the LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open earbuds in a range of colors, including Rodrigo’s signature violet colorway.
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Rodrigo stars in a new ad for Sony, which features the track “Obsessed” from her deluxe Guts album. In the video, Rodrigo sits on the subway jamming away to music until she notices a woman drop her earbuds and runs to get them back to her. The Grammy winner posted the commercial on Instagram on Tuesday with the caption, ”Linkbuds Fit x Olivia Rodrigo. I’m obsessed.”
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The LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open feature newly designed Air Fitting Supporters and upgraded earbud tips for a comfortable fit. They’re lightweight and suitable for activities such as working out, commuting and more. Both retail for $199.99 and are available in black, green, white, violet and customizable colorways. Along with new earbuds, Sony updated its smartphone app to ensure “seamless compatibility across devices,” according to the company.
The battery on LinkBuds Fit lasts up to 5.5 hours outside of the case and 15.5 inside the case. For LinkBuds Open, the battery last for eight hours without the case and 14 hours with it (22 hours in total).
Also announced Tuesday, the LinkBuds Speaker ($179.99). The speaker features Auto Switch that allows you to play music between LinkBuds Fit, LinkBuds Open and LinkBuds S.
Rodrigo and Sony first teamed last year for a special edition of the LinkBuds S earbuds featuring custom, EQ settings and an EQ user interface chosen by Rodrigo and her producer Dan Nigro. Sony debuted the LinkBuds series in 2022. The tech brand teamed with K-Pop group Le SERRAFIM to debut the WH-100XM5 headphones in pink last month.
Pre-order the new additions to the Sony x Olivia Rodrigo collection below.
Sony
LinkBuds Fit Truly Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds | Violet
Sony
LinkBuds Open Truly Wireless Earbuds | Violet