Blog

The latest ‘Fortnite’ emote lets you Rickroll your foes

[ad_1]

It’s not uncommon to troll your Fortnite enemies with a victory dance, but the latest one might be particularly insidious. Epic Games has added a purchasable “Never Gonna” emote to the battle royale brawler that, as the name implies, Rickrolls your opponents — complete with the real Rick Astley song (and, clearly, Astley’s permission). The developers has even pranked some potential buyers with a promo page touting a “new OP outfit” before taking them to the emote, guaranteeing that they’ll be Rickrolled before spending 500 V-Bucks to share the surprise with others.



[ad_2]

Source link

Tesla Model S range edges closer to 400 miles

[ad_1]

Real-life results are bound to vary based on the temperature, your use of climate control and your driving habits. However, Musk added that the new figures might be conservative. He claimed that Model S and X cars made in “recent months” can perform better than their official EPA numbers suggest, and that this potential will be made accessible “soon” through a software update. That’s likely comforting news for new owners still grappling with the winter chill’s effect on their range, and hints that the magic 400-mile benchmark might already be achievable.

You might not want to rush out to get one of these EVs (not that they’re what you’d call an impulse buy) if you can afford to wait. Tesla plans to roll out its Plaid powertrain later in 2020, and that combined with a battery capacity increase could offer a substantially larger range boost. Even so, these latest tweaks could make all the difference if you intend to use your Tesla for cross-country jaunts. The question is whether or not these improvements will translate to further gains for cars like the Model 3 and Model Y — extra range at the high end only matters so much if just a fraction of Tesla’s customers can see the benefits.



[ad_2]

Source link

Recommended Reading: The CIA-owned company that helped it spy on the world

[ad_1]

The intelligence coup of the century
Greg Miller,
The Washington Post

This in-depth report tells the story of Crypto AG, a Switzerland-based company that achieved success for its code-making machines during World War II. The company eventually became a popular manufacturer of encryption machines for countries around the world in the decades that followed. Governments trusted that communications between diplomats, military and spies were being kept secret. What those nations didn’t know was that Crypto AG as actually owned by the CIA — originally in partnership with West German intelligence. What’s more, the access allowed the two countries to to rig the tech so they could easily crack any code.

[ad_2]

Source link

The Morning After: Motorola Razr review, and the end of HQ Trivia

[ad_1]

It’s impractical, exclusive to one carrier and has mediocre battery life.Motorola Razr review: A fashion statement, not a flagship

According to Chris Velazco, “In terms of performance and experience, the 2020 Motorola Razr is a $400 smartphone in a $1,500 smartphone body.” Read the rest of the review to find out what works and what doesn’t in this retro revival.

Something to keep an eye on.Apple’s 5G iPhone might use a custom antenna

2020 is supposed to be the year of the 5G iPhone. Interestingly, Fast Company reports that Apple is still considering two different designs for the model it will launch this fall. A thinner option would rely on a custom-designed 5G antenna — how’d that work out on the iPhone 4? — instead of using Qualcomm’s technology like the recently-unveiled Galaxy S20 family.

And the Razr’s really bad timing.Engadget Podcast: Breaking down the Samsung fest and MWC mess

Cherlynn is joined by senior mobile editor Chris Velazco (Devindra is off on vacation, yay!) to talk about all of the new Galaxy phones (Flip Z or S20) and commiserate over no longer going to Barcelona. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Pocket Casts or Stitcher.

It also claims it will build 700 hydrogen filling stations across the US.Nikola Motors unveils hybrid fuel-cell concept truck with 600-mile range

Nikola plans to offer the Badger as both a purely battery-electric vehicle and as an electric/fuel-cell hybrid. The company claims the hybrid powertrain model will feature a maximum range of approximately 600 miles, while the battery model will be limited to 300 miles.

Wireless charging and Bluetooth connections on your feet.Nike’s new self-lacing basketball shoes go on sale Sunday for $400

Nike is back with another pair of self-lacing shoes. This Nike Adapt BB 2.0 set improves on its predecessor with new Zoom Air cushioning in the forefoot, and a redesigned body that makes it easier to put on. However, the 2020 version has also increased in price, to $400. The first colorway goes on sale Sunday at 10 AM ET. If you miss out on those, Ja Morant showed off a set of red of Adapts in last night’s Rising Stars game at NBA All-Star Weekend that will be sold exclusively via the NBA 2K20 videogame.

Red Dawn.First ‘Stranger Things 4’ teaser moves the action far from Hawkins

A 50-second clip opens on a snowy Russian landscape where prisoners, watched by armed guards, are assembling railroad tracks. And, oh snap, one of those captives is a clean-shaven… Sheriff Hopper?

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

Elon Musk’s Boring Company is done excavating first Las Vegas tunnel

[ad_1]

Boring’s crew spent three months digging the nearly mile-long tunnel 40 feet underground. LVCVA says the project is scheduled to debut in January 2021 — who knows, the system might even be ready by the time CES 2021 rolls around. The electric vehicles tasked with transporting people through the tunnels will be able to carry up to 4,400 people per hour, because they can cut a 15-minute walk down to a minute-long ride.

While this particular tunnel is for the LVCC loop, Boring also has plans to build a transportation system that covers the Strip and other parts of Vegas.



[ad_2]

Source link

Galaxy Z Flip teardown video looks inside Samsung’s latest foldable

[ad_1]

Unsurprisingly, whatever Samsung learned across two versions of the Galaxy Fold appears to have been valuable in making the Z Flip. While there’s still a lot of parts inside and quite a bit of glue, it’s considerably more repairable, with many parts accessible simply by removing the back covers. The Galaxy Z Flip’s special “hideaway hinge” doesn’t reveal Samsung’s sweeper technology that uses microfibers to clear debris, but the video does show how it keeps the glass screen pulled flush to the case even while it’s bent — key for keeping particles out in the first place.

[ad_2]

Source link

HQ Trivia game abruptly shuts down after 14 ‘seasons’

[ad_1]

Yusupov didn’t mention the news outright on Twitter, but he said:

He launched HQ Trivia with fellow Vine co-founder Colin Kroll in 2017. The app enjoyed tremendous popularity for a time after it launched, frequently attracting over a million players per livestreamed mobile game, perhaps because it promised the chance to win real cash prizes.

Then, in 2018, Kroll died of an apparent overdose. A few months later, original host and “quiz daddy” Scott Rogowsky left for a sports streaming network. The app also attracted cheaters, who made it hard for legit players to win any money, and had to compete with a bunch of copycats, including Facebook’s. Confetti, the social giant’s take on a livestreamed game show, only lasted for a year, showing how quickly the format’s popularity waned since HQ Trivia’s launch.



[ad_2]

Source link

Nike’s new self-lacing basketball shoes go on sale Sunday for $400

[ad_1]

NBA: New Orleans Pelicans at Memphis Grizzlies

According to Nike, a redesigned shroud makes the shoes much easier to put on and take off, while an Air Zoom Turbo bag in the forefoot provides added bounce, similar to Kyrie Irving’s line of shoes. They also have a reworked midsole that’s supposed to improve the transition from heel to toe.

Like the first model, they still connect to your phone via Bluetooth and an app (that hopefully won’t brick anyone’s shoes this time) for customizations or updates, and need to be charged every couple of weeks by being placed on a wireless mat. The folks at Weartesters gave them a try and noted that while this year’s model is considerably heavier, at 19.6 oz, it’s far more comfortable than the first generation Adapt BB. Still, they felt like the high-price is probably too much to pay for something that adds little to the on-court experience at this point. The Nike Adapt BB 2.0 goes on sale in its “OG” colorway via Nike.com and other retailers on February 16th at 10 AM ET, for $400.

[ad_2]

Source link

NASA gives four projects $3 million to develop potential space missions

[ad_1]

The first of the potential missions is called Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging Plus or DAVINCI+. It would analyze the atmosphere of Venus and attempt to determine if the planet had an ocean in the past. It would also help scientists better understand how the planet’s atmosphere formed. Another Venus-focused mission called VERITAS or Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy would travel to the planet to create detailed, three-dimensional maps of its surface. It would also track infrared emissions so that NASA can get a better idea of Venus’ geology.

Next, there’s the Io Volcano Observer or IVO for short. It would travel to Io, one of Jupiter’s 79 known moons, to perform several close-in flybys and collect data on the satellite’s magma eruptions. NASA says the mission has the potential to revolutionize scientists’ understanding of how rocky, terrestrial bodies are formed. Lastly, there’s the TRIDENT project. It would go to Triton, one of Neptune’s moons, to perform a single flyby. In the process, it would map the moon and attempt to find out if Triton has a subsurface ocean.

NASA says it will provide each study with $3 million to polish its proposal. Sometime next year, the agency will pick up to two of the studies to further develop. One of the more recent missions to come out of the Discovery Program includes the InSight lander, which has been attempting to dig through the surface of Mars. Another Discovery Program alum is the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which late last year pinpointed the crash site of India’s Vikram lander.

[ad_2]

Source link

Rumor suggests Apple’s 5G iPhone could rely on a custom antenna

[ad_1]

That’s because, according to the rumor, the thickness-obsessed designers at Apple have a custom antenna — they bought Intel’s tech last year for a reason — that makes the 5G iPhone sleeker than is possible if the company relies on Qualcomm’s.

Plus, even though Qualcomm and Apple have squashed their beef over royalties, the claim is that Apple would prefer to use as few of the other company’s components as possible to keep from paying them more. That the phone will use a Snapdragon X55 modem for 5G — just like Samsung’s models — is apparently a given, but the choice between the two options is reportedly in play for at least a few more weeks.

iPhone 4 Strength AppiPhone 4 antenna

That’s because eventually Apple needs to make a choice and begin production of the devices — not to mention accessories like cases — before they’re introduced and go on sale in the fall. The additional wrinkle, of course, is the complexity of 5G tech that’s still relatively new, and Apple’s struggles using its own antenna design in the iPhone 4.

[ad_2]

Source link