How can Samsung make its smartwatches as successful as the Apple Watch? Returning to the Google fold — or at least collaborating on wearable software — is a start. Samsung has already helped develop the latest edition of Wear OS, apparently improving responsiveness and battery performance. Now we have a glimpse of a more unified software experience between your Samsung watch and phone, called One UI Watch. According to the company’s MWC showcase, you’ll be able to adjust settings across both devices, while the menus on the watch will also mimic what you’re already probably used to on Galaxy phones.

Samsung

Yeah, I know, I’m not captivated either.

A few years ago, when Samsung developed its own mobile OS, Tizen, for both phones and wearables, it struggled to muster up third-party app support. With the new Wear OS inside, the One UI Watch will offer Google Play Store access, including apps from Adidas, Calm and MyFitnessPal, as well as core Google services, from Maps to Messages to YouTube Music. This will be crucial in helping Samsung turn a corner with its smartwatches. According to the latest figures from IDC, it remains a contender, but the Apple Watch still dominates the wrists of smartwatch buyers.

— Mat Smith

YouTube TV now supports 4K streaming, but it comes at a price

A new 4K Plus plan adds at least $10 to your YouTube TV subscription.

Finally, starting today, YouTube TV will have a new add-on called 4K Plus. As the name suggests, it'll enable 4K streaming, assuming you have a compatible TV and streaming device. The 4K Plus add-on also includes the ability to download recordings from your DVR to a phone or tablet, too.

4K Plus also lets you stream YouTube TV from "unlimited" devices when you're at home. The basic YouTube TV package can stream on three devices simultaneously. Unfortunately, this all comes at a fairly steep cost. The 4K Plus add-on costs $19.99 per month, on top of whatever your existing YouTube TV plan costs. (Right now, the basic YouTube TV plan starts at $64.99 a month.) That said, if you act quickly, you can get a price deal on 4K Plus — YouTube is offering a one-month free trial to new users, after which you can sign up for $9.99 per month, a pretty good deal over the standard price. Continue reading.

'Dune' release gets pushed back again

Warner Bros. plans to release it simultaneously on HBO Max and theaters.

Warner Bros.

If you've been waiting impatiently to see Denis Villeneuve's much-anticipated take on Dune, you'll have to keep on waiting. After being delayed to October 1st, 2021, from its original December 18, 2020, release date, Dune has been pushed back a further three weeks to October 22nd. Warner Bros. announced last year that its entire 2021 movie lineup, including Dune, would be released simultaneously on HBO Max. That move didn't sit well with director Villeneuve, who railed against the decision online. Continue reading.

Microsoft’s first Windows 11 preview is available now

Test out the new OS today.

Microsft

Microsoft has begun rolling out the first preview for Windows Insiders. The build will show off the operating system's centered taskbar and redesigned Start menu, as well as its improved window management. But you'll have to wait a bit for some of the more advanced features, like the integrated Microsoft Teams chat and Android app compatibility. Check your PC meets the Windows 11 minimum hardware requirements before you get too excited, though. Continue reading.

The Windows 11 preview can dynamically change your refresh rate to save battery

Amazon launches vinyl record of the month club

For $25 a month.

Amazon is targeting newbie record collectors with its latest subscription. If you sign up to the Vinyl of the Month Club, you’ll receive a new record for your collection every 30 days or so.

You won’t know what records you’ll receive as part of the $25 plan until they show up at your door, but they’ll be classics from the “Golden Era of Vinyl” — the 1960s and ‘70s — chosen by curators at Amazon Music. Expect releases from Pink Floyd, Aretha Franklin and ABBA, so if your tastes fall outside of the mainstream of the mainstream, this might not be for you. At least the spirit of Columbia House lives on. Continue reading.

Honda's first electric SUV will be called the Prologue

The mainstream EV is due in early 2024.

Honda finally has a name for its first electric SUV. The Prologue is coming in 2024, so there’s a little time to wait. You should also see the Acura SUV sometime in 2024, but that vaguer promise suggests this model will come later than its more mainstream counterpart.

Honda hasn’t offered much detail about what the Prologue will entail, although it reminded us that both the Prologue and its Acura counterpart will run on GM's Ultium batteries. Honda is still hard at work on its own electric car architecture. Continue reading.

But wait, there’s more...

How I inadvertently became a vinyl nerd

The world's fastest electric motorcycle has a new aerodynamic challenger

Watch Samsung's MWC event in four minutes

'Nier Reincarnation' comes to mobile on July 28th

Heineken made a cute but garish autonomous beer cooler

Nikon's Z FC mirrorless camera recalls the glory days of 35mm film

Amazon is reportedly using algorithms to fire Flex delivery drivers

Sony has acquired Housemarque, the Helsinki-based studio behind PlayStation games including Returnal for the PS5, and arcade-style shooters like Super Stardust HD and Dead Nation. Financial details have not been disclosed. The move sees Sony Interactive Entertainment further bolstering its in-house gaming roster after previously snapping up Ratchet and Clank developer Insomniac Games in 2019. Before that, it acquired Killzone developer Guerilla and Sucker Punch, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima.  

With the addition of Housemarque, Sony Interactive Entertainment now has 13 companies under its PlayStation Studios banner. The deal should help it to go toe-to-toe with Microsoft, which recently completed a massive acquisition itself by snagging Bethesda's parent ZeniMax for $750 billion in order to beef up its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. 

After a run of classic PlayStation games, Housemarque recently reiterated its credentials with Returnal, a AAA sci-fi adventure for the PS5 that was greeted with widespread acclaim. Sony said that the studio's day-to-day operations will continue to be run by its current management team with input from PlayStation Studios personnel.

“Housemarque has flexed its creative palette on a wide range of PlayStation games over the years that have continually showcased the power of our hardware,” said Jim Ryan, president and CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment. “The addition of Housemarque to PlayStation Studios reiterates our commitment to elevating the best development teams in the industry and delivering new experiences that can only be found on the PlayStation platform.”

“After more than 15 years of successfully collaborating, we’re excited to amplify our potential even further and join PlayStation Studios,” said Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder and managing director, Housemarque. “Returnal is a testament to our strong relationship with PlayStation Studios and the organization believing in us to take a risk and give us the freedom to explore our creativity and develop something unique. We can’t wait to bring PlayStation fans more fresh, new experiences.”

This is a developing article, please refresh for updates.

Google has launched a new website called Find Food Support, which puts important resources on how to locate free and affordable food in the US in one place. Perhaps the most useful feature the website can offer is a new Google Maps tool that can point you to the nearest food bank, food pantry or school lunch program pickup site. 

As the tech giant explains, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated hunger for people around the world. According to Feeding America (PDF), 45 million people in the US alone had no reliable access to affordable food last year, including children who lost access to school lunches. That's a 30 percent increase from 2019. The non-profit has a slightly better forecast for 2021, but it still believes 42 million people in the country — 13 million of which are children, and 1 in 5 of which are Black individuals — may experience food insecurity this year. 

Google worked with No Kid Hungry, FoodFinder and the US Department of Agriculture to add 90,000 places with free food support across 50 states on Maps. The company said it will add more locations in the future. To use the tool, you only have to go to the website, whether on a PC or on mobile, and type in your location. It will then show you the nearest food banks and pantries with their addresses, phone numbers, and the days and hours they're operational.

Google

Find Food Support also houses YouTube videos showing how food insecurity affects people from all walks of life. The hope is to destigmatize food insecurity, since the stigma associated with getting help prevents people from seeking groups and organizations that can assist them in their time of need. In addition, the website contains links to food support hotlines, benefit guides per state and information for specific demographics and communities, such as seniors, families and children and military families. And in case you don't need food aid and want to help out, you can also find information on how you can donate food, time or money on the website.

Following a beta test that started in mid-April, Microsoft has rolled out its Xbox Cloud Gaming service to all Game Pass Ultimate subscribers on iOS and PC. With today’s announcement, you can visit the xCloud website and start playing some of the games included in the Game Pass library through your browser. On PC, the service supports Edge and Chrome, while on iOS it’s accessible through Safari. What’s more, you can use a controller over Bluetooth or USB to play the included games.

Microsoft also shared that it’s now using custom Xbox Series X hardware to power the xCloud experience. For those with a fast enough internet connection, the new hardware will allow you to steam games at 1080p and up to 60 frames per second. At the same time, Microsoft is expanding its Designed for Xbox to include two iOS controllers: the Backbone One and Razer Kishi. With the new badge, both controllers will come with a complimentary three-month trial of Game Pass Ultimate for those who haven’t tried the service before.

Getting to the point where xCloud is available on iOS devices has been something of a journey for Microsoft. Citing its App Store policies, Apple initially said it wouldn’t allow game streaming apps on its devices, but then later carved out an exception to allow those apps to work through a browser.

Samsung made a virtual appearance at Mobile World Congress with an event centered around Wear OS. The company has been working with Google on the smartwatch operating system over the last several months, and it showed off the latest One UI Watch experience during the stream.

One UI for Wear OS is designed to create a more seamless integration between smartwatches and phones, with apps and settings mirrored between Galaxy devices. Samsung didn't reveal a new Wear OS watch that takes advantage of the interface, unfortunately. You'll need to wait until an Unpacked event later this summer for that. That said, you can get caught up on the highlights from Samsung's MWC event with our four-minute supercut.

Nier fans won't have to wait much longer to play the franchise's first mobile entry. First teased in 2020, Square Enix announced today via IGN it will release Nier Reincarnation on July 28th. The outlet also shared a new trailer for the game that hints at some of the major story beats that will play out.

Styled as an action RPG, Reincarnation sees a character named the Girl in White wake up in a place called the Cage. A ghost named Mama is there to help the girl and narrate the story as it unfolds. As with past Nier titles, it looks like the gameplay in Reincarnation will sometimes shift between different perspectives. While developed by Applibot, a Japanese developer best known for mobile games like Grimoire A, Reincarnation features contributions from those most closely associated with the series, including Yoko Taro and Keiichi Okabe. You can hear one of the new songs Okabe composed for the game in the trailer IGN shared.

Reincarnation will be free to download when it comes out on Android and iOS. If you pre-register for the game, you'll get a welcome package that comes with its in-game Gems currency. Square Enix told IGN it would increase the number of Gems it gives out for every 100,000 players that pre-register.

In addition to introducing its new Wear OS-based software for its upcoming smartwatches at MWC 2021 today, Samsung also confirmed that the first device to run that will debut at Unpacked this summer. It'll be under the company's Galaxy Watch portfolio and the interface will be called One UI Watch.

When Google announced the new Wear OS at I/O 2021, neither company had any details on actual hardware to share, besides a tease that Fitbit will be making premium smartwatches based on the platform. Samsung also said at the time that while it will continue to support Tizen OS on its existing devices, all of its upcoming smartwatches would run the new Wear OS. 

At the MWC event today, Samsung didn't have much more hardware information either, besides a general timing. It said the "upcoming Galaxy Watch will be the first to feature the new unified platform and One UI Watch, which will make its debut at the Unpacked event later this summer." 

With reports indicating there likely won't be a new Galaxy Note this year, there's an obvious hole to fill in Samsung's typical late-summer Unpacked launch lineup. Of course, the company probably has plenty up its sleeve in addition to the new Galaxy Watch. We still have yet to see a new foldable phone this year and it's possible Samsung will unveil one at Unpacked this summer. There's no official date for the event yet either, but based on previous years it'll likely take place in August.

At its MWC event today, Samsung showed off its latest smartwatch interface called One UI Watch. This software will run on top of the new Wear OS, which the company co-developed with Google. Those who follow Samsung closely will remember a version of One UI already exists for watches — it's meant to make the interface between Galaxy phones and watches feel more coherent. From what we saw today, it appears the latest One UI for Wear OS will attempt to do that too. In a press release, the company said "One UI Watch together with the new unified platform will create an entirely new Galaxy Watch experience."

When Google announced the latest wearable platform was made in collaboration with Samsung, it shared how it learned from the Korean company how to optimize certain processes for better responsiveness and battery performance. We also saw some changes to navigation, like a double click of a physical button to switch between running apps. But we have yet to get a full breakdown of the updated OS.

Today, Samsung showed a few more details on how things will work. For example, when you install compatible apps on your phone, they'll also be downloaded onto your smartwatch. Settings from your phone will also port over to your wrist — the various clocks for different cities you've picked will show up, while the numbers you've blocked will remain blocked. This also works the other way around, so if you block a person from your watch, they'll also get blacklisted on your Galaxy phones. According to a video of the new UI, the layout of the watch's Settings menu will also "closely reflect" that on your phone. 

Samsung

One of Tizen's shortcomings was a lack of third-party app support, and with the new Wear OS that opens up a whole new library of titles you can install. One UI Watch will offer the Google Play Store so you can get apps directly from your wearable. Some of the apps this brings include Couch25K, Facer, Adidas, GolfBuddy, Calm, as well as Google's apps like Maps, Messages, YouTube Music and more. 

Samsung and Google both also said there will be a new watch face design tool for Android developers to create more useful options that better display the data their users want at a glance.

While this is by no means an exhaustive look at the new Wear OS or One UI Watch, it gives us a better idea of what to expect. To fully experience the software, though, we'll have to wait till it rolls out to the public (or when devices ship with it) to not only see what it's like but also if it truly delivers the performance benefits that both companies have promised. 

Vape pen maker Juul has agreed to pay $40 million to settle a lawsuit in North Carolina, which alleged that the company marketed and sold its products to young people. The state will use the money to fund programs that prevent e-cigarette addition and to help people quit e-cigarettes. The cash will also finance research into e-cigarettes.

As part of the consent order, Juul denied any liability or wrongdoing. However, it agreed to a number of changes to its business practices in the state. Most social media and influencer advertising are off limits, and the company can't have ads near schools or sponsor concerts or sporting events. Juul and retailers that sell its products online will need to use an independent verification system to make sure customers are of legal age.

Juul will need to run a secret shopper program to make sure retailers aren't selling its vape pens to anyone under the age of 21. Retailers will need to keep Juul products behind their counter too. In addition, the company can't introduce new flavors or change nicotine content levels without approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

“For years, Juul targeted young people, including teens, with its highly addictive e-cigarette. It lit the spark and fanned the flames of a vaping epidemic among our children – one that you can see in any high school in North Carolina," North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said in a statement. “This win will go a long way in keeping Juul products out of kids’ hands, keeping its chemical vapor out of their lungs, and keeping its nicotine from poisoning and addicting their brains."

A Juul spokesperson sent the following statement to Engadget:

This settlement is consistent with our ongoing effort to reset our company and its relationship with our stakeholders, as we continue to combat underage usage and advance the opportunity for harm reduction for adult smokers. Importantly, we look forward to working with Attorney General Stein and other manufacturers on the development of potential industry-wide marketing practices based on science and evidence. In addition, we support the Attorney General’s desire to deploy funds to generate appropriate science to support North Carolina’s public health interventions to reduce underage use.

We seek to continue to earn trust through action. Over the past two years, for example, we ceased the distribution of our non-tobacco, non-menthol flavored products in advance of FDA guidance and halted all mass market product advertising. This settlement is another step in that direction.

Stein started investigating Juul in 2018 and sued the company the following year for "designing, marketing, and selling its e-cigarettes to attract young people and for misrepresenting the potency and danger of nicotine in its products." More than a dozen other states have sued Juul for similar reasons, though the North Carolina case is the first to reach a resolution. 

The Federal Trade Commission also filed a lawsuit against Juul, Marlboro owner Altria and others with the aim of undoing a 2018 investment that gave Altria a 35 percent stake in the vape pen maker. The agency argues that agreements between the two companies stifled competition and violated antitrust laws. Meanwhile, the FDA opened a criminal investigation into vaping in 2019.

Nothing says summer quite like a cooler full of beer, but it wouldn’t be 2021 without a modern twist on the concept. Meet the Beer Outdoor Transporter or BOT from Heineken. It can hold up to 12 cans of beer, will follow you almost anywhere and has a “charming” AI personality. Think Wall-E but with garish corporate branding, and you’re most of the way. 

But just by virtue of being a robot instead of something you wear, the Heineken BOT is way cooler than the Smooth Operator Vest Keystone Light put out earlier in the month, and it can carry more beer to boot. Like the Smooth Operator Vest, BOT is a limited edition item. The only way you can get yourself one is by entering the competition Heineken plans to hold on July 1st.