The former world No.13 spoke candidly to this masthead, saying he needs to lower his ego and doesn’t want to outstay his welcome. Read...

We honour the best in news, sport, business and entertainment. Read...

More than half a tonne of fireworks were launched from high up Auckland`s Sky Tower, while Wellington`s entertainment strip, Courtenay Place, turned into a carnival zone for the night. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Attractive and sturdy design Bundled display hood and remote Built-in automatic hardware image calibration, brightness adjustments USB-C hub includes Ethernet Great color gamut and accuracy Cons Limited contrast ratio HDR is supported, but only barely No Adaptive Sync Our Verdict The BenQ PD2770U is a monitor built for professional content creation. Its specific feature set will limit its appeal, but makes it a good choice for its intended demographic. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: BenQ PD2770U Retailer Price BenQ $1699.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Most monitors sold today are chasing the same trends. OLED panels are common, bringing with them excellent contrast, and refresh rates have surged into the hundreds. These upgrades have led to excellent displays, but the BenQ PD2770U marches to a different tune. It is focused on professional content creation and has several unusual features—such as a built-in display calibration tool—that will appeal to the monitor’s audience. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best monitors for comparison. BenQ PD2770U specs and features The basics of the BenQ PD2770U’s display panel are nothing to write home about. It has a 27-inch 4K IPS-LCD panel with a refresh rate of 60Hz. The backlight is edge-lit LED, so no fancy Mini-LED backlighting here. Adaptive sync isn’t present, either. Display size: 27-inch 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 3840×2160 Panel type: IPS-LCD with LED edge lit backlight Refresh rate: 60Hz Adaptive sync: No HDR: HDR 10/HLG Ports: 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x Thunderbolt / USB-C with 96 watts of Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode, 1x USB-C upstream with 5Gbps data, 2x USB-A downstream with 5Gbps data Audio: None Extra features: Light sensor, remote control, built-in automatic calibration, uniformity mode, display hood Price: $1,699.99 MSRP However, the BenQ PD2770U includes several uncommon features. It has built-in image calibration hardware tucked into the top bezel, plus ambient light sensors and a USB-C / Thunderbolt hub that includes Ethernet connectivity. It also ships with a display hood and wireless remote for controlling the monitor’s features. These features don’t come cheap, though, as the PD2770U carries a high MSRP of $1,699.99. Speciality monitors meant for professionals tend to carry a hefty price premium. BenQ PD2770U design The BenQ PD2770U is a monitor meant for professional settings, so it offers a reserved and low-key look. That’s not to say it’s unattractive, though. I rather like the charcoal-and-gray colorway, which remains a professional tone and is distinct from the matte black look typical of less expensive professional monitors, as well as the metallic silver used by most similarly priced competitors. Build quality is high. As with most displays, plastic is the material of choice, but the stand base is metal and the plastics that make up the body of the display are robust. It’s a hefty monitor, as well, at nearly 20 pounds with stand. That’s heavier than many 32-inch monitors. Matthew Smith / Foundry A monitor hood is provided with the monitor. The hood is used to shade the display and reduce the impact of ambient light on its surface. It attaches magnetically, too, so it’s not too difficult to install or remove. Most home users are unlikely to use the hood, but it’s handy if you work in a space where you can’t control ambient light as much as you’d like. The included stand has a flat, sturdy base that minimizes its footprint on your desk. Ergonomic adjustment includes up to 115mm of height, 25 degrees of tilt, 30 degrees of swivel, and up to 90 degrees of pivot (for use in portrait orientation). None of these adjustments are remarkable for a premium monitor, but they’re competitive. A 100x100mm VESA mount is also available for use with a third-party monitor stand, arm, or wall mount. BenQ PD2770U connectivity Connectivity is a headline feature for the BenQ PD2770U. The company seems to expect that the monitor will be used with a high-end laptop, like a MacBook Pro or Asus ProArt, and so it provides a Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C port with up to 96 watts of Power Delivery and DisplayPort video. That makes for easy single-cable connections to any laptop that has USB-C with the same features (which includes most modern laptops). The monitor also provides a second USB-C upstream port, though it supports just 5Gbps of data. It’s useful if you want to connect a desktop alongside a laptop. Both USB-C ports expand a connected device’s connectivity to a pair of wired USB-A ports, each with 5Gbps data rates, and a single RJ45 Ethernet port. This isn’t the most connectivity you’ll find from a monitor—the Dell U3225QE, for instance, offers over twice as much USB connectivity—but it’s still a respectable range, and the inclusion of an Ethernet port is always good to see. As you might expect, the PD2770U provides KVM switch functionality. That means you can connect two computers to the USB-C upstream ports, then connect wired devices to the USB-A downstream ports, and use the monitor to switch which computer is connected to the USB-A devices. BenQ PD2770U menus and features The BenQ PD2770U’s on-screen menu system can be accessed either with a joystick control on the monitor, or a convenient puck-style remote. The puck-style remote is a small, wireless dial that’s great for making quick adjustments. Alternatively, most monitor features can be accessed through BenQ’s attractive DisplayPilot software, which is available for both Windows and MacOS. A long list of image quality adjustments are available. These include many preset modes that target specific color gamuts, such as AdobeRGB, Rec.709, DCI-P3, DICOM, and more. The monitor also provides precise gamma and color temperature adjustments with additional color customization, if desired. Matthew Smith / Foundry Ambient light sensors are included and can be used to automatically adjust brightness throughout the day. This can reduce eye strain and will help the monitor appear accurate in a wide range of lighting conditions. The jewel in the PD2770U’s crown, however, is the automatic hardware calibration tool permanently tucked inside the thick top bezel. It can deploy automatically on a set schedule and runs a hardware-defined display calibration process (meaning no additional software is required to use it). Aside from convenience, this feature adds value, as color calibration tools typically sell for $150 to $300 or more, depending on the model. On top of that, the BenQ provides a remote calibration management tool called DMS Local, which can be used to sync color profiles across a fleet of monitors and enforce mandatory calibration. Of course, I can’t comment on the specifics of how well DMS Local works in a professional studio, but I thought it worth a mention. Matthew Smith / Foundry Overall, I like the built-in calibration. Calibration normally requires additional hardware, which you must connect and put into place before calibration can take place. That extra hassle can make it easy to justify putting it off until tomorrow—for weeks on end. BenQ’s built-in calibration gives you less reason to put it off. Calibration does require roughly 10 minutes, though, so you’ll have to take a break (or use a second display). You also need to warm up the display for 30 minutes before it can be calibrated, though the hardware takes this into account and will automatically engage after the warm-up period has ended. The BenQ PD2770U goes the extra mile with an automatic color calibration tool that can operate on a schedule and requires no additional hardware or software to operate. BenQ PD2770U audio The BenQ PD2770U doesn’t include built-in speakers and instead provides only a 3.5mm audio pass-through for connecting a headset or speakers. It is a bit disappointing to see speakers are excluded, though it’s not uncommon for high-end monitors to lack speakers. BenQ PD2770U SDR image quality The BenQ PD2770U is a monitor tightly focused on creative work including photography, videography, and digital art. That might lead you to expect excellent image quality across the board, but the PD2770U instead makes some trade-offs to provide a presentation focused on accuracy and realism. Matthew Smith / Foundry First up is brightness, where the BenQ PD2770U achieved an acceptable maximum SDR brightness of 351 nits. As the graph shows, it’s definitely not the brightest image available, but also not dim. This level of brightness is sufficient to cover SDR workflows, as well, which typically see brightness calibrated to somewhere in the 100 to 200 nits range. Though not the brightest monitor around, the BenQ PD2770U benefits from an effective Nano Matte finish and the included display hood. These features together make glare a non-issue in most situations, even in rooms with unusually bright and uneven lighting. You’ll only see glare if a bright light source is directly over your shoulder. Matthew Smith / Foundry Contrast is a weakness of the BenQ PD2770U. Though it aims to provide great image quality, it’s also a IPS-LCD display, and doesn’t have a dynamic Mini-LED backlight. The result is a contrast ratio that’s behind even most LCD monitors. It should be noted, though, that enhanced contrast isn’t the objective of the display. Rather, the Nano Matte display is meant to diffuse light in a way that provides good color accuracy and a comfortable viewing experience. I like it, though I should mention I am generally biased towards matte over glossy panels. Those who want more contrast should consider the Asus ProArt PA32UCDM, a beautiful professional monitor with an OLED panel. Matthew Smith / Foundry Color performance is something the BenQ PD2770U needs to nail and, fortunately for BenQ, it scores extremely well. The BenQ PD2770U achieved a maximum color gamut that spanned 100 percent of sRGB, 98 percent of DCI-P3, and 99 percent of AdobeRGB. That’s among the best result we’ve ever recorded. There is one detail to note, though, which is that the monitor can’t display this range of all gamuts simultaneously. For example, when the monitor is set to AdobeRGB the DCI-P3 color gamut drops to about 87 percent (and vice versa). This isn’t of much practical concern because I have a hard time fathoming a situation where you would need to work in both color spaces at once on the same display, but I thought I’d mention it. BenQ also provides modes for color gamut standards I don’t normally test, like DICOM and Rec.709. The range of supported color gamuts is wider than what you’ll find on a typical gaming or general-use monitor—even those sold above $1,000. Matthew Smith / Foundry The BenQ PD2770U delivered a solid color accuracy result that dipped below an average color error value of one. While not the very best I’ve tested, any result around one (or below) is excellent, and means the image will generally look accurate and true to the content being displayed. Color temperature and gamma are also important aspects of accuracy, and here the BenQ PD2770U scored extremely well. It presented a tight gamma curve of 2.2 and a color temperature value of 6500K. Both are the values we expect to see at default settings, and the values most monitors target out of the box. These numbers mean the image looks neither too dark or too bright, nor too warm or too cool. The monitor provides a wide range of gamma and color temperature settings, so you can tune these figures to your needs or preference. Sharpness is excellent, as the 27-inch monitor packs a resolution of 3840×2160. That works out to about 163 pixels per inch, which is as high as you’ll find without upgrading to something more exotic, such as a 5K or 6K monitor. 4K images and videos reveal a ton of fine detail, and small text remains easy to read. On the whole, the BenQ PD2770U’s SDR image quality is great with the exception of contrast, which is modest at best—and this rather bluntly defines the PD2770U’s appeal. This is not a monitor for enjoying entertainment or playing games, but rather a monitor for professional work. As such, the accuracy of the image, and the ability to calibrate it, becomes more important than the wow-factor a better contrast ratio would provide. Of course, the dream would be to have a monitor with both a high-contrast OLED panel and the high degree of accuracy and calibration that the BenQ PD2770U provides. Monitors like that do exist, but they’re often at least twice the PD2770U’s price (and yet may still lack useful features found on the PD2770U, such as automatic hardware calibration). BenQ PD2770U HDR image quality and motion performance The BenQ PD2770U supports HDR10 / HLG, but HDR is not the focus of the monitor, and it lacks any version of VESA DisplayHDR certification. You should consider HDR to be something the PD2770U can provide in a pinch, but not something that will be accurate. This is largely due to the lack of brightness and contrast, both of which are required to do HDR justice. Motion clarity also takes a back seat, as the PD2770U only provides a 60Hz refresh rate and does not support adaptive sync. While slower-paced games look fine on the PD2770U, it’s definitely not a good choice for highly competitive games. Should you buy the BenQ PD2770U? The BenQ PD2770U is a professional content creation monitor aimed at creatives who primarily produce SDR content and need excellent, accurate color performance. It goes the extra mile with an automatic color calibration tool that can operate on a schedule and requires no additional hardware or software to operate.While many professional monitors include calibration hardware, it’s unusual for that hardware to be built physically into the monitor itself. It should prove useful if you mean to calibrate your monitor but often find it a hassle, or forget to do it on a regular schedule. This perk is balanced by the monitor’s barely-there HDR support and missing adaptive sync, which mean the PD2770U is not great for entertainment and gaming. However, the PD2770U is a great choice if you need a color accurate monitor for professional work. Read...

Aryna Sabalenka loses to Nick Kyrgios in a Battle of the Sexes-style match that lacked the intensity and entertainment promised in the build-up. Read...

The Australian defeated the top-ranked women’s player in straight sets in an exhibition match that was more light entertainment than any landmark moment. Read...

Apple’s MacBooks are icons of the creative arts, and are beloved by creatives for their performance and streamlined design. But as capable as they are, they don’t offer the same kind of power and versatility as the latest RTX AI PCs equipped with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards. If you’re considering a laptop upgrade this year, GeForce RTX 50 Series laptops, backed by the latest Blackwell architecture, are specifically designed to handle the most demanding creative projects, outperforming the competition in both speed and visual precision. Not to mention the latest AI features and some well deserved off-hours gaming. Explore NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Powered Windows gaming laptopsLearn more Accelerated creativity, elevated fun If you’re editing video, native 4:2:2 support delivers professional color grading tools to the masses  with twice the color information of standard 4:2:0 formats for high-fidelity editing while maintaining manageable file sizes. Equipped with the 9th-gen NVENC, the RTX 5070 is 2x faster than the Apple MacBook Pro with M4 Pro when encoding in popular applications like CapCut and DaVinci Resolve with HEVC. The latest encoders deliver 5% better quality in AV1 and HEVC. An additional AV1 Ultra High Quality mode further boosts quality by another 5%. The 6th-gen NVDEC enables 2x faster H.264 decoding. It also introduces hardware-accelerated mJPEG decode support. Plus AI effects in DaVinci Resolve run up to 2.1x faster on an RTX 5070 than on a MacBook Pro with M4 Pro and perform 15% faster than the previous generation of RTX cards. Aspiring livestreamers can tap into 9th-gen NVENC hardware encoding for superior streaming quality without impacting your gaming or app performance, allowing for high frame rates while simultaneously encoding a high-quality stream. Native AV1 encoding enables higher quality streams at lower bitrates, providing up to 40% better compression efficiency than traditional H.264. Then there’s the exclusive NVIDIA Broadcast app, ideal for podcasters and streamers who require high production value without a room full of gear. This AI-powered tool enables background noise removal and virtual backgrounds to keep your focus on the content. With features like Studio Voice, which uses AI to enhance microphone quality to professional studio standards, and Virtual Key Light, which intelligently brightens your face in poorly lit environments. For 3D artists, the RTX 5070 transforms the creative process from a series of “wait-and-see” moments into a real-time interactive experience. DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation technology dramatically improves real-time viewport speeds during modeling and animation so you can iterate on complex scenes without the painful wait for your PC to catch up. NVIDIA OptiX Denoising uses AI to remove “noise” from preview renders with the RTX 5070 clocking in 3x faster than the Apple MacBook Pro with M4 in Chaos V-Ray. And hey, if you want to do a little gaming when you’re finished for the day, RTX 5070 supports DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation for the highest frame rates possible in modern gaming. For an even more chill but equally impressive entertainment experience, check out RTX Video that automatically enhances videos in Chrome, Firefox, Edge browsers and VLC to crystal-clear 4K HDR. Future proof AI The RTX 5070 is built to be the fastest platform for creators who use generative AI to speed up their workflows. Gen AI models and tools run natively on RTX 5070 GPUs through CUDA meaning everything works on Day 0. TensorRT-optimized models, available only on RTX GPUs, run up to 2x faster than native PyTorch models, providing the fastest performance for those who need it. In Stability AI’s latest image generation model, Stable Diffusion 3.5, the RTX 5070 laptop runs 12x faster than a MacBook Pro with M4 Pro. Out-of-the-box performance in ComfyUI, the visual platform for generative AI that enables easy branching, remixing, and customization of workflows, has been accelerated even further on RTX GPUs by up to 40%. RTX 5070 hardware also enables FP4 support, which is essential for fitting larger, more complex models on your device while ensuring they run as fast as possible. While Apple doesn’t disclose the raw capabilities of its neural processors, onboard NPUs tend to operate in the 10s of TOPS (Trillions of operations per second) range. That’s impressive, but RTX 5070s with dedicated 5th-gen Tensor Cores (AI chips) can offer hundreds of TOPS. Onboard NPUs are great for completing simple upscaling or webcam beautifying tasks, but for running large language models, or developing your own chatbots, having a dedicated RTX 5070 GPU with its own VRAM makes a big difference. Explore Windows and RTX If you’re been a MacBook user for a while, we get it: The idea of switching to Windows feels alien. And it probably will feel odd for a while, but it’s not like you’ll miss out on much in the way of applications. Many of the native macOS apps, like Apple Music, iCloud, Safari, run just fine on Windows, and there are equivalents of all the most popular apps that don’t. If you’re thinking about upgrading, or are curious about what a new laptop might help you do, then it’s well worth considering a switch to a new Windows laptop with a RTX 5070 Series GPU. They’re fast for all kinds of creative tasks, support the most capable of applications, and offer impressive battery life in their own right. Windows laptops with GeForce RTX graphics aren’t MacBooks, and that’s their real strength. Explore NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Powered Windows gaming laptopsLearn more Read...

If you want to take your entertainment and gaming to the next level, then you should pick up these awesome Govee kits. The Envisual TV LED Backlight T2 delivers an immersive experience for just $75, which is 46 percent off. View at Amazon The system features dual cameras mounted above your TV (yes, even ultra-thin models) along with LED strips placed on the back of the screen. The cameras capture on-screen colors in real time and project them onto the wall behind your TV, extending the visuals beyond the screen itself. Whether you’re watching movies, sports, music videos, or gaming, it adds a whole new layer of immersion. For expanded customization, the DreamView feature lets the backlight connect with other Govee lights, synchronizing the entire space to the content on screen. You can control the system with the Govee Home App, which allows for brightness adjustments and access to diverse lighting modes. Get yourself a beautiful gift this holiday season and upgrade your entertainment system with the Govee Envisual TV LED Backlight T2 for $75. Buy now at Amazon Read...

Don’t want to deal with rearranging your living room furniture to place Dolby Atmos speakers in just the right place? Dolby’s new and more flexible Atmos technology lets you decide where your speakers go, and the feature has arrived in a soundbar for the first time.  Slated to take the spotlight at CES next month, the LG H7 soundbar is just one component of the manufacturer’s new and modular Sound Suite system, which also incorporates surround speakers (in two sizes) and a subwoofer.  LG hasn’t announced pricing or shipping details for the Sound Suite quite yet (hopefully we’ll learn more once CES kicks off in early January), but what we do know is that the system works with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, a Dolby technology that lets you place FlexConnect-enabled Atmos speakers whenever you like in a room.  TCL was the first home-entertainment manufacturer to partner with Dolby on its new “Atmos-anywhere” technology, with TCL’s Dolby Atmos FlexConnect TVs and speakers arriving in stores back in August.   Dolby Atmos FlexConnect gear only plays nice with components that also employ the technology. For example, TCL’s Atmos FlexConnect speakers must be paired with specific and similarly equipped TCL QD-Mini LED TV models, meaning you can’t use the TCL Atmos FlexConnect speakers with just any TV. A similar limitation applies with LG’s Dolby Atmos FlexConnect equipment, except this time, the LG H7 soundbar itself can serve as the main hub for LG’s FlexConnect speakers, meaning you can use LG’s new FlexConnect gear with any TV, providing you’re using the H7 soundbar. LG also says it will bring FlexConnect to its 2026 lineup of “premium” TVs and to select 2025 models via a software update, good for users who elect to buy LG’s new Dolby Atmos FlexConnect satellite speakers or subwoofer without the soundbar. Powered by LG’s Alpha 11 AI Processor Gen 3, the LG H7 soundbar boasts an AI Sound Pro+ mode that intelligently up-mixes stereo audio to multi-channel sound while automatically adjusting its audio signature depending on the content you’re watching.  Also included in the LG Sound Suite are M7 and M2 surround speakers as well as the W7 subwoofer (we’re awaiting more details on those speakers). If you combine the H7 soundbar with four M7 or M2 speakers plus the subwoofer, you’ll wind up with a full-on 13.1.7-channel configuration, LG says.  The overall LG Sound Suite system boasts an ultra wideband-enabled “Sound Follow” feature that positions the “sweet spot” wherever you’re sitting, while Room Calibration Pro tailors the audio depending on the acoustics of the room.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers. Read...

Comcast and Spectrum are trying new tactics to win back cord-cutters and keep their existing TV customers from jumping ship. Last week, Comcast retooled its TV plans and made them easier to understand. Instead of needing to provide a service address and scrutinize the fine print for hidden fees, you can now just go to an Xfinity web page to compare the actual prices up front. Spectrum, meanwhile, has focused on bundling streaming services with its main cable TV packages. (It also stopped doing sneaky fees last year.) The upshot is that it’s now a lot easier to decide whether cable TV is still worth it, or to determine whether your current cable TV plan is overpriced. Let’s walk through Comcast’s and Spectrum’s offerings to help you figure it out. Spectrum’s $100 cable TV deal vs. streaming Spectrum is currently offering a promo for its “TV Select Signature” plan, bringing the price to $100 per month for 12 months instead of the usual $120 per month. Spectrum’s “TV Select Plus” plan, which includes regional sports, costs an additional $10 per month. Both plans include cloud DVR for up to 50 shows, and you can use Spectrum’s streaming TV apps instead of a cable box. Jared Newman / Foundry On the surface, neither plan compares favorably to the likes of YouTube TV ($83 per month) or Hulu + Live TV ($90 per month). Spectrum’s big pitch, though, is that you get a bunch of streaming services at no extra cost, including Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, ESPN Unlimited, Paramount+, Peacock, AMC+, and Vix. (Tennis Channel is also included in Spectrum’s TV Select Plus and TV Platinum plans.) Spectrum says these the value of these services equals more than $100 per month, but that claim relies on some double-dipping. ESPN Unlimited and Fox One consist mainly of the same content that’s already on their respective cable channels, and Spectrum’s adding up the individual costs of Disney+ and Hulu instead of their bundled price with ESPN. When we look at the real value of these streaming freebies, it adds up to $63 or $73 per month: Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select (all with ads): a $20-per-month value HBO Max (with ads): an $11-per-month value Paramount+ (with ads): an $8-per-month value Peacock (with ads): an $11-per-month value AMC+ (with ads): a $7-per-month value Vix (with ads): a $6-per-month value Tennis Channel (TV Select Plus and TV Platinum only): a $10-per-month value So, is Spectrum’s TV plan a good deal? It depends on which services and channels you’d normally pay for year round. YouTube TV combined with just the first four streaming services listed above, for instance, would cost you a total $133 per month, versus $120 per month with Spectrum ($100 per month in year one). Hulu with Live TV combined with Peacock, Paramount+, and AMC+ would cost you $120 per month, same as Spectrum’s non-promotional rate. (Hulu’s service includes Disney+, Hulu on demand, and ESPN Select at no extra charge.) In those scenarios, Spectrum comes out ahead. But if you don’t need a full-sized pay TV package, or your streaming needs are more narrow, Spectrum’s TV plans could be a waste of money. As I’ve previously documented, cheaper bundles with fewer channels are starting to become available, some of which include free streaming services themselves. I encourage you to look at all those options before committing to a TV bill of $100 per month or more, because even when you factor in Spectrum’s freebies, the cost might not be worth it. (While Spectrum also offers a $40-per-month option called TV Stream, with dozens of entertainment channels along with CNN and Fox News, you won’t get local channels, live sports, or any streaming freebies.) Comcast’s updated packages vs. streaming Unlike Spectrum, Comcast isn’t bundling any free streaming services with its standard cable TV packages. That makes the comparison a lot simpler. Comcast’s main TV package is now called “Xfinity TV Plus,” and it costs $95 per month if you also have Xfinity home internet service. “Xfinity TV Premium” costs $125 per month for internet customers, and it includes regional sports networks and sports league channels. (Each is $10-per-month pricier without an Xfinity home internet service.) Comcast includes an X1 cable box and 300 hours of DVR with all plans, and you can use the Xfinity Stream app on connected smart TVs, PCs, and mobile devices as well. Jared Newman / Foundry Compared to YouTube TV at $83 per month or Hulu + Live TV at $90 per month, Comcast’s full-sized TV packages are still more expensive, though not by lot. You’d be paying a premium for the creature comforts of a cable box (and tying yourself to Comcast’s internet service if you want the $10-per-month discount). But Comcast is also wading into the skinny bundle business. Its Sports & News TV package includes local channels, major national sports networks, cable news channels, and Peacock for $80 per month. An $85-per-month World Soccer Ticket plan adds Spanish-language channels such as TUDN, Fox Deportes, and ESPN Deportes. (While these plans include Peacock, Comcast’s larger packages strangely do not.) Other sports bundles are still cheaper, including DirecTV MySports ($70 per month) and Fubo Sports ($56 per month), but as with Comcast’s full-sized packages, DirecTV’s sports offerings might be worthwhile if you want the cable-box experience. More to come Last week, YouTube announced that it will launch more than 10 of its own genre-specific packages early next year. It hasn’t revealed pricing or many details, except that one of the packages will focus on sports. All of which means that the cable companies will soon need to adapt once more. It’s great that they’ve finally embraced price transparency and are finding ways to deliver value, but without more flexible options for cord cutters, they’ll again find themselves behind the times. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV advice. Read...