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India restores some of Kashmir’s 4G internet following court ruling

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The Indian government applied blanket bans on internet access in Kashmir after it revoked partial autonomy in the region. The measure was meant to enforce security in the disputed territory, but it also cut off businesses and other facilities that needed at least some high-speed internet to thrive.

The restoration also comes at an important moment. With the world in the midst of a pandemic, fast mobile data could be vital for education, online shopping and India’s planned health ID cards. In that light, 4G service could represent a safety measure while it’s still risky to visit others.

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Huawei’s expired US license is bad news for phone owners

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After more than a year, the Commerce Department has stopped giving Huawei temporary licenses to keep supporting customers — and it’s not great news if you happen to have one of the company’s phones. The Washington Post has confirmed that the exceptions quietly expired on August 13th, making it illegal for Google and other software developers to send updates to Huawei (and, of course, to Huawei’s customers). If you have a P30 Pro or another Huawei phone with full Google services, you probably won’t get Android 11 or any other updates going forward.

A Google spokesperson told the Post that the temporary license was key to delivering Android updates through official means. Phones without Google services, such as the P40 Pro and many sold inside China, should still get updates as Huawei can use the open source version of Android while delivering updates itself.

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Amazon’s back-to-school deals include a $75 Echo Plus

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Buy Echo Studio on Amazon – $170 Buy Echo Studio on Best Buy – $170

There are other deals beyond these two, although they’re not the lowest we’ve seen. The Echo Dot with Clock is available for $40 at Amazon ($20 off) if you need help waking on time for morning classes. The Fire TV Stick 4K is selling for $35 ($15 off) for after-hours TV marathons. And if you want to studying using digital books, the basic ad-supported Kindle is available for $70 ($20 off).

The Echo Plus hasn’t been updated since 2018, but that’s not a bad thing. It produces a richer sound than the standard Echo without consuming much more space, and it can get your smart home started quickly thanks to its built-in smart hub and temperature sensor. The Echo Studio, however, is what you want if you’re more of a stickler for sound. We found it quite capable for the money, and it even benefits from high-quality audio services like Amazon Music HD. It’s just a question of whether you’re willing to pay nearly $100 more for the privilege.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.



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White House budget proposal would hike AI and quantum funding by 30 percent

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It’s not surprising why the US would devote more money to these efforts. US Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios stressed that the country needed to be “winning and leading” not just in present-day technology, but also that which would “define our future.” It’s concerned that countries like China might claim an edge, and the extra spending theoretically helps.

The White House ultimately aims to boost AI spending to over $2 billion by 2022, with quantum science funding reaching $860 million.

Whether or not the administration reaches its goals isn’t clear. The 2021 budget still has to clear both sides of Congress, and that’s not guaranteed when many other issues could be under dispute. The November election could also affect long-term plans — a new administration wouldn’t necessarily cut funding, but there could easily be a change in direction.

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Chrome could improve your battery life by taking requests from websites

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Google isn’t done finding ways to wring more battery life out of Chrome. TheWindowsClub has discovered that Google is experimenting with a meta tag that would let websites switch on energy-saving features. They could reduce the frame rate, slow down script execution or otherwise tone things down to help your laptop run a little while longer. It could react to user preferences or even the state of your machine, such as a low battery.

This could be particularly helpful if you want to keep your system alive during a long video call, or to prevent web apps from consuming too much energy when speed isn’t of the essence.

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iRobot’s high-end Roomba i7+ vacuum is back down to its lowest price

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Buy Roomba S9+ at Wellbots – $999

The Roomba i7+ is one of the higher-end devices you can buy from iRobot as it comes with the actual robot vacuum and a Clean Base, which is a garbage can of sorts that holds dirt and debris. After the robot vacuum completes a cleaning job, it will automatically return to its home base and empty its bin into the Clean Base. It can store up to 30 bins worth of dirt, meaning you only have to change the bag every so often — that’s more convenient that emptying the vacuum’s bin yourself after every cleaning.

We reviewed the Roomba i7+ when it came out in 2018 and gave it a score of 87. The Clean Base is quite handy and the robot vacuum does exactly what it’s supposed to do. Roomba knows how to make solid cleaning machines and the i7+ is both quieter and more powerful than the models that came before it. It also includes iRobot’s mapping technology, which allows it to create a digital blueprint of your home as it runs. You can then use that map to tell the vacuum to clean only a specific room in your home.

We had two big gripes with the i7+, though: you must buy proprietary bags for the Clean Base and it’s very expensive. It’s hard to get around the former, but Wellbots’ sale makes it much easier to recommend the i7+. It’s still more expensive than other robot vacuums, but it’s a good sale price for a vacuum that includes mapping and automatic bin cleaning.

Wellbots also has the Roomba S9+ on sale for $999 and it’s a bit different, and in some ways more powerful, than the i7+. It has a flattened side that makes its easier for it to clean corners and it has a high-efficiency filter that helps it better capture pet hair. It also has a feature that allows it to automatically adjust suction power depending on if it’s cleaning hard floors or carpets. Like the i7+, the S9+ comes with a Clean Base that can hold up to 30 bins worth of dirt and it uses iRobot’s mapping technology. The i7+ is more than enough for most people’s needs, but the S9+ could be a good option for those that are sticklers for cleaning up after their pets.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.



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Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Fan Edition may cut costs in design and cameras

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Rumors have swirled of a Galaxy S20 Fan Edition that would serve as a lower-cost alternative to the original, and it now appears to exist as more than just a collection of murmurs. Well-known tipster OnLeaks and Pricebaba have posted leak-based renders of what they say is the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) 5G. The more device would still have a roughly 6.4-inch screen, a familiar-looking camera array and other S20-like design touches, but would use a frosted or matte plastic back in place of glass. Like the base Galaxy Note 20, then, you’d sacrifice some of that premium feel for a more affordable device.

The rest of the cost-cutting might come through memory and the cameras. Like the Galaxy S10 Lite, you might not have to settle for a lower-end processor. You might not have to give up the 120Hz display, either. Instead, you might have to make do with a reduced 6GB to 8GB of RAM. You’d also have to settle for a relatively simple rear camera array that could include a 12MP main camera (according to Ice Universe), a 12MP ultra-wide and an 8MP telephoto with 3X optical zoom. GalaxyClub claimed it would have a 4,500mAh battery that could provide healthy battery life.



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High-speed camera captures a fluid behaving like a solid

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By itself, the study revealed what was possible with the material. You could turn the friction (and thus the fluid state) “on and off like a switch” just by varying the pressure.

However, Swansea University also suggested this could have a significant impact on engineering going forward. Scientists are already hoping to use DST for soft body armor, dynamic speed bumps and other products that could change properties on demand. Don’t be surprised if high-speed cameras become a mainstay of some engineering teams as a result.

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India will provide ID cards that store all your medical data

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There are still some concerns about the safety of the data. If someone steals your card, can they access and manipulate your info? For that matter, the move also raises questions about the security of the database and the potential difficulties if you don’t have your card in an emergency.

There wasn’t a mention of a timeframe for when the cards would be ready.

The move comes just as India wants every village in the country to be connected with fiber optic cable in the next 1,000 days.

There’s certainly pressure to rethink data. India has been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with tens of thousands of new infections per day. Health ID cards won’t necessarily be ready in time to meaningfully address COVID-19, but they could help contain similar diseases by ensuring consistent treatment and vaccine delivery. However, this assumes the card system works as well as promised — and with nearly 1.4 billion people, that’s a daunting challenge.



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