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This week in tech history: Android turns 11

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After search (and the massive ad business attached to it), what do you think Google’s most important product is? There are multiple potential candidates like Chrome and Maps, but my money’s on Android. The 10th major version of Google’s mobile operating service just arrived a few weeks ago, as it now does every fall. And tomorrow, September 23rd, is the 11th anniversary of Android’s official release alongside the announcement of the HTC Dream, the first phone running Android.

As just about anyone reading this site knows, Android was Google’s vision for the modern smartphone, released a little over a year after Apple stormed the industry with the iPhone. Through more than a decade, both operating systems have changed radically — but in typical Google fashion, Android felt at launch more like a beta test than anything that was truly consumer ready. “While there’s plenty to praise in this phone,” we wrote in our review way back in October of 2008, “there’s a lot more that’s missing — and some of those missing elements are what we consider to be core components of a device in the G1’s class.”

But Android also did a lot well, right out of the gate. From the start, logging in with your Google account synced to your phone all the important information you might need. It took Apple years to come up with a system that seamless — iOS 5 finally ushered in computer-free sign-in and setup in the fall of 2011. If you used Google Calendar, Contacts and Gmail, it would all be right there, no hassle required. Of course, in the case of contacts, that wasn’t necessarily a good thing, because Gmail’s contact system was an absolute mess that took years to unravel. Such was life in those early days of the smartphone revolution.

Another place Android shone from day one was notifications. We may take the pull-down notification shade for granted now, but Android had it from day one. It was a far better solution than what you’d find on Windows Mobile, BlackBerry or the iPhone, and Apple decided to essentially copy it outright in 2011. Microsoft also put its own take on the Android notification shade into Windows Phone, but it was too little too late for that platform by then.

It would be another year before Android really became friendly to more than just Google enthusiasts, though. 2009 saw the simultaneous release of Android 2.0 and the Motorola DROID on Verizon, the biggest carrier in the US. (Disclosure: Verizon became Engadget’s parent company in 2015.) The hardware was a huge step forward from the G1, while software updates like support for multiple email accounts, an improved browser, a revamped contact system and a host of UI improvements all made Android easier and more pleasant to use.

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Microsoft invites more people to test very rough Xbox features

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You’ve had to be part of a very exclusive club to try Xbox One features in their rawest form — so exclusive the criteria has been “closely guarded,” Microsoft said. Now, though, the company is loosening its restrictions ever so slightly. The Xbox Insider unit is inviting more people to join the Alpha Skip Ahead ring so that it can expand testing for key updates. If you see this before September 23rd at 2:59AM Eastern (11:59PM on September 22nd), you can use the “report a problem” feature in the power menu, choose “add new problem,” pick “future build” and then make a case for why you should be included in the Alpha Skip Ahead program.

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Fitbit is reportedly in the early stages of exploring a sale

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Fitbit might be ready to cede some control of its destiny. Reuters sources said the company is talking to investment bank Qatalyst Partners about the possibility of shopping itself around to would-be acquirers. Qatalyst has reportedly been pressing Fitbit to consider the option for weeks, suggesting that Alphabet and private equity outfits might be interested if it did. A move is far from certain, but it’s notable that a selloff is even on the table.

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Tilta mods Blackmagic’s Pocket Cinema Camera with a tilt screen and SSD

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You won’t be replacing the camera’s screen with this mod, just adding some hardware to allow it to twist and turn. Tilta says that it only takes an hour to complete the modification and that the kit includes all the tools you’ll need. The company will also provide tutorials so you can follow along and hopefully not brick your pricey camera. Oh, and performing this mod will definitely void your warranty.

The kit will also come with carbon fiber replacements for the BMPCCs’ flimsy port plugs, as well as a kit that allows you to mount an M.2 SSD in the cavity formerly occupied by the screen. A stock Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera takes SD, UHS-II and CFast cards natively, and can also write to a tiny USB SSD, like the Samsung T5, via a USB port. So while there’s no lack of connectivity, having an SSD tucked inside the camera is a nice bonus. Tilta hasn’t published a product page yet, but the mod kit will ship in November and cost $329.

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Three Mile Island’s infamous nuclear plant shuts down after 45 years

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This doesn’t mark the end of the overall story, however, as it’ll take decades to clean up. Some of the teardown will take place quickly. Staff will remove the reactor’s fuel supply in the next few weeks and store it in the used fuel pool. It’ll take much longer to fully decommission the reactor, however. Exelon estimated that the plant won’t be fully clear of radioactive material until 2078, or more than a century after it entered service. Unit 2 is expected to close in 2036.

Unit 1 has been relatively safe, with the only notable incident being an air pressure change that briefly exposed 20 employees to a mild amount of radiation. However, the reactor has long lived in the shadow of Unit 2, whose partial meltdown exposed nearly 2 million people to radiation. There don’t appear to have been any publicly disclosed health effects, but the incident led to stricter oversight and, along with the Chernobyl disaster, defined the public perception of nuclear energy.

Exelon wasn’t shy in trying to pin the blame on local government. It claimed that Pennsylvania law “does not support the continued operation” of the reactor, and that rules “fail to evenly value clean energy resources” while dirty power sources could “pollute for free.” It doesn’t think nuclear is getting a fair shake compared to renewables and other clean energy sources, in other words. It has also complained about low natural gas prices that make Unit 1 difficult to run.

It’s not certain just what happens next, but the odds aren’t high for a revival. While nuclear is relatively clean, the rises of both renewables and natural gas have reduced the demand for it. Like it or not, the industry has moved on — the closure is a symbol of that transition.

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Samsung asks users to be extra careful with the Galaxy Fold

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It starts with a reminder that the Fold’s display comes protected and needs no extra film — one of the reasons why early units got damaged was because reviewers peeled that layer off. However, the video also advises potential buyers to “use a light touch.”

Next, the video explains that the Fold was designed with an articulated spine “inspired by the precision of watch mechanics” and that you should keep it free of water and dust. When Samsung redesigned the device, it added caps to the top and bottom edges of the hinge, because dust was getting into the older hinge design and jamming the mechanism. It’s not quite clear why the company still wants you to protect it from dust and how it expects you to accomplish that.

Finally, the company explains that the device uses strategically placed magnets to keep it secure when folded. That’s why, according to Samsung, it shouldn’t be placed near keys or coins that could damage it. The device also shouldn’t be kept near debit or credit cards, which means you can’t just dump it into your bag/purse with everything else. Samsung even warns that you may want to consult your doctor before use if you have an implantable medical device.

The video ends with a note that Samsung created the Galaxy Fold Premier Service to help you care for the foldable phone-slash-tablet. You can watch the whole thing below, but here’s a one-line summary for you: you may want to think twice about buying the $2,000 device if you’re clumsy.

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Uber sues NYC over vehicle caps

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Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office defended the measures, which were intended to reduce traffic and clear streets for buses, bikes and pedestrians. A spokesperson contended that the moves were both legal and provide “needed relief” to both NYC streets and existing drivers.

Uber and rivals like Lyft have acknowledged that their services can make traffic worse. However, they’ve typically wanted to alleviate the burden on their own terms, and that has typically meant avoiding caps. They’re unlikely to simply accept the rules, and it’s not clear that a compromise is on the horizon.

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Australia will help NASA go to the Moon and Mars

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Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the country is spending $150 million over five years for the collaboration. The newly formed Australian Space Agency will use the budget to “foster the new ideas and hi-tech skilled jobs that will make Australian businesses a partner of choice to fit out Nasa missions.” Artemis, as we mentioned, is one of those missions, along with NASA’s other deep-space projects like Mars 2020.

It remains to be seen whether Australia’s support can help NASA send astronauts to the Moon by 2024. Flying humans to Earth’s faithful companion in five years’ times is an ambitious goal, and even the agency itself isn’t sure if it can accomplish what the US government wants it to do. NASA’s acting associate administrator for human exploration and operations Ken Bowersox told the US House of Representatives’ Science, Space and Technology Committee: “[T]here’s a lot of risk to making the date, but we want to try to do it.”

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Apple gets US approval for Mac Pro tariff exemptions

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Reports have circulated that Apple was moving production to China, but that’s not necessarily the case. Tim Cook mentioned during Apple’s latest earnings call that the company wanted to keep making Mac Pros in the US and was investing in additional capacity. Even if Apple does assemble the reworked Mac in the US, though, tariffs could still be painful. Many of the parts Apple needs are still likely to be made in China, and those costs could quickly add up.

The company isn’t alone, either. Regulators also pulled tariffs for electronics that affect other PC makers, including those for partial circuit boards and graphics cards. If they hadn’t, there was a good possibility that many computers would have become more expensive, including homebuilt PCs using Chinese parts. Apple has simply been one of the largest targets, and still risks significant cost increases if the US goes forward with a new round of tariffs on December 15th.

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TiVo says all retail DVR owners will see ads before recorded shows

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There’s no mention of if or when cable providers might implement the ads, and it’s not clear if the ads will subsidize the cost of service. The early testing suggested you might see the commercials primarily on TiVo Experience 4 devices.

Not surprisingly, reactions haven’t been all that positive. Users in the thread that revealed the test have threatened to cancel service, arguing that they shouldn’t have to endure ads when they’re already paying for access. There’s also the simple matter of inconvenience — this adds one more step before you can watch your recorded shows, even if it boils down to clicking the “skip” button. While this could help bring more users into the fold if it makes devices like the $50 Android TV stick more viable, it also risks alienating veteran customers who bought TiVo DVRs precisely to escape ads.

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