Saturday 10 November 2018

The Morning After: MacBook Air and iPad Pro reviews

Engadget Email Newsletter

It's Saturday, November 10, 2018.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Welcome to your weekend. Microsoft’s big Xbox event is scheduled to kick off at 4 PM ET, but until then you can check out our reviews of the iPad Pro, MacBook Air and BMW i8. Also, Tesla’s updates have delivered a fun new driving mode for properly-equipped Model 3s, and it’s time to take another look at Samsung’s foldable Infinity Flex display.

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Its A12X Bionic chipset outpaces some PCs in our office.

iPad Pro 12.9 review (2018): The future of computing?

This is the first iPad we’ve ever tested that could actually potentially replace a traditional computer in someone’s life. That said, shortcomings in iOS and a lack of optimized software mean that this iPad’s best days are still to come.

In many ways, it's the machine that Air holdouts have been waiting for

Apple MacBook Air review (2018): A good buy and a tough call

The new Air is precisely the upgrade many users have been holding out for, with a slimmed-down body, sharper Retina display, long battery life and a useful Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Still, as Dana Wollman explains, if performance matters and you have $1,300 or so to spend on a laptop, the 13-inch Pro might indeed be a more practical choice.

Flex.

Samsung debuts foldable 'Infinity Flex' phone display

When closed, Samsung’s foldable-phone prototype looks like a regular smartphone, and the cover can be used to display information like the weather and time. It can then be unfolded like a book to reveal a 7.3-inch display that works like a miniature tablet.

According to Samsung, you can run three apps simultaneously with what it calls a Multi-Active Window. While the device itself isn’t quite ready for prime time (it looked a little dim onstage), Google is already preparing Android for a future full of flexible devices that flip in and out of different configurations.

The budget buds boast a charging case and Bluetooth 5.0.

Xiaomi's true wireless 'AirDots' earbuds cost less than $30

Xiaomi’s latest budget offering is a pair of true wireless earbuds that cost around $28 (depending on the exchange rate). They're dubbed AirDots, which sounds confusingly (or intentionally) similar to Apple's $159 AirPods. To further fuel the comparisons, they also come in white and tout a minimal design, and they have a plastic case that’ll also charge the tiny things. For now, the buds are set to launch in China, with no word on a global launch.

Straight line speed isn’t everything.

Tesla's Model 3 gets quicker cornering with 'Track Mode'

Tesla has just made your Model 3 Performance EV a helluva lot more fun with the launch of Track Mode. The software shuts down all the traction control protection that normally prevents wheel slip in order to keep your car between the scenery. With that turned off, the dual electric motors are repurposed to improve cornering and, judging by Tesla's demo video, transform the Model 3 into a drifting machine.

But wait, there's more...

1. Income, tax and immigration data stolen in Healthcare.gov breach

2. Mac mini teardown uncovers all of the tiny desktop's updates

3. Apple announces repair programs for iPhone X, MacBook Pro problems

4. Bad Password: How Brian Kemp hacked Georgia's election

5. Tesla's Model 3 Key Fob arrives without 'passive entry' feature

6. Gaming guide creator Prima Games is shutting down

7. BMW's i8 Roadster is a daily driver in supercar's clothing

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Friday 9 November 2018

E-Commerce Minute

E-Commerce Minute: Friday -- November 9, 2018

The E-Commerce Times -- E-Business Means Business
http://www.ecommercetimes.com
Part of the ECT News Network

Headline Scan
HBO Fires Back at Dish in Blackout Tussle
6 Ways Retailers Can Hold Their Own in the Microbrand Revolution
Let Your Customers Drive the Change You Want
Can Sprint Get Out of Its Own Way?
Above the Funnel No More

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Today's Story Highlights

HBO Fires Back at Dish in Blackout Tussle

HBO chief Richard Plepler has issued a response to Dish CEO Charlie
Ergen's claim that the ongoing impasse between the companies was the
result of a purely anticompetitive play on AT&T's part. It was Dish that
dropped HBO and Cinemax signals at midnight on Oct. 31, blacking out
programming for subscribers, Plepler said. That was the first time in
HBO's nearly 50-year history that any pay-TV service dropped the premium
channel from its lineup.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/85672.html

6 Ways Retailers Can Hold Their Own in the Microbrand Revolution

The holiday shopping season is kicking off! It is only a matter of time
before carols and bright lights greet us in malls and shopping centers.
One popular item on many of this year's wish lists is the Velvet Lip
Kit. To fulfill this particular wish, givers can skip the crowds and the
checkout lines. They can skip the retail stores all together, at least
for this one item, by ordering it through Kylie Jenner's direct-to-
consumer online channel.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/85669.html

Let Your Customers Drive the Change You Want

Before I was a parent, I was a youth leader. As individuals, teens had
unique personalities, skills and stories, but one thing that was
universal was the effect that parental communication had on them.
Whether it was a criticism, a suggestion, or merely a bit of helpful
information, the teens tended to look down on it, or even become hostile
toward the messenger.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/85670.html

Can Sprint Get Out of Its Own Way?

There has been so much water under the wireless bridge. Sprint has tried
to keep up with the big players, but even though it has a good quality
mobile product and plenty of spectrum, it seems it just can't catch a
break, win market share, and become more relevant. Based on its latest
earnings report, Sprint is in better shape today than it has been in
recent years, but it is still struggling.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/85664.html

Above the Funnel No More

The conventional sales funnel exceeded its usefulness a long time ago,
roughly when the Internet gave us the ability to gather information
about vendors, products and services. Without the necessity of
contacting a salesperson, individuals and businesses could eliminate the
middleman in the information exchange. The result was sales cycle
compression and more emphasis on getting a good deal.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/85665.html

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The Morning After: PlayStation Classic and an electric Harley-Davidson

Engadget Email Newsletter

It's Friday, November 09, 2018.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

It’s Friday, and we finally have a name for Disney’s new streaming service -- you can probably guess what it is. Also, we’ve reviewed Microsoft’s latest laptop and taken some time to consider the potential of a phone that folds up.

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The streaming fight is on in 2019.

Disney’s Netflix competitor has a name: Disney+

The new service will offer a number of exclusive original shows and movies as well including a Loki-centric Thor spinoff starring Tom Hiddleston, a reboot of the High School Musical franchise, new adventures from the Monsters Inc. universe and a prequel series to Rogue One starring Diego Luna (to go with Jon Favreau's already-announced The Mandalorian).

It’s one of the best notebooks of the year.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 review

Microsoft didn’t just up the style game on the Surface Laptop 2 -- it brought the heat in performance and battery life, as well. The speed and battery improvements aren’t as huge as promised, but they’re still significant.

Start working on your backflips now.

Vine will be revived as Byte next spring

Vine co-founder Dom Hofmann is preparing another looping-video app, and it’s launching in 2019. That’s all we know.

Political and financial experts discuss the economic impact of the midterm elections

People doubted the Galaxy Note, too.

Hit or miss, Samsung’s foldable phone is a big deal

It's still far too early to praise or condemn Samsung's initial foray into the foldable-hybrid market, but it is exciting. Even if Dan Cooper isn’t quite sure how he’d use a device with dual-sided screen setup.

Using a device with two voice assistants can get confusing.

Facebook Portal and Portal+ review: Video chat takes center stage

If you’re a Messenger fan who insists on getting a Portal, Nicole Lee recommends getting the smaller, cheaper model.

Hope you like heavy pixelation and blocky polygon rendering.

The Playstation Classic is $100 worth of '90s nostalgia

On one hand, if you're into retro gaming, already have a NES Classic and a SNES Classic and want to round out your collection -- or if you just want to show your bratty kids just how good they've actually got it with their Playstation 4s and Xbox Ones -- by all means take a shot with the PSC.

At $100, it's a bit pricier than either the $60 NES Classic or $80 SNES Classic, but it does offer easier access to these old-school games than fiddling with emulators and ROMs. On the other hand, you're dropping a Benjamin to play 23-year-old video games.