Blog

Apple’s HomePod slashed to $200 at Best Buy

[ad_1]

If you’ve been thinking about getting an Apple HomePod but missed Best Buy’s hefty Black Friday discount back in November, you’ve got a second chance to get in on the action. The smart speaker is once again on offer for $200 — that’s a chunky $100 off the usual price. At that price, the device represents much better value for money – it’s one of the best sounding smart speakers we’ve reviewed, and recent updates means it now comes with radio streaming and multi-user support. Plus, there are rumors (and they are just rumors at this stage) that Apple is thinking about relaxing its attitude towards third-party music apps on the HomePod, which could make it an even more attractive deal if you’re concerned about Apple’s often restrictive ecosystem.

[ad_2]

Source link

Amazon’s Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite drop back to all-time low prices

[ad_1]

Both scored well in our in-depth reviews (95 and 91 respectively), which isn’t a huge surprise as Kindle is arguably the posterchild for e-readers. If you were already prepared to part with $90 for the standard Kindle, this deep discount means it’s a no-brainer to go for the Paperwhite instead, which comes with waterproofing and Bluetooth Audible support. That said, if those features don’t mean that much to you, $60 for the standard Kindle is not to be sneezed at, although it will mean less storage (4GB instead of 8GB) — but then again, how many books can you really be reading at once?

[ad_2]

Source link

The Morning After: Previewing ‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’

[ad_1]

Few other phone makers got much traction.Nearly every top-selling smartphone last year was either an iPhone or Galaxy phone

I think you kinda knew this headline already. Counterpoint Research has calculated that nine out of the top ten smartphones sold worldwide in 2019 were made by either Apple or Samsung — Oppo’s A5 was the only exception at fifth place. The top sellers? The iPhone XR represented 3 percent of all phones sold, while the Galaxy A50 was the top Android phone on the list with 1.8 percent.
Regionally, Apple ruled North America, taking all of the top five slots and took two of the top spots in Europe. In China, it was a completely different story, where Oppo, Vivo and Huawei clinched the majority of sales.

Users have had trouble maintaining connections for over a year.Google is finally fixing Bluetooth audio on Home speakers

If you have Google smart speakers, then you’re probably using them for direct audio streaming. It might have been because you didn’t have a choice. Ever since late 2018, people have complained that any Bluetooth connections (from phones or to other speakers) would drop after a few minutes or less. Not much of a feature, is it? However, relief appears to be in sight. Google staff have confirmed that they’re “investigating” a fix. There’s no timeline set, however.

There are still questions that need answering.‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’ delivers, so far

I’ve said my piece earlier, but I had a hard time squaring my fanboy-ish enthusiasm against what I didn’t see in this demo. If there are plenty more epic boss battles throughout this first chapter, though, I’m in.

Not sure how loopable this content is, though.WHO joins TikTok to fight coronavirus misinformation

The World Health Organization has joined TikTok, and its first videos are, unsurprisingly, aimed at both reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 and setting the record straight. They explain how you can safeguard yourself and others against the virus, how to use a mask and whether or not you need a mask in the first place — crucially, the WHO stresses that you don’t need a mask if you aren’t experiencing symptoms.

But wait, there’s more…

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you’ll miss if you don’t Subscribe.

Craving even more? Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter.

Have a suggestion on how we can improve The Morning After? Send us a note.



[ad_2]

Source link

Watch the first footage of Fisker’s Ocean EV crossover in motion

[ad_1]

Fisker revealed that the Ocean EV will have a multi-link rear suspension that promises a “supreme balance” between driving performance and comfort. Furthermore, that system is mounted on an isolated sub-frame to reduce vibration and noise.

It uses computer-controlled active aerodynamics to optimize airflow to the battery in order to maximize range. The battery also has extra protection against side impacts, and the vehicle body is also reinforced to protect the driver and passengers in accidents.

The Fisker Ocean is around the same size as an Audi Q5, while offering 25 cubic feet of cargo volume. It’s powered by a 300 horsepower electric motor, but will be available with a higher performance option that will take it from 0 to 60 mph in under three seconds. Meanwhile, the 80 kWh battery pack will deliver up to 300 miles of range. While Fisker has made some wild claims about solid state batteries and supercapacitors, the Ocean will use a standard lithium-ion battery pack.

Fisker Ocean crossover EV

Despite a pretty complete reveal, the Fisker Ocean isn’t set to arrive until the fourth quarter of 2021. When it does, it’ll start at $37,499, with US federal tax credits taking that down to $29,999. Given Fisker’s delays and battery backpedaling, though, it’d be wise to be skeptical about the price and delivery date.

[ad_2]

Source link

Riot’s five-on-five hero shooter is officially called ‘Valorant’

[ad_1]

As Eurogamer reports, Riot is positioning the game as a vibrant alternative to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The art style screams Overwatch, but the gameplay is noticeably different. Combat leans heavily on gunplay, for instance — every Agent uses real-world weapons and most of their base-level abilities are designed to complement them. Jett, for instance, throws out vision-obscuring Cloudburst fog, while Brimstone can request a Stim Beacon that gives all nearby players rapid fire. Ultimate abilities, meanwhile, are a little more fantastical: Jett gains several throwing daggers during Blade Storm, for example, while Sova shoots out deadly Hunter’s Fury energy blasts. (Check out Polygon for a full breakdown of the Agents.)

Four maps will be available at launch, according to Eurogamer, with at least one mode that tasks you with attacking and defending different control points. Matches will take roughly 30 minutes, but can obviously go for longer if you’re stuck in a particularly tense shootout or back-and-forth power struggle. On the official Valorant website, Riot Games is quick to emphasize the title’s technical performance, which will be critical if the developer wants to pull players away from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

“128-tick servers, at least 30 frames per second on most min-spec computers (even dating back a decade), 60 to 144 FPS on modern gaming rigs, a global spread of datacenters aimed at <35ms for players in major cities around the world, a netcode we’ve been obsessing over for years, and a commitment to anti-cheat from day one,” the site promises.

Crucially, Valorant doesn’t appear to be set in the League of Legends universe. That’s a big departure from Teamfight Tactics, an auto-battler mode offered inside League of Legends, its newly-launched Legends of Runeterra card game, and upcoming Riot Forge projects including Ruined King and Conv/rgence, which allow external developers to use the League of Legends license. It’s a big gamble for Riot, but one that could pay off handsomely if the game takes off and, perhaps more importantly, becomes an esport that can challenge other shooters including Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Call of Duty, Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege.



[ad_2]

Source link

Play the first chapter of ‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’ now

[ad_1]

It’s not long until the highly-anticipated remake of Final Fantasy VII launches, and while we may have picked up advance access — you can make your own mind up. Yes, Square Enix has launched the first chapter of Final Fantasy VII Remake as a demo, playable starting today.

[ad_2]

Source link

Renault’s ‘transformer’ EV concept can stretch to take on extra batteries

[ad_1]

When in Travel mode, the body lengthens by 20 cm (8 inches) to accommodate the extra battery and make the cabin more comfortable for a long voyage. It does that via the “active bodywork,” consisting of fighter-plane like side flaps that can move to allow the chassis to slide from one mode to another. The rear bumper, quarter lights and air deflectors also move to make the vehicle more aerodynamic on the road and more practical in the city.

Once your trip has finished, “the user stops at a station to return the extra batteries and revert to the original 40 kWh capacity of the vehicle’s City configuration,” Renault said in a press release for the (now defunct) 2020 Geneva Motor Show. The station then recharges the batteries so that they’re ready for the next use.

Renault Morphoz concept EV

The Morphoz charges by wireless induction at home, special stations and even while driving on roads equipped with induction chargers. When you’re not driving the EV, its batteries can be used to power household appliances via vehicle to grid bi-directional technology. In terms of the battery pack size, Renault said “there is no need to produce batteries with a nominal 90 kWh capacity for every vehicle… limiting production in this way is good for the carbon footprint and environment.”

Much like the Symbioz concept from 2017, the Morphoz supports level 3 (eyes off, hands off) autonomous driving. That means you’ll be able to dictate e-mails or play multimedia content while on the road. However, the automaker notes that its current vehicle lineup only supports level 2 self-driving, and level 3 will only arrive “when permitted by regulations and technological developments.”

Renault Morphoz Concept EV

Like any concept, the Morphoz comes with other futuristic flourishes. It can detect the passengers and driver, then shift the cabin around to suit them. The steering wheel can retract, opening up the “living screen” instrument panel with both driver and infotainment systems (much like the Honda E, which actually put such a system into production). With the lack of a center “B” pillar and extra space opened up by the compact drive train, passengers “can behave as if they were sitting in armchairs around a table,” Renault said.

It goes without saying that this is a concept car, and many features like the retractable steering wheel, morphing body panels and more will never arrive on production models. However, some of the ideas it introduced, including the modular platform, long wheelbase and flat floor will feature in future generations of Renault EVs.

[ad_2]

Source link

NASA wants students’ help designing tech for the Moon and Mars

[ad_1]

The awards will be relatively modest at $15,000 to $50,000, but NASA stressed that this doesn’t necessarily involve tangible products. It can also involve research that fills “knowledge gaps” or reduces risks, for instance. Proposals are due by April 24th.

The competition may not lead to a major breakthrough in NASA’s Moon and Mars expeditions. However, competitions like this have developed inflatable airlock modules and other concepts that could play important roles. M2M X-Hab could let NASA focus on the broader problems involved with traveling to and surviving in places beyond Earth.

[ad_2]

Source link

Google is finally fixing Bluetooth audio on Home speakers

[ad_1]

There is a workaround if you’re piping audio from your phone. Android Police noted that you can use the Google Home app to cast your phone’s audio over WiFi (through the speaker button). You’ll need an active internet connection, but it appears to be much more stable. You’re stuck if you use Bluetooth to send audio to other speakers, though.

[ad_2]

Source link

Co-head of ‘Call of Duty’ studio Treyarch leaves after 13 years

[ad_1]

Blundell started on the series as a producer for Call of Duty 3, but he’s best known for managing its long-running zombies mode. He headed up both the undead mode and the main story for Black Ops 3, and focused on zombies for Black Ops 4. There’s little doubt that he played an influential role in the Call of Duty series when he took his co-head role in 2016.

His exit comes at a less-than-ideal time for the first-person shooter franchise. Treyarch is believed to be working on Black Ops 5 for this year following turmoil at Raven and Sledgehammer, who were reportedly set to release a Call of Duty game this year but were demoted to support duties after rivalries and departures caused chaos. If so, Blundell’s departure will throw more uncertainty into the mix. While Treyarch may still be in good hands, it probably didn’t want to lose leadership at a moment like this.



[ad_2]

Source link