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There are two kinds of Android tablets: Samsung's Galaxy Tab S line and everything else. That's because while most Android slates don't rise above being simple media browsing and casual gaming machines, Samsung is doing more than any other company to transform Android into a true multitasking platform. And even though Samsung is approaching the limits of what Google's mobile OS can do, the combination of Dex mode and high-end hardware makes for a premium tablet that sits in a class of its own.

Hardware and design

Featuring a 12.4-inch OLED display, the $900 Tab S8+ is the middle child of Samsung's new Tab S8 lineup, sitting in between the $700 11-inch Tab S8 and the $1,110 Tab S8 Ultra, which boasts a massive 14.6-inch screen.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Without deviating too much from previous entries, Samsung has trimmed down its latest high-end tablet yet again, leaving the Tab S8+ with the slimmest of bezels. And measuring just 0.22 inches thick and weighing 1.24 pounds, the whole thing is very sleek. Meanwhile, there's a new Armor Aluminum frame that Samsung claims is 33 percent harder than what it used on the Tab S7 line. The Tab S8+ also has quad speakers with Dolby Atmos located on each corner of its chassis, so no matter which way you hold it, audio sounds rich and full.

The Tab S8+'s highlight feature is really its 2,800 x 1,752 screen, which delivers rich, punchy colors and a 120Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling through websites and flipping between apps feel smooth. My one complaint is that I really wish Samsung had opted for a wider 3:2 aspect ratio display instead of sticking with 16:10.

If all you do is watch movies or play games, 16:10 makes a lot of sense. But when it comes to productivity, the extra vertical screen space you get from a 4:3 or 3:2 display makes multitasking or having two windows open side-by-side a lot more usable. With Apple and Microsoft already having long since moved to 4:3 and 3:2 screens on iPads and Surfaces, I question why Samsung hasn't done the same.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The Tab S8+ also features good performance thanks to the inclusion of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, along with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. And, unlike Samsung's flagship Galaxy phones, you even get a microSD tray for additional storage. The downside is that there's no headphone jack, which is rather frustrating because it's hard to believe that Samsung really couldn't find room for a 3.5mm port on a device this big.

Finally, Samsung rounded out the Tab S8+'s design with a magnetic strip around back for charging the stylus; a strip of pogo pins on one side for attaching keyboard covers; and a speedy in-screen fingerprint sensor that outperforms side-mounted options.

Dex mode

While Android tablets at large are still waiting for Android 12L to receive a number of much-requested multitasking features, the Galaxy Tab S8 line has a custom solution in Dex. By touching the Dex button in the Tab S8's Quick Settings (or using a CMD + W keyboard shortcut), you can switch from the standard Android UI to a more powerful desktop-like view complete with a taskbar and multi-window support. There's also a system tray for easily accessing features like WiFi and Bluetooth connections, while the Android App Drawer is located behind a handy icon in the bottom left.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I used the Tab S8+ to write large parts of this review, and after booting into Dex mode, I found myself feeling almost immediately at home. I was able to snap windows to each side of the screen just like on a Windows PC, with the Tab S8+ also supporting a number of familiar keyboard shortcuts. You don't get the full range of commands that you would in Windows or macOS, but a number of the basics like Alt-Tab and Alt-F4 are there.

Now, I wish I didn't need to toggle between Dex and the standard Android layouts. And in less popular apps that haven't been optimized for the Tab S8's big screen, you can run into some clunky and awkward experiences, with apps that can't be maximized or games that don’t run properly in the background.

The biggest thing that stops the Tab S8+ from feeling like a laptop is Samsung's $160 book cover keyboard, which doesn't have a built-in touchpad. Touching icons to open apps is fine in short bursts, but if you're considering serious productivity, you'll want to get the more expensive $230 book cover keyboard, which does have an onboard trackpad.

But for the most part, while it might take a little getting used to, Dex mode on the Tab S8+ does an admirable job of turning a traditional tablet into a much more powerful 2-in-1.

S Pen

The other big selling point for the Tab S8 line is Samsung's included S Pen, which includes an expansive range of first-party drawing and annotation apps. By reducing the Tab S8's input latency from 9ms down to just 2.8ms, Samsung has essentially eliminated any sort of lag, and frankly, it feels fantastic.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Samsung Notes is your default choice for jotting down quick thoughts, while its handwriting-to-text conversion features allow you to save more legible copy for easier viewing later. And if you need more support for translating text, annotating slideshows or PDFs, or simply making funny doodles to send to friends, there are dedicated apps for that too. Samsung has all the basics covered out of the box, though if you're a hardcore artist, you'll find more sophisticated drawing and sketching apps on Apple's App Store.

Cameras

The photography experience on tablets is often an afterthought because let's be honest, who wants to be the person pulling out a 12-inch device to snap pics at a concert or ballgame? So even though the Tab S8's cameras aren't anywhere near as good as what you'd get on a Galaxy S phone, Samsung threw in not one but two rear cameras that are more than serviceable. That includes a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 6MP ultra-wide cam in back, as well as a 12MP selfie shooter up front. In bright light, images are sufficiently sharp and colorful, though you’ll start to notice noise creep in pretty quickly as the conditions get dimmer.

Battery life

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

It's hard for a screen this big to not suck up a lot of juice, especially if you have the brightness turned up. But even so, the Tab S8+ posted a respectable time on our local video rundown test of 9:21, which isn't a far cry from the 10 hours we got from the iPad Pro. However, if you're playing games or multitasking, just be aware that you can drain the Tab S8+'s battery a lot faster than that. In more mixed use cases, I typically got closer to six or six and a half hours on a charge. Oh, and while the Tab S8+ does support 45-watt fast charging, you'll need to buy a power brick that supports those speeds on your own, because Samsung doesn't include a charger in the box.

Wrap-up

The big question I've been asking myself is, compared to something like Lenovo's $630 P12 Pro, is the Galaxy Tab S8+ worth 50 percent more? And you know what, actually yes. That's because while they might have similar designs and screen sizes, the Tab S8+'s display is brighter, it has noticeably faster performance and its quad speakers sound richer and fuller. Little luxuries like its in-screen fingerprint reader make it easier to use on a daily basis. And Samsung's S Pen and stylus apps are more sophisticated than anything you'll find on a rival Android slate. It's just an all-around more premium device.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But what elevates the Tab S8+ above rival Android tablets is Dex mode. With the touch of a button, the Tab S8+ switches to a more desktop-like UI that makes multitasking and doing work actually a feasible idea, instead of struggling with productivity like you do on so many traditional Android tablets. In fact, the consumer version of the P12 Pro isn't even scheduled to get Android 12 until the end of March, let alone whatever happens to Android 12L.

Even so, despite all the work Samsung has done, the Tab S8 still isn't quite as powerful or accommodating as an iPad Pro or even a Windows-powered detachable like a Surface Pro 8. And with a total price of at least $1,000 once you factor in Samsung's keyboard cover, the Tab S8+ doesn't offer much in the way of savings versus Apple or Microsoft. But both of those devices run on different OSes, and depending on your situation, switching might be a nonstarter. That said, if you need support for Android apps but still want something suited for productivity, a Chromebook is also worth considering. But if you're dead set on a high-end multi-purpose Android tablet, the Tab S8 line should be at the top of your list.

Ford is determined to compete against electric vehicle rivals like Tesla and Rivian, and it's willing to reorganize the company to improve its chances. The brand is splitting its car manufacturing business into separate EV-only and internal combustion engine (ICE) divisions to help it fight both "new EV competitors" and conventional challengers. The electric unit, Model e, is meant to speed up large-scale development of EVs while producing connected vehicle technology for all of Ford. Effectively, the badge hopes to edge closer to the fast-moving, tech-driven cultures of its EV-only competitors.

The ICE division, Ford Blue, will concentrate on "relentlessly attacking" costs, improving quality and streamlining operations to help turn a profit. Blue will supply hardware-focused engineering and manufacturing to the rest of the company.

Company chief Jim Farley will serve as president of Model e. Apple and Tesla veteran Doug Field, who joined Ford in September 2021, will lead the unit's development as its Chief EV and Digital Systems Officer.

The split, part of a larger Ford+ strategy, isn't a complete surprise. Ford EVs like the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning have seen strong early demand, but Tesla still dominates the US electric market with deliveries of over 1 million cars last year. The move theoretically helps Ford catch up to or surpass Tesla while keeping ICE cars viable — at least, until ICE is phased out.

This approach also mirrors EV-focused strategy changes at some of Ford's mainstream competitors. GM already plans to become EV-only by 2035, while Stellantis unveiled a "Dare Forward" plan that will see EVs lead sales in Europe and the US by 2030. Even Hyundai was rumored to have stopped developing new combustion engines, although it denied the claim. Electric cars are taking priority across the industry, and Ford doesn't want to risk being left behind.

Fitbit has issued a voluntary recall for Ionic smartwatches that it manufactured and sold from 2017 through 2020. In its announcement, it explained that the model's lithium-ion battery can overheat and pose a burn hazard in "very limited instances." According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Fitbit received at least 174 reports of the watch's battery overheating. It received 78 reports of burn injuries that include two second-degree and four third-degree burns in the US, as well as 40 reports of burn injuries from other regions. 

The company, which stopped selling the product in 2020 before being acquired by Google, sold around a million Ionic smartwatches in the US and 693,000 internationally. While 118 reports of burn injuries might be a small percentage of the total number of units sold, Fitbit said it's taking "this action out of an abundance of caution."

When the Ionic came out in 2017 as the brand's first real smartwatch, we found it a pretty well-rounded debut. After it was released to the public, though, complaints stating battery issues started popping up online, prompting some users to demand a recall. It took some time for the company to respond, but now people who still own an Ionic can get a $299 refund for their device, even if they haven't been actively using it for a while. They're also getting a 40 percent off discount code for future purchases if they send in their old smartwatches. 

People who own an Ionic smartwatch can visit the official recall page to get the process started. Those who aren't quite sure if the model they own is an Ionic can check the back of their device for the model number — if it shows the code FB503, then they're eligible for a refund.

Hyundai plans to release 17 full electric vehicle models by 2030 as part of its efforts to strengthen its lineup and to catch up to rival automakers. The company's CEO Jaehoon Chang has made the announcement when he unveiled Hyundai's electrification roadmap in an investor presentation. Out of 17, 11 models will be under the main Hyundai brand, while 6 will be released under its Genesis luxury brand. 

The automaker announced last year that Genesis will switch to electric powertrains completely by 2025, though at the time, it said that it expects to have eight EV models available for sale in 2030. Chang's latest announcement includes more concrete details about Hyundai's electrification plans. He said the company is investing 19.4 trillion won ($16.08 billion) in its EV-related endeavors, including setting up more manufacturing plants with the capability to produce EVs. The automaker is also aiming to capture a 7 percent market share in the global EV market and to sell 1.87 million electric vehicle units per year by 2030.

The company has yet to reveal the exact models it's releasing within the next eight years, but it did say that three of them are sedans, six are SUVs, one is a light commercial vehicle, while the last one is a new vehicle type. The first release will most likely be the IONIQ 6, an all-electric sedan that will be available for purchase this year. In 2024, Hyundai will be releasing the IONIQ 7, as well. 

While $16.08 billion is a considerable investment, analysts told Reuters that it's in in no way "aggressive" when compared to the commitments made by some rival companies. Toyota, for instance, plans to invest 8 trillion yen ($70 billion) for its electrification projects by 2030, while GM had earmarked $35 billion for its EV and automated vehicle investments from 2020 through 2025.

The Snapchat app will no longer show ads in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. In addition, Snap has halted all ad sales in Russia and Belarus following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the company has announced in a blog post. It said that it will continue offering the multimedia app in those countries, as it remains an important tool of communication, but that it will comply "with all sanctions targeting Russian businesses and individuals." It also emphasized that it has no physical offices in Russia and that it does not accept revenue from Russian state-owned entities.

By implementing those ad bans, Snap has joined the growing list of tech companies that had also taken steps to limit ad availability in those regions. Twitter paused ads and recommendations in Ukraine and Russia "to ensure critical public safety information is elevated and ads don't detract from it." Both Facebook and Microsoft blocked state media outlets from using their advertising platforms, while Google-owned YouTube barred state-owned RT and other Russian channels from being able to generate ad revenue. 

As the company said in its post, it has never allowed RT and other state-owned outlets to publish on Snapchat's Discover page, so it doesn't have to carry out additional measures to block them from the app's equivalent of a news feed. Still, the company said it's "vigilantly monitoring" its platform "for any evidence of disinformation or misuse."

As countries and territories put the financial squeeze on Russia, it’s turned into a major test of cryptocurrencies and their exchanges. Many of the biggest cryptocoins, like bitcoin and Ethereum, have rallied in the past few days. Is this due to an influx of Russian money as the ruble tumbled in value? Or is this due to crypto investors and owners pushing that narrative to bump up values and reignite interest? I don’t know. I’m not an economist.

At the same time, Ukraine had raised over $13 million in cryptocurrency contributions as of February 28th. Reuters reported last week Binance had restricted crypto accounts affected by sanctions against Russia, while Kraken is warning Russians their accounts might be frozen if there's a "legal requirement" to do so.

Despite requests from Ukraine to go further, major crypto exchanges, including Coinbase and Binance, are saying that doing so would harm civilians and be counter to their ideals. "To unilaterally decide to ban people’s access to their crypto would fly in the face of the reason why crypto exists,” a Binance spokesperson told CNBC.

For now, cryptocurrency continues to exist on the fringes of governmental influence.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Ethernet co-inventor David Boggs dies at 71

• Engadget Deals: Apple's Mac Mini M1 drops back down to $570

• Engadget Deals: AMD Ryzen 5000 processors fall to all-time lows at Amazon

• Amazon's Luna cloud gaming service officially launches in the US

• 'Monument Valley 2' and 'Alto's Adventure' are coming to Apple Arcade

• Facebook will demote Russian state media across its entire platform

• Cyberattack forces Toyota to suspend vehicle production in Japan

• Apple halts sales of all products in Russia

• Paramount+ anniversary sale drops plans to $1 for new subscribers

Google wants devices to know when you're paying attention

All in the name of more intuitive experiences.

Google

Google has been working on a "new interaction language" for years, and today it's sharing a peek at what it's developed so far. This new "interaction language" could help machines around us become more intuitive and perceptive of our desire to interact with them. This means reading our body language and movement so devices better know when to remain in the background instead of bombarding us with information. The team used the company's Soli radar sensor — first seen in Google’s Pixel 4 — to detect the proximity, direction and pathways of people around it. Read on for a breakdown of Approach, Pass, Turn and Glance — four of the new interaction terms Google is tackling.

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Jeep's first all-electric SUV arrives in 2023

An electric Ram 1500 is due in 2024.

As part of its new Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, the automaker has unveiled the first all-electric Jeep SUV. Stellantis, the owner of Jeep, didn't provide a name, but its Jeep EV will launch in early 2023 and appears to be relatively compact. Autoblog reports that Jeep might be using the STLA Small platform that supports up to an 82kWh battery and 300 miles of range — but nothing’s confirmed yet. For now, it’s a cautious rollout that leaves Stellantis behind Ford, GM and other car brands that already have multiple EVs either on the road or coming this year.

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What we bought: Echelon's Connect Sport bike

It pairs well with an Apple Fitness+ subscription.

Engadget

Late last year, Engadget’s Jon Fingas resolved to get back in shape and bought a $397 Echelon Connect Sport exercise bike, using it alongside an $80-per-year Apple Fitness+ membership. Yes, that makes it much cheaper than Peloton, whose Bike ($1,495) and full subscription ($39 per month) demand a fair chunk of cash. Using Apple’s fitness platform to program workouts means it doesn't matter if Echelon’s own connected bike isn’t as smart as Peloton’s. And the end result is the same: a sweaty workout in the privacy of your home.

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Sonos' Roam SL is a mic-free version of its portable speaker

It costs $20 less than the original Roam.

It’s been about a year since Sonos released the Roam, its smallest and least expensive speaker yet. As with most modern Sonos speakers, the Roam has a built-in mic, so you can interact with voice assistants. The new Roam SL ditches that mic, meaning no more Alexa or Google Assistant. You also lose the Auto Trueplay feature, which uses the microphone to tune the speaker to sound better wherever you place it.

The $159 SL is otherwise identical to the original Roam. It's a small speaker that can connect to your WiFi network and be part of a Sonos multi-room audio system.

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This smart mosquito repellent system obeys voice commands

And you can control it with an app.

Thermacell has released a smart mosquito repellent system called Liv, which connects multiple repeller units to a smart hub. You can switch the system on and off using the hub or bark voice commands through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. You also have control of the repellers through the Liv+ mobile app. Just in time for sunnier months, it's available to order now. Liv starts at $699 for a pack of three repellers (which the company says will cover up to 945 square feet).

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With the Polestar 2 already in production, Polestars 3 and 4 on the horizon and the Precept concept slated to become the Polestar 5 in 2024, Polestar the company has just unveiled its latest electrified vehicle idea: the Polestar O2 convertible concept.

Polestar

“Polestar O2 is our vision of a new era for sports cars," Polestar’s Head of Design, Maximilian Missoni, said in a Tuesday press statement. "By mixing the joy of open top driving with the purity of electric mobility, it unlocks a new mix of emotions in a car."

The O2 will reportedly be built upon the same "bespoke" bonded aluminum unibody platform that the company is using for the Polestar 5, and generally resemble the Precept concept design it is derived from which, according to Polestar PR, "shows how Polestar’s evolving design language can be adapted to different body styles with a strong family resemblance." That is, while the Polestar 5 will be a high-performance four-door grand touring vehicle, the O2 will offer a more compact, 2+2 sportscar feel, despite both being built on the same basic underpinnings.

Polestar

Now, you might be wondering how a convertible EV would even work given that traditional convertibles are rather inefficient — their frames are thicker and heavier to offset the structural strength lost by cutting off the roof and their aerodynamics are a mess because, again, no roof — and that is an excellent question. The company doesn't yet have drag coefficient data to share, but it did assert that "disguised design features like integrated ducts that improve laminar air flow over the wheels and body sides, and rear lights that function as air blades to reduce turbulence behind the car," are being investigated to maximize the vehicle's range.

With a shorter wheelbase and only an afterthought of rear seats, the O2 offers a sportier, more aggressive stance than the Polestar 2. And those wheels! The exterior is a study of sharp lines with a low-slung cabin seated between angular fender flares and an acutely angled glass-top roof that retracts back into a broad trunk. It looks like if you mashed up a Ford F40 with a Porsche 718 Spyder and then flattened out all the curves. It looks like a roadster you'd see on the streets of Los Santos. I am a fan.

Polestar

The interior sounds equally supple, featuring a "thermoplastic mono-material" throughout for the hard bits, paired with recycled polyester as "the sole material used for all the soft components." Because nothing beats the seat-squelching experience of sitting on polyester and plastic in full sun with the roof down. 

Polestar

Drivers will also be able to film their top-down adventures thanks to the O2's integrated cinematography drone. Developed in collaboration with Hoco Flow, this autonomous camera drone rides in an area of negative pressure generated from an airfoil deployed behind the rear seats. The drone can follow along at speeds up to 56 MPH and the captured footage can subsequently be edited and shared from the central infotainment system once the vehicle is parked. I mean, personally, I'd prefer an eATV or even an electric skateboard if automakers are going to bundle in secondary transports with their vehicle offerings, but sure, a camera drone will definitely remain cool and novel and useful after the first couple flights. I mean, just look at how well they turned out for the Renault KWID or the Lexus LF-30 Electric Concept. 

Polestar

Like the Precept, we won't likely see street legal O2 as it is now. Instead, Polestar plans to launch three new cars over the coming three years, "each of which has potential to gradually realize some of the ideas presented by these concept cars," so keep an eye out for low-flying drones. 

Netflix has today announced that it will acquire Next Games, a Finnish mobile game developer that has already made an RPG based on Stranger Things. The deal will see Netflix hand over around €65 million (around $72 million), with all of the paperwork expected to be finalized by the summer. Next Games has plenty of experience courting the TV-tie-in market, and previously made The Walking Dead: Our World which was kept updated in sync with the (in)famous zombie show.

As Michael Verdu, VP of Games at Netflix explained, Next Games will become a “core studio,” “expanding our internal game studio capabilities.” This is very in-line with Netflix’s strategy to broaden out what it can offer to users beyond prestige TV miniseries that regularly last 2-3 hours longer than they should. As well as titles spun-out of Stranger Things and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Netflix has also launched a Hearthstone-esque card battler called Arcanium: Rise of Akhan and Krispee Street. Not to mention its projects in “interactive fiction” like Bandersnatch and the recently-released Cat Burglar.

Google has blocked users from being able to edit Maps in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, according to BuzzFeed News. It's also deleting all user-submitted places and contributions, such as photos, videos and business information in those countries made since February 24th. The tech giant came to the decision "out of an abundance of caution" after people claimed across social networks that the Russian military has been relying on pins created by users on Maps to coordinate air strikes on Ukraine. 

As BuzzFeed News explains, there are posts circulating on websites like Twitter with screenshots of Maps showing pins labeled "“ФЕРМЕРСЬКЕ ГОСПОДАРСТВО" or Ukrainian for "farm" in Kyiv. People were reportedly claiming that user-made tags saying "farm" or "agriculture" created on February 28th matched the locations of the missile strikes on cities that include Kyiv and Kharkiv. 

Google told the publication, however, that some of the user edits marking locations in Ukraine as "farms" were made a year ago. Even so, it's disabling user contributions to Maps since the Russian invasion had started. A company spokesperson said:

"Out of an abundance of caution, we are removing user contributions like photos, videos, reviews and business information and all user-submitted places from Google Maps in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus since the invasion began, and are temporarily blocking new edits from being made."

A few days ago, the tech giant also removed live traffic data on Maps in Ukraine, most likely to protect the locations of fleeing locals. It blocked the YouTube channels of Russian state-owned media outlets RT and Sputnik on across Europe, as well, following the European Commission's announcement that it would ban what it calls "Kremlin's media machine" in the EU. Other tech companies had also responded to calls to limit their services in Russia and to block access to its state-owned media outlets. Facebook took down fake accounts spreading Russian disinformation and restricted RT's and Sputnik's access to its platform, for instance. More recently, Apple halted all product sales in Russia and disabled all traffic data in Ukraine after a request from Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. 

General Motors has sold its stake in struggling electric pickup maker Lordstown Motors, TechCrunch has reported. It reportedly unloaded its 5 percent investment (worth $75 million originally) in the fourth quarter of 2021, as originally disclosed by The Detroit Free Press and confirmed by GM.

Lordstown recently reported a loss of $81.2 million for the fourth quarter, and said in an earnings call earlier this week that it planned to sell only 3,000 of its Endurance electric trucks through 2023 — a far cry from the 32,000 it predicted when it went public via a SPAC deal back in 2020. It aims to build 500 of those this year, but it will need to raise an additional $250 million to do so. 

Last year, Lordstown warned that it didn't have enough cash to produce its electric trucks. Later in 2021, the SEC announced that it was investigating the firm, and then-CEO Steve Burns was subsequently pushed out after he was found to have lied about the number of Endurance pre-orders. 

GM got involved with Lordstown Motors after closing its Lordstown, Ohio plan in 2019, and selling it to EV manufacturer Workhorse, founded by Burns. Burns subsequently started Lordstown Motors with the aim building electric pickups at the plant, and obtained $75 million in investment from GM. The idea was to follow the path of Rivian and build electric pickups for businesses, but it's now in competing in a tougher market against giants like Ford, which recently launched the F-150 Lightning pickup. 

Lordstown Motors recently revealed that it didn't have enough cash to last through to 2023, so it subsequently agreed to sell the Lordstown plant to Foxconn for $230 million and rent space in it. However, Lordstown said that the deal is not as far along as they'd anticipated, a situation that's compounding the company's problems.