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Sprint will fix anyone’s cracked Samsung Galaxy screen for $49

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That said, the offer does have some limitations. Your phone must be in working condition, and the carrier notes that not all shattered displays are repairable. Further, the offer is limited to one device per customer and is only available at Sprint stores with repair services. In the event that Sprint deems your phone unrepairable, it will give you the option to sell it for $150 towards a new device.

Okay, so perhaps that’s the whole point of this all: to get you to become a paying customer in case you’re in the market for a new phone or a new plan. Still, it sounds like a good deal if you’ve been wanting your screen fixed for the longest time but don’t want to or can’t spend too much on its repair.

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FDA warns hospitals about security flaws in some GE medical equipment

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Those vulnerabilities, the FDA said, could allow bad actors to remotely take control of the devices in order to generate false alarms or silence real ones. An attacker could, for instance, stop the system from notifying providers about a patient’s cardiac status, putting their life in danger. Thankfully, the FDA has yet to receive reports of patient harm or device malfunction involving GE’s central stations. The company has taken steps to prevent them all the same, advising customers to separate the equipment from wider hospital network and instructing them on where they can get a patch when it becomes available.

The FDA has been keeping a close eye on medical equipment cybersecurity measures and issues over the past years. It issued a final guidance instructing manufacturers to boost pacemakers’ and insulin pumps’ protections against cyberattacks in 2016. The agency also previously issued a warning about certain pacemakers that are vulnerable to hacking and even recalled half a million pacemakers due to hacking fears.

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Google I/O 2020 starts May 12th

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Now that enough people have completed a special puzzle, Google announced that its annual developer event will return to the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View. Google I/O will run from May 12th – 14th, a few days later than its timing in 2019. In the past we’ve seen announcements focusing on everything from Assistant to Google Glass, and who knows what 2020 may bring to the location’s outdoor stage. (Other than Android, AI and other usual service enhancements, of course.)

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Apple says EU push for universal phone charger would ‘stifle innovation’

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Apple also felt that rules weren’t necessary when the industry was already consolidating around USB-C, either through port changes or through cables (as with the iPhone 11 Pro). The industry has consolidated from “30 chargers to three, soon to be two,” Apple said. It still hoped the European Commission would look for a solution — just not one that hurt the industry’s (read: Apple’s) “ability to innovate.”

You can read Apple’s full statement below.

The EU has been pressing for harmonized phone charging for over a decade, arguing that it would reduce e-waste and simplify the experience for customers. You might not even need a new charger in the box alongside your new phone. To date, though, it has relied on a voluntary approach that it doesn’t believe has been effective. Regulation would theoretically push exceptions like Apple to do what they won’t on their own accord.

Whether or not mandatory adoption would help isn’t clear. While USB-C has made life considerably easier in the smartphone world, it didn’t start reaching phones until 2015, or three years after Lightning (which included many of USB-C’s design advantages) made its debut in the iPhone 5. Widespread adoption took a while after that. As genuinely helpful as a standard could be, there is a risk you could wait longer for meaningful advances.

“Apple stands for innovation and deeply cares about the customer experience. We believe regulation that forces conformity across the type of connector built into all smartphones stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, and would harm consumers in Europe and the economy as a whole.

“More than 1 billion Apple devices have shipped using a Lightning connector in addition to an entire ecosystem of accessory and device manufacturers who use Lightning to serve our collective customers. Legislation would have a direct negative impact by disrupting the hundreds of millions of active devices and accessories used by our European customers and even more Apple customers worldwide, creating an unprecedented volume of electronic waste and greatly inconveniencing users.

“We do not believe there is a case for regulation given the industry is already moving to the use of USB Type-C through a connector or cable assembly. This includes Apple’s USB-C power adapter which is compatible with all iPhone and iPad devices. This approach is more affordable and convenient for consumers, enables charging for a wide range of portable electronic products, encourages people to re-use their charger and allows for innovation.

“Prior to 2009, the Commission considered mandating that all smartphones use only USB Micro-B connectors which would have restricted the advancement to Lightning and USB Type-C. Instead, the Commission established a voluntary, industry standards-based approach that saw the market shift from 30 chargers down to 3, soon to be two — Lightning and USB-C, showing this approach does work.

“We hope the Commission will continue to seek a solution that does not restrict the industry’s ability to innovate and bring exciting new technology to customers.”

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Sonos CEO: ‘Legacy’ devices will still work after May

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Perhaps the more controversial part of the announcement earlier this week is the fact that systems running both “legacy” and more current products would be stuck without new features, even if some of the newer devices would have otherwise received an update. Essentially, having a legacy component in your Sonos system meant that all those devices would be stuck with that legacy experience. However, Sonos said that they were looking into a way to “split” a system so that modern products would keep getting updates while legacy ones would continue to work as they currently do. Spence reconfirmed those plans today, as well, and said the company was finalizing the details and would share more “in the coming weeks.”

To be clear, Sonos isn’t changing course on its plan here. Instead, Spence is trying to communicate a bit better what exactly is happening come May. There’s no info here that Sonos didn’t already release, but the public response to Sonos’ plan was such that it seemed necessary to address it. While we certainly can understand how people who spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on older Sonos gear over the years are disappointed by this week’s development, it’s good news that the products will still work as they do now and that there will be a way to keep newer products up-to-date as well.

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Bipartisan bill would scale back key section of the Patriot Act

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While there are a variety of facets to the bill, the most significant aspect of it is that it would prohibit the warrantless collection of cell-site and GPS geolocation data, as well as internet browsing and search history by US intelligence agencies. Additionally, the bill would eliminate the relevance clause that had allowed the NSA to justify its bulk data collection program, and establish a three-year limit for how long federal agencies can hold data that isn’t related to foreign intelligence efforts. The bill would attempt to do all this before March 15th.

Following the enactment of the USA Freedom Act in 2015, Section 215 would have expired this past December. However, the Senate pushed back the sunset date to March 15th as part of the short-term funding bill it passed in mid-November.

“Liberty and security aren’t mutually exclusive, and they aren’t partisan either,” said Senator Wyden. “This bill preserves authorities the government uses against criminals and terrorists, while putting Americans’ constitutional rights front and center.”

Despite the fact that Senator Wyden has managed to build some bipartisan support for his bill, it’s likely to face an uphill battle. In the past, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been a vocal supporter of the Patriot Act. In 2015, McConnell attempted to introduce legislation that would have extended the act through to 2020 without making any changes to it. While the Senate eventually passed the USA Freedom Act instead, McConnell is likely to oppose any attempt to scale back the Patriot Act.

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Wirecutter’s best deals: Save $150 on a Tiertime Up Mini 2 3D printer

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Tiertime Up Mini 2 3D Printer

Tiertime Up Mini 2 3D Printer

Street price: $500; deal price: $350

Down to a new low at $350, this is a great chance to save big on a printer we like for 3D printing beginners. Although the street price of this printer has been steadily declining in recent months, this is still the biggest drop we’ve seen from its street price, which hovers around the $475-$525 range. If you’re interested in getting started with 3D printing, now is the time—we don’t regularly see worthwhile deals for it.

The Tiertime Up Mini 2 is the top pick in our guide to the best home 3D printer for beginners. Wirecutter Staff Writer Signe Brewster wrote, “The Tiertime Up Mini 2 offers the best overall experience for most people thanks to its combination of reliability, features, and size and appearance. It was among the easiest to set up, and in our testing it produced nearly as many successful prints as models that cost twice as much. Although we think our upgrade pick, the Aleph Objects LulzBot Mini is a better printer, the Mini 2 will meet most beginners’ needs at half the cost.”

Logitech MX Ergo Wireless Trackball

Logitech MX Ergo Wireless Trackball

Street price: $78; deal price: $65 w/ promo code 25605

Use promo code 25605 to bring this trackball pick down to $65. While we saw a drop in street price over 2019 to around $78, this is still a nice discount. So whether you want to try a trackball or are already an enthusiast, if you like the MX Ergo’s configuration, now is a good chance to save. Deals on this pick are not very common—the last one was in August of 2019—so take advantage of this deal while it lasts.

The best thumb-operated trackball we tested in our guide to the best trackball, the Logitech MX Ergo is comfortable and smooth. Wirecutter Editor Thorin Klosowski wrote, “If you prefer a thumb-operated trackball, we recommend the Logitech MX Ergo Wireless Trackball. The ball, while small, is smooth and easy to use, and the MX Ergo can tilt 20 degrees to provide a more comfortable position. The Logitech Options software has most of the settings you need to customize the MX Ergo and its eight buttons. Logitech claims the MX Ergo’s rechargeable battery will last around four months, and the MX Ergo can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth or the Logitech Unifying dongle. It usually costs about $100, on the pricier end of trackballs, but its excellent build quality and modern software make it worth the cost.”

Anker Powerline II Dura Lightning Cable (3ft)

Anker Powerline II Dura Lightning

Street price: $10; deal price: $7

Available again for $7 in white, this deal matches the all-time low we’ve seen for this cable. If you’re looking for a lightning cable for an iPhone or iPad that will last, our upgrade pick is a great option. Though it’s our upgrade pick, this deal brings the Anker Powerline II Dura down to an even lower price than our other lightning cable picks. This is a recurring deal price and, just like every other time, it’s a nice chance to buy.

As mentioned above, the Anker Powerline II Dura is the upgrade pick in our guide to the best lightning cable for iPhone and iPad. Wirecutter Senior Staff Writer Nick Guy wrote, “The standard PowerLine Lightning is the right cable for most people, but if you find yourself wanting the security of a lifetime warranty, we recommend Anker’s PowerLine II Lightning cable. It has a slightly different design than the original version, but the biggest difference is the PowerLine II’s lifetime warranty, compared with 18 months for the standard PowerLine. Our experience with Anker’s customer service has always been very positive, so we know this is an actual benefit. Additionally, the company claims that the PowerLine II cable can withstand 12,000 bends in its lab tests, compared with 5,000 for the less-expensive model.”

Bestek 300W MRI3011J2 Power Inverter

Bestek 300W MRI3011J2

Street price: $30; deal price: $17 w/ on-page coupon and promo code RB3BNCIS

Whether you’re planning on a long road trip or just spend a lot of time in your car, this is a great deal when you use code RB3BNCIS and clip the on-page coupon to bring this pick down to $17, matching the all-time low. Deals on the Bestek 300W MRI3011J2 aren’t very common, so if you’ll be in need of a power inverter, now is the time to buy.

The power inverter pick in our guide to the best road trip gear, the Bestek 300W MRI3011J2 is an affordable option. Wirecutter Staff Writer Kit Dillon and Wirecutter Staff wrote, “If you plan to bring electronics on the road, you need a way to plug them into your car’s 12V electric system. After sending our three favorites culled from a list of 18 top-rated inverters to physicist Dr. Jim Shapiro for testing, we recommend the Bestek 300W MRI3011J2 Power Inverter for simple devices such as water boilers, or the Go Power GP-SW150-12 Pure Sine Wave Inverter for more sensitive electronics like tablets or laptop computers. A power inverter transforms your car’s round-plug, 12-volt direct current (12V DC) outlet into a three-prong outlet with the same 120-volt alternating current (120V AC) that you have in your home. Not all inverters are equal, however, and you need to know what you’ll want to plug in before deciding which one to buy.”

Because great deals don’t just happen on Thursday, sign up for our daily deals email and we’ll send you the best deals we find every weekday. Also, deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go here.

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Pocket Casts’ revamped Discover section offers picks from top podcasters

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The relevant app dates are rolling out as of this writing, although you’ll have to wait until early February to see the first lists from individual creators. This probably won’t make you completely forget about Pocket Casts’ brief pricing dust-up from September, but it could give you a better reason to consider that Plus subscription — especially if you’re relatively new to podcasts and don’t know where to start.

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Teenage Engineering’s IKEA collection lands in stores next month

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The core of the FREKVENS collection (FREKVENS translates to “frequency”) is a portable, modular music system. For $70, you can get the Bluetooth-enabled, 8-inch-tall speaker, which claims to have a 10-hour battery life and comes in black and red or black and yellow. If you need more bass, there’s a $150 speaker with a subwoofer, and for $20, you can put the party in your pocket with a four-inch portable speaker that has a belt clip.

IKEA

The speakers promise the high-quality sound we’ve come to expect from Teenage Engineering, and they’re meant to be paired with the FREKVENS LED spotlight and LED multi-use lights, as well as the the light up speaker base. Of course, the line includes furniture, like barstools, an end table and an ottoman. There’s also dishware, a blanket and a tote bag — and a $25 raincoat, so you can party rain or shine.

“We’ve wanted to make something that feels like IKEA, and at the same time challenge how we perceive them today,” said Teenage Engineering founder and head of design Jesper Kouthoofd. “It’s exciting to explore new territories, push the boundaries and challenge each other. IKEA is furniture, meatballs and soon… Party.”

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Bjork and an AI collaborated on an eerie soundtrack for a hotel lobby

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It’s a surprisingly unassuming setting for Kórsafn, the “generative audio experience” the Icelandic musician created in partnership with Microsoft and Sister City. There are no displays, no laser beams or smoke machines. If you didn’t know about the installation, you might miss it. At the right time of day, this lobby could be a quiet respite from New York’s unceasing hustle. But the sound installation — or in Sister City’s words, its new “Lobby Score” — takes it a step further and transports you (not literally) to a transcendent realm.

The relative peace and stillness in the lobby was punctuated at random moments by haunting choral voices from overhead speakers. Every few seconds, heavenly high notes rang out, followed by deep booming chants, altogether sounding like a horde of ghosts playing a taunting game of choral peekaboo.

But of course, it’s not supernatural. It’s Microsoft’s AI at work, using feedback from a camera installed on the hotel’s roof to determine which of Bjork’s selected works to play. Kórsafn translates to “choral archives,” and fittingly it features snippets drawn from the musician’s favorite arrangements of her career, performed by Iceland’s Hamrahlid Choir. Even as disjointed chunks, the vocal clusters sounded otherworldly, lending an ethereal air to the space.

Microsoft used what it calls an “automated long term AI training algorithm” to understand weather trends via the streaming camera and detect things like snow, rain, clouds, clear skies and even bird flocks. The AI is even smart enough to distinguish between types of clouds, like cumulus or cirrus, according to Microsoft’s director of strategic partnerships Amy Sorokas. It then decides which vocal clusters to play depending on what’s overhead. When the sun is shining, for example, the AI plays higher-pitched clusters. And, since I was there in the evening, I heard more low tones than someone there during an afternoon listening session would have.

In the lobby, you can’t really tell or even imagine what might be crossing the rooftop camera’s line of sight. All you get are the clusters of voices that ring out of the speakers overhead, and the effect is almost unsettling. It’s not something you’d expect to hear in a hotel lobby, but this is by design. Those in the know, like the roomful of media on opening night, might find it fun to try and guess what triggered the sound. Hotel guests who haven’t been briefed, however, might just be left confused.

“For me, the interesting thing is exciting this notion of curiosity,” Sorokas said. “Like wondering what made that sound happen, but not explaining it so totally that people feel like, ‘I know exactly what’s happening'” It is this sense of wonderment that she believes makes a difference. “It kind of makes you relax a little bit if you let yourself, just let your mind wander.”

2019 Sister City Space Shoot - Floret

Ryan Bukstein agreed. He’s the vice president of brand for Atelier Ace, which runs Sister City, and he believes that the score offers an unexpected environment that jolts visitors’ awareness. “Every time you walk into a space now, you hear playlists,” he said. “We wanted to score, because it really helps take people out of their normal of what they’re used to hearing.” This isn’t the first time a custom score has been designed for a hotel or a restaurant, of course. Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto has made original music for museums and buildings before, even using light and wind sensors to change the music during the day. The hospitality industry has also opted for unique soundtracks over generic playlists, though those still comprise of individual tracks. It’s not even Sister City’s first time doing something like this — its inaugural score launched with its opening last year, featuring work from experimental electronic musician Julianna Barwick.

Yet Kórsafn is still an unconventional experience that manages to be enjoyable. I only sat in the lobby for about half an hour, which is far longer than most guests might, and though some of the motifs eventually felt slightly repetitive, the voices of the choir left me feeling relaxed. Each time a different vocal cluster played, I wondered if a bird had flown by. Or, since this is rat-infested New York City after all, whether a rodent had skittered past the camera. Though that’s a chilling thought, the otherworldly sounds helped make the city’s grit feel far away.

I could listen to this soundtrack all day, as it’s exactly the unobtrusive type of background noise I need to get work done. It’s mostly due to the style of music, but the randomness of the AI generation also keeps things from getting boring and becoming a lullaby. The lobby is open to the public and you can hear the sounds from the adjacent hotel bar, so if you’re a big Bjork fan looking for a nice space to work out of, this could be worth checking out. Kórsafn will run through the end of the year, so you have plenty of time to check out what a team-up between AI and Bjork sounds like. If you’re not likely to be in New York before that, you can still check out the soundtrack and watch the rooftop camera’s feed on Sister City’s website.

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