Tuesday 4 July 2017

The Morning After: Face-scanning iPhones and the first Model 3s

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It's Tuesday, July 04, 2017.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Happy Independence Day! After everyone else sets off fireworks today, Elon Musk and the crew at SpaceX will turn attention to their next rocket launch on the 5th or 6th. But, of course, the big news is Tesla’s Model 3, and we even have a new iPhone rumor.

It’s happening.

Tesla will deliver the first 30 Model 3s on July 28th

Tesla will deliver the first 30 Model 3s on July 28th

Over the years, Tesla hasn’t always delivered vehicles on time. Recently, problems with building its 100kWh battery packs hampered Tesla’s deliveries, but those issues appear to be resolved, and CEO Elon Musk says the Model 3 is almost here. In fact, there will be a “handover party” for the first 30 sedans on July 28th, and Musk is promising 20,000 cars per month by December.

A long time coming.

The (re)making of 'Crash Bandicoot’

The (re)making of 'Crash Bandicoot’

Three years ago, Sony promised gamers another trip to N.Sanity Beach, and last week it delivered. We took a peek behind the scenes with developer Vicarious Visions as team members explained their love for the game, and how they tried to stay true to Naughty Dog's original vision throughout the myriad changes. Bonus: Check out exclusive footage from an early version of the iconic first level from 2015.

One of these makes sense.

Two video-game-turned-TV shows debut this week

Two video-game-turned-TV shows debut this week

Netflix is getting ready to release season one of its animated Castlevania series, but the other game coming to TV is more of a surprise: Candy Crush. The Mario Lopez-hosted game show will premiere on CBS Sunday night.

Goodbye, TouchID?

The next iPhone reportedly scans your face instead of your finger

The next iPhone reportedly scans your face instead of your finger

The latest iPhone 8 rumors suggest that Apple is having trouble slipping a fingerprint scanner underneath the new phone’s OLED screen. As a result, it may rely on 3D facial recognition instead of TouchID for password-less unlocking

Running late.

Windows 10's 'Timeline' feature won't arrive this fall

Windows 10's 'Timeline' feature won't arrive this fall

We were expecting to see Microsoft’s new Timeline feature in the next big Windows 10 update, but a tweet from VP Joe Belfiore reveals that is not to be. It’s not cancelled, but users can expect to see it first via Insider beta builds after the Fall Creators Update drops.

But wait, there's more...

1. What we're using in July: Google WiFi

2. 'Baby Driver' is an ode to iPod nostalgia

3. SpaceX's capsule 're-flight' is a space travel milestone

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Monday 3 July 2017

The Morning After: Self-driving cars' newest enemy? Kangaroos.

Engadget Email Newsletter

Engadget Email Newsletter

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It's Monday, July 03, 2017.

Hey, good morning!

Yes, it’s Monday, but you might’ve missed some interesting things over the weekend: kangaroos that confuse self-driving cars, some ‘Zelda’ DLC that’s a perfect fit and a new Sony smartphone that could be a contender.
 

But only in South Korea.
 

Samsung's resurrected Galaxy Note 7 launches on July 7th
 

Samsung's resurrected Galaxy Note 7 launches on July 7th<br />   

If you've missed the Galaxy Note 7 since it was discontinued over chronic battery fires, you now have a second chance at ownership... if you're willing to book a flight to Seoul. Samsung has confirmed recent rumors and its own teaser by announcing a refurbished version of the Note 7, the Galaxy Note Fan Edition, that will launch in South Korea on (appropriately enough) July 7th. As you might guess, it's largely the same phone hardware-wise -- the big difference is the use of safer, smaller-capacity batteries, which have, thankfully, passed stricter testing standards.
 

The same things that made the core game great.

The new 'Zelda' DLC is all about exploration and survival
 

The new 'Zelda' DLC is all about exploration and survival<br />   

Fans were worried Nintendo would stumble when it came to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s DLC packs. Rest easy, Hylian hero, Breath of the Wild's first DLC drop is light, but actually pretty good. Mostly because it focuses on what made the game great in the first place: survival, exploration and problem solving.
 

Sony’s latest Xperia is a terrific slow-mo shooter, with caveats.
 

The XZ Premium is a perfectly capable phone if you can find enough use for its standout feature
 

The XZ Premium is a perfectly capable phone if you can find enough use for its standout feature<br />   

At long last, Sony has made a seriously compelling flagship. Not only is the Xperia XZ Premium the best-looking handset the company has made in years but it also boasts a high-end camera capable of extreme slow-mo video recording. Plus it’s one of the first phones to use the Snapdragon 835 chipset, which supports Gigabit LTE speeds where available. And, it has a sumptuous 5.5-inch 4K display that is HDR-ready. That's a whole lot of reasons to check out the phone, but is it worth splurging $800 on?
 

The kit serves up a whopping 87 feedback points for under $549.

bHaptics' TactSuit is VR haptic feedback done right.
 

bHaptics' TactSuit is VR haptic feedback done right.<br />   

Every now and then, we come across a new attempt to bring haptic feedback to VR, but we've yet to see a fully convincing one; most tend to be both pricey and far from ready for prime time. At HTC’s Vive X demo day in Shanghai, we got some hands-on time with bHaptics’ TactSuit, a wireless kit with a haptic mask (which is a rarity), two haptic sleeves and a haptic vest. The fascinating part, though, is its total of 87 feedback points, which is a lot more generous than what the other suits offer.
 

But wait, there's more...

1. Recommended Reading: Netflix has another winner with 'GLOW'

2. ThermoReal lets you feel heat, cold and even pain in VR and AR

3. Volvo's self-driving cars are thrown off by kangaroos

4. Kanye West reportedly quits Tidal over money dispute

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.

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