Wednesday 24 October 2018

The Morning After: Motorola's down with DIY phone repairs

Engadget Email Newsletter

Engadget Email Newsletter

Engadget Email Newsletter

Engadget Email Newsletter

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It's Wednesday, October 24, 2018.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Welcome back! Your Wednesday may involve a decluttered Facebook Messenger, fixing your old smartphone with an official repair kit from iFixit or maybe you want a gaming smartphone with a familiar-looking control setup?

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A 37 percent improvement.

HP's latest Spectre x360 laptops boast up to a 22-hour battery

HP's latest Spectre x360 laptops boast up to a 22-hour battery

HP is once again tweaking its Spectre x360 convertible laptops, but this time the changes promise to be more tangible. The star of the show is undoubtedly the 13-inch model. It now boasts a whopping 22.5-hour peak battery life and optional gigabit-class LTE. Prices start at $1,150 for the Spectre x360 13 and scale to $1,390 for its 15-inch sibling.

An ideal coffee-table book for Nintendo fans.

The official 'Super Mario Bros.' Encyclopedia is here

The official 'Super Mario Bros.' Encyclopedia is here

After a years-long wait, the official Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia is available outside Japan. The 256-page compendium is available in both a $40 standard edition as well as an $80 limited version with a random, holofoil-trimmed cover in a question-mark slipcase. Whichever version you pick, it should be a relatively comprehensive history of the Mario series up to its 30th anniversary in 2015.

Why not DIY?

Motorola and iFixit sell official phone repair kits

Motorola and iFixit sell official phone repair kits

Motorola is the first major phone maker to provide parts to iFixit, which now sells official repair kits for phones like the Z Play or Droid Turbo 2. The kits vary in cost depending on the phone and the nature of the repair, starting at $35 for a Moto X battery and scaling up to $200 for screen replacements on the Droid Turbo 2 and Moto Z Force.

Go, go, go!

Tesla drops Model S and X interior options to simplify production

Tesla drops Model S and X interior options to simplify production

Elon Musk has announced that his company is removing "many" Model S and Model X interior configuration options after November 1st to "simplify production." He didn't say which features were getting the chop, but it's safe to presume that you'll want to order quickly if you demand an interior that's equipped just so.

Without actually getting rid of anything.

Facebook is finally decluttering Messenger

Facebook is finally decluttering Messenger

Facebook said it’s trying to make Messenger friendlier with a refreshed design and a simplified experience. So, for example, instead of having to tap several times to send a photo or start a video call, you can now swipe on your friend's name on the Chats tab to access those features right from the home screen. Features aren’t going away though, so things like Stories and Games are still around. Messenger 4, with its three tabs instead of nine, is rolling out now.

And its fast-charging ‘tank’ is available for older bikes.

Zero Motorcycles' 2019 line-up boasts more power and longer range

Zero Motorcycles' 2019 line-up boasts more power and longer range

The biggest changes come in the form of more power and a longer range. The entry-level Zero S and DS, both with the base ZF7.2 battery, are now getting a 35 percent increase in horsepower and an eight percent faster top speed, putting them on par with your standard internal combustion engine bikes. Prices for the new line-up range from $8,495 for the shorter range Zero FX and FXS, to $19,390 for the long-range Zero SR.

Prices will literally vary.

HTC's blockchain phone can only be bought with cryptocurrency

HTC's blockchain phone can only be bought with cryptocurrency

HTC’s newest phone wasn’t destined to be a hit. The Exodus 1 is a blockchain phone that’s very secure / very silly. It ships in December, but you can only buy it online for 0.15 bitcoins or 4.78 ethereum tokens. That’s roughly $960.  No wait, $975. No wait...

Wait, that’s not a Joy-Con…

Xiaomi's new gaming smartphone comes with a Joy-Con

Xiaomi's new gaming smartphone comes with a Joy-Con

Because there’s apparently no such thing as too many gaming phones, say hello to the… Helo Black Shark, a gaming-centric smartphone made with help from Xiaomi. The most notable feature here has to be the bluetooth controller accessory, which slides on to the phone case, adding a joystick and a cluster of buttons that will look familiar to anyone with a Nintendo Switch. While the popularity of Fortnite, PUBG mobile and the rest can’t be argued, we’re still waiting to see if mobile gamers are convinced enough to make their next phone purchase a specialist one.

But wait, there's more...

1. The Ducati Multistrada 1260S is ready for anything

2. Google Play will upgrade your HD movies to 4K for free

3. Thalmic Labs' Focal smart glasses pick up where Google Glass left off

4. Dyson will build its electric cars in Singapore

5. MoviePass to spin out from its parent company amid legal woes

6. Drake is now co-owner of an esports brand

7. 'No Man's Sky' is getting a spooky update next week

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