Posts with «author_name|engadget» label

The Morning After: The worst way to watch 'Tenet'

Welcome to Friday morning. As some email subscribers may have noticed, the daily newsletter has been on hiatus for several weeks as we contended with a persistent technical issue. We’ve now figured out a fix, so we’re back to our regularly scheduled newsletter.

Today, it includes a smartphone with a ‘microscope’ camera, Tenet on a Game Boy Advance, an explanation of exactly what NFTs are and how to digitally organize your Mac, as our Spring Cleaning series goes beyond simply cleaning your keyboard. That’s where my spring cleaning typically ends.

We’d like to apologize for the newsletter blackout and thank all the readers who got in touch to ask where TMA went. Thanks for your patience and if you have any more feedback, you can get in touch with us at themorningafter(at)engadget.com.

And if you’re reading this on the site, click the subscribe button above!

— Mat Smith

A YouTuber crammed 'Tenet' on to Game Boy Advance cartridges out of spite

Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

Proving old devices never really die, some enterprising crafters keep squeezing functionality out of yesteryear’s gadgets. That includes a horrifically compressed version of Tenet for Game Boy Advance, and a wildly unnecessary Twitter client for the Handspring Visor.Continue reading.

The NFT craze: How to spend millions on something both priceless and worthless

The cryptocurrency offshoot presents a jumble of contradictions.

Non-Fungible Tokens, or NFTs, are the cryptocurrency off-shoot that has, all of a sudden, burst into the mainstream. They’re essentially a way of tying a certificate of authenticity to a digital file, among other things, like a contract, video clip or even a still image. The possibilities for NFTs are still to be explored, but they’re booming right now like Bitcoin did through much of 2020. Yesterday, a digital artwork by Beeple and associated NFT sold at auction for nearly $70 million. For what essentially amounted to a copy of a still image someone could have printed at home for free and a signed receipt.

If you’re wondering what exactly all of this means, and what’s going on, then Dan Cooper has written a lengthy explainer to get you up to speed on what this is, even if you still have trouble understanding why someone would spend so much money on it. Continue reading.

Oppo's Find X3 Pro has a 30x 'microscope' camera

And both its wide and ultra-wide cameras have the same sensor.

Oppo’s new flagship phone, the Find X3 Pro is entirely focused on photography — the giant sensor array on the back kind of gives that away. The headline feature has to be its "microscope" camera. The 3-megapixel f/3.0 microscopic camera delivers 30x magnification natively and can handle 1080p video recording. As you have to get close — the focal distance is between only 1mm and 3mm — this camera even has a small ring light to illuminate your subject.

The results make for a unique camera phone. It’s an Oppo device, so there’s also lightning-fast charging with the bundled 65W SuperVOOC charger and speedier wireless charging with compatible docks, which can fully charge your phone in 80 minutes. Given past form, chances are the Find X3 Pro won't head to the US, but the company has announced it'll be available in the UK on April 14th, starting at £1,099, which is around $1,250. Continue reading.

GM unveils plans for lithium-metal batteries that could boost EV range

It aims to have a high-capacity pre-production battery by 2023.

GM is elaborating on its next-generation Ultium batteries, which sound like something from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but are not. The company plans to use lithium-metal (Li-metal) technology to boost performance and energy density. Li-metal batteries replace carbon anodes with lithium metal, allowing for lighter and more powerful cells. The challenge with the technology is increased resistance and "dendrite" filaments that tend to form on the anodes, making batteries short-circuit and heat up. “With this next-generation Ultium chemistry, we believe we’re on the cusp of a once-in-a-generation improvement in energy density and cost," said GM President Mark Reuss, adding that there was also “still room for improvement”. Continue reading.

How to clean and organize your Mac

Taking care of your computer doesn’t need to be complicated.

Once you’ve dusted the cookie crumbs from your MacBook keyboard, it’s time for a digital clean. Associate Editor Igor Bonifacic reveals his fastidious Mac cleaning techniques, encompassing hard-drive organization, keeping your desktop clean going forward and even how to purloin the best organization features from Windows 10 for your Mac. Continue reading.

Netflix 'test' pushes password sharers to get their own account

Do you remember whose account you’re streaming on?

For years, Netflix has looked the other way on people sharing passwords to their streaming accounts with folks that may not quite meet the definition of a “member of the household.” As its streaming audience has grown into the hundreds of millions, allowing easy access has been more important than triple-checking credentials.

But those days may be coming to an end. The company confirmed a test it’s running that prompts suspected freeloaders to get their own accounts and then asks to verify their access with a code sent to the registered account holder’s phone number or email address. Now that Netflix has hiked its prices for several years in a row, and growth in some countries is slowing, it looks like this is a way to find a few more paying customers. Continue reading.

20 Bethesda games will be available on Xbox Game Pass tomorrow

Nearly every addition is coming to play on Xbox, PC and mobile.

Now the deal is done, Microsoft-owned game publisher Bethesda has announced 20 of its games are xton Xbox Game Pass, starting today. In all, Microsoft is adding 12 new titles, including Fallout 4, Morrowind and The Evil Within, for people to check out. They'll join eight other Bethesda games, like Dishonored 2, Fallout 76 and Doom Eternal, that were already available through the service, making a total of 20 titles. Check the full list of titles here.

But wait, there’s more...

US lawmakers introduce bill to make high-speed internet available to all

Chrome for Android lets you preview web links

SSL's UF8 DAW controller is a luxury in search of an audience

Google Meet update crams more people into your mobile video calls

EA opens probe into claims that staff are selling rare ‘FIFA 21 Ultimate Team’ cards

Apple's MagSafe Duo Charger is 22 percent off at Best Buy

Netflix's 'Resident Evil' CG anime leans on familiar voice actors

The best white noise machines for babies

Engadget 12 Mar 12:30

The Morning After: This electric pickup will take on Tesla in 2023

We're still staring at Canoo's unusual electric pick-up that looks set to take on Tesla's Cybertruck. We're also thinking on why Apple's iPhone 12 Mini has struggled. But today we're starting with some sad news. The former Philips engineer who invented the first compact cassette tape, Lou Ottens, has passed away at the age of 94. Cassette tapes had a major impact on music culture, offering listeners the ability to easily create their own albums and playlists, recording from different sources, like other tapes and live radio. Like a lot of people in my generation, I owned a dual-cassette boombox in my childhood, just please don’t ask me about my music tastes.

Cassette tapes were subsequently usurped by compact discs (which Ottens also helped develop) and then digital music and streaming services. Having said that, tapes persist. In 2016, sales of cassettes increased by 74 percent.

— Mat Smith

Canoo plans to launch this oddly shaped electric truck in 2023

The company will build several electric vehicles on one platform.

This design certainly takes a different approach to Tesla's edgy Cybertruck and is even going to stand out as electric pickups from Rivian, Ford and others start to hit the streets. The specs promise more than 200 miles of range on a charge, with up to 600 HP and 550 lb-ft of torque in a dual-motor configuration and a payload capacity of up to 1,800 pounds.

At 76 inches, it's one inch taller than Tesla's Cybertruck but notably shorter than GMC's 81.1-inch tall Hummer EV. It's also short in length compared to those competitors at just 184 inches, but a pull-out bed extension brings the total length to 213 inches.
Continue reading.

iPhone 12 mini 'production cut' hints demand was lower than hoped

Reports suggest Apple is slashing production by at least 70 percent.

Apple is slashing production of the iPhone 12 mini through the first six months of the year, according to Nikkei. The company will reportedly produce at least 70 percent fewer units than it planned and backs previous suggestions that the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini isn't selling as well as other models. There are certainly drawbacks to the mini, like its battery life, but there are also few phones as small and as high-specced as the mini iPhone 12 — it might just be a niche proposition.
Continue reading.

ASUS ROG’s latest gaming phone focuses on audio

Yeah, the company skipped number 4.

It's only been a little over seven months since ASUS launched its ROG Phone 3 gaming smartphone, but the company is already releasing a follow-up model, the ROG Phone 5 (skipping 4 due to tetraphobia). There are some minor cosmetic changes, but also better heat dissipation, weight distribution and audio performance. Those audio improvements seem to be the focus: Better component choices mean there’s more space inside the ROG Phone 5 for the front-facing speakers.
Continue reading.

'Shredder's Revenge' is a throwback brawler for Ninja Turtles fans

It looks like a spiritual successor to ‘Turtles in Time.’

If cassettes weren’t nostalgic enough, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is sure to delight anyone who remembers ‘90s arcade scrolling beat-em-ups. The new game, developed by Dotemu (Streets of Rage 4) and Tribute Games (Mercenary Kings), is a four-player brawler that looks like a natural successor to Turtles in Time. No quarters needed.
Continue reading.

Sony, Nokia and Ericsson bow out of in-person attendance at MWC 2021

What will the show look like when it kicks off on June 28th?

The GSMA is sticking to plans for an in-person Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this June — just without a few marquee names. A handful of companies, including Oracle, smartphone maker Sony and networking firms Nokia and Ericsson, have all confirmed they will not attend the show.

There are also strict travel restrictions for would-be attendees. The website for the US Embassy in Spain and Andorra says that entry into the country is not allowed unless they meet “very specific requirements or have already obtained special permission from the Government of Spain.”
Continue reading.

Nikon's full-frame Z9 with 8K video will arrive later this year

It promises "the best still and video performance in Nikon history."

Nikon has announced it's developing the Z9, a flagship full-frame mirrorless Z mount model with "the best still and video performance in Nikon history." The new model will ship in 2021 with 8K video and other advanced features. Expect the very best from Nikon and a price tag to match. There's no word yet on pricing, but Nikon has promised more information in the months to come.
Continue reading.

But wait, there’s more...

How to organize your desk at home

Adobe Photoshop is now available natively on M1 Macs

'Valorant' pro Sinatraa has been suspended amid sexual assault allegations

HTC shrinks its VR Tracker, debuts new face-tracking accessory

Apple to invest over $1 billion in new Munich silicon facility

The best smart lights for your bedroom

Apple rejected Parler's latest attempt to come back to the App Store

ESPN+ live sports and originals are now available on Hulu

Polestar's latest EV concept is an adorable three-wheeled cargo sled

Engadget 11 Mar 12:15

The Morning After: Sonos' new $169 speaker is its smallest ever

If you want a portable speaker, Sonos is looking for anyone that doesn’t already own one. At $169, the Roam is more expensive than many Bluetooth-only portable speakers, but it’s also Sonos’ cheapest speaker ever.

Unlike the Move (Sonos’ previous moveable, if not all that portable, speaker), the Roam has a smaller, narrower design and weighs just about one pound. The battery should give 10 hours of playback, and it automatically goes into a low-power sleep mode when it’s not in use. There’s also dust and water protection, and you’ll be able to pair two speakers for portable stereo sound. You can even connect the new speaker to existing Sonos devices around your home, rounding out your sound system.

The company is tacitly aware that the portable Bluetooth-speaker market is an incredibly crowded one — so the Sonos features will be important if it wants to convince a lot of us to upgrade from our existing beach-trip speaker. The Roam’s versatility pitch, however, is a compelling one. Let’s see how it sounds.

Pre-orders for the Roam are open now, and the speaker will be available on April 20th.

— Mat Smith

Chrome OS is getting a big redesign for its 10th birthday

New features include a Phone Hub and Nearby Share.

Google’s very own operating system, Chrome OS, is getting a bunch of features and some new styling to celebrate a decade in existence. It’s a good time to strike: Chromebooks have never been so popular. Phone Hub might be the most useful update. It’s a little dashboard that accesses your phone's controls so you can see its status for things like battery life and data connectivity. You can ring your Android device when you've misplaced it, and also remote-enable tethering with one click. We unravel all the new features right here. Continue reading.

Bose Sport Open Earbuds review

Great for workouts, but not much else.

Bose is well-regarded for its great-sounding headphones. The company’s latest buds have an “open” design that sits outside your ear. Not only does this increase comfort but it also means you can hear what’s going on at all times — a key safety feature for runners. Bose decided allowing you to be hyper-aware of everything around you was paramount, and according to News Editor Billy Steele, who reviewed the Bose Sport Open Earbuds, that means accepting sacrifices to sound quality. Continue reading.

How to use Apple Shortcuts to clean out your iPhone or iPad

A handy crash course.

If you’re an iPhone or an iPad user, Apple’s Shortcuts helps with your digital spring cleaning. With Shortcuts, you can quickly perform a specific task or a more complex sequence of tasks with a single tap or voice command. Mobile Editor Chris Velazco walks you through a Shortcut for clearing out your excess Notes and outlines everything you need to make your own Shortcut routines. Continue reading.

Samsung's 980 NVMe SSD boasts high performance with a tradeoff

Cheaper, but…

Samsung has finally introduced a 980 SSD that isn't part of the high-priced Pro line, and it's mostly good news for performance-minded PC users — with a caveat. Hitting read speeds up to 3,500MB/s and faster writes (up to 3,000MB/s versus 2,500MB/s) than the 970 Evo it replaces, Samsung says it also offers 36 percent lower power consumption, 54 percent greater power efficiency and improved cooling, which should prevent overheating. However, Samsung is also ditching built-in DRAM on the plain 980, joining the ranks of lower-cost SSDs. It's promising speeds "identical" to faster DRAM-equipped drives in part by using Host Memory Buffer technology to directly access system RAM, but it's clear this is a tradeoff to keep prices down.

Those prices are low, thankfully. The 980 will start at $50 for a 250GB model, $70 for 500GB and $130 for 1TB. Continue reading.

Nothing's wireless earbud design was inspired by a smoking pipe

This is Nothing's Concept 1.

We still only know a few things about Nothing, a new hardware startup by the co-founder of OnePlus, Carl Pei. One thing we know is its first product will be wireless earbuds, which we assume informs what we're looking at above. The see-through casing on what appears to be a concept wireless earbud is a nod towards making tech devices less obtrusive. The shape is apparently inspired "a grandmother’s tobacco pipe", which is at least different from the chopped off q-tip look that epitomized the most popular wireless earbuds so far. Nothing’s first products launch this summer. Continue reading.

Samsung will hold its next Unpacked event on March 17th

The company promises to share something "awesome."

Two months ago Samsung held an Unpacked event to announce the Galaxy S21, but the company is already sending out invites for another event it plans to hold on March 17th at 10 AM ET. Continue reading.