Friday 9 August 2019

VAIO's new 12-inch laptop has all the ports

Engadget Email Newsletter

It's Friday, August 09, 2019.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Welcome to Friday morning! Google is refunding the difference if your flight price drops after you book it with them, VAIO has an epic laptop with every port imaginable and Apple suggests you don’t replace your iPhone battery with a third-party service.

But only on certain flights for a limited time.

Google Flights will refund the difference if prices drop unexpectedly

Google isn’t going to plan your next vacation, but, instead, it’s offering flight-price guarantees -- with some conditions. For a limited time, when it tells you prices won't drop on a trip you book through Google Flights, it'll refund the difference if it's wrong and the cost does get lower before you take off. Specifically, certain trips from the US booked between August 13th and September 2nd.

Using ZeroNet means users download and host parts of the sites they visit.

Peer-to-peer 8Chan mirror makes users responsible for its child porn

It's been a few days since Cloudflare stopped providing security protections to 8Chan, which led to the notorious site going offline. While 8Chan's leaders are still trying unsuccessfully to bring the site back, some of its users have found a way to reach it through some rather unusual and potentially problematic methods. The Daily Beast has reported on how some users are accessing the site via ZeroNet, a decentralized, peer-to-peer network for hosting content, similar to BitTorrent. But due to how this network works, some users are getting worried that they're hosting child pornography.

A site can be published to ZeroNet by an individual user, but those who then view it become "seeders," just as BitTorrent users can seed parts of files shared over the network. By default, if you access the site, you download up to 10MB of data from it to share through ZeroNet, though users can choose to download and seed more if they're so inclined. You'll need to actually view that content before it gets downloaded and shared from your computer... so it's entirely possible to view 8Chan and just not look at child porn. But given the chaos that is 8Chan, you really are taking a bit of a risk viewing the site at all over ZeroNet.

Connectivity nirvana.

VAIO's port-loaded 12-inch laptop goes on sale in the US

Following its launch in Japan, VAIO's SX12 offers just about every conceivable I/O you could ever want and is now out in the US. Its starting price of $1,119 means this isn't a cheap deal, but how could it be when such a diminutive 12-inch model somehow crams in three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, an HDMI port, a full-sized SD card slot, a headphone/mic port, an Ethernet port and even a VGA port -- 00’s style.

Start a project management career with this $39 training

It would much rather you pay it to perform a simple battery swap.

Apple warns iPhone users against third-party battery repairs

Apple really, really doesn't want you replacing your own iPhone battery. It has rolled out new software that detects if you have installed a battery that lacks an official authentication key and displays a warning about the battery's health. The issue, first spotted by iFixit, affects the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max devices running iOS 12 and the iOS 13 beta. If you replace your own iPhone battery or get it replaced by an unauthorized repair shop, when you head to the battery settings page, you'll see a message claiming that the battery isn’t “genuine”.

Apple had appeared to be easing up on its campaign against third-party battery swaps, as it reversed its policy against repairing iPhones with replaced batteries earlier this year. However, the company has introduced similar software limitations in the past to prevent users from repairing other Apple products such as MacBook Pros.

The 'Skullgirls' team's adventure is nearly ready.

Hand-drawn RPG 'Indivisible' finally arrives October 8th

Lab Zero and 505 Games have announced that their action RPG Indivisible will reach PC, the PS4 and Xbox One on October 8th. The Switch version is also "coming soon," the team added. Whichever version you play, you'll get the same meticulously animated visuals and elaborate backgrounds, plus a fast-paced action RPG mechanic that involves absorbing "Incarnations" that can fight alongside you.

But wait, there's more...

1. All the gear you need to build a game-streaming empire

2. Netflix signs a $200 million deal with 'Game of Thrones' showrunners

3. The best consoles, games and accessories

4. From indie development to Guerrilla Games: The 'Gravity Ghost' story

5. Why does the Galaxy Note still exist?

6. Twitch unveils its own desktop broadcasting app

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Thursday 8 August 2019

Editor's Pick: Galaxy Note10 Sharpens Samsung's Mobile Experience Vision

Galaxy Note10 Sharpens Samsung's Mobile Experience Vision

Richard Adhikari Aug 8, 2019 11:26 AM PT
	Samsung announced new devices and a deepening of its relationship with Microsoft at Samsung Unpacked, which showcased innovative new mobile experiences that work seamlessly and continuously anywhere and anywhen. "The line between work and play has pretty much disappeared, and that means we need technology that can seamlessly flow between the two," said Samsung exec Drew Blackard. [More...]

More Picks:

5 Steps to Optimizing Your Quiz for Marketing Success
The modern world is becoming more difficult every year for e-commerce marketers. Audiences are harder than ever to reach as mistrust of traditional marketing tactics continues to increase. Banner ads are dying with the rise of ad blockers -- and proven lead generation methods like pop-ups and interstitials are becoming less and less effective. A new tactic is needed -- and that tactic is quizzes. [More...]

Newcomer EndeavourOS Offers a Friendlier Arch Linux Experience
Good-bye Antergos Linux. Welcome to the Arch neighborhood, EndeavourOS. Here's hoping that you are well received! That may seem like a strange way to begin this week's Linux review discussion. After all, Linux distributions come and go far too often. However, the handoff from Antergos to EndeavourOS is significant. EndeavourOS is a new Arch-based Linux distro that picks up where Antergos left off. [More...]

How to Exert Privacy Control Over Your Home Speakers
Amazon, Google and Apple have suspended contractor review of consumer recordings following disclosures that the devices are nearly always listening and have captured personal, business and other delicate human interactions. Consumers using smart speakers and digital assistant apps from Amazon and Google can apply some control over their system settings. [More...]

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Here's everything you need to know about the Galaxy Note 10

Engadget Email Newsletter

It's Thursday, August 08, 2019.

Hey, good morning!

Welcome to Thursday! If you missed it, Samsung unveiled two new Galaxy Note phones, one a little bigger than the other. There’s also a plant-based meatball sub coming to Subway and more details on Nintendo’s Switch sequel plans. Oh and (hushed voice), Apple’s getting into ASMR. Shhh.

Two sizes, but no headphone jack.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ hands-on

Say hello to two new Galaxy Note phones. The Note 10 is a little smaller (6.3 inches) than last year’s model, while the Note 10+ is a little bigger (6.8 inches). However, both come with new gesture controls, lack of a headphone port and the usual sumptuous Samsung screen. In short, it’s more choice for your stylus-toting lifestyle. Preorders start August 8th, at 12:01AM ET, while the devices will be in stores on August 23rd, so you can go check them out before splurging that $950 (or $1,100 if you pick the bigger Note 10+). We think the petit Note 10 is the more appealing option, even if it’s a little too pricey.

Two new smartphones, a laptop and more.

All the important news from Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 event

It wasn’t just two new phones. Samsung’s Unpacked event included a new Windows 10 laptop that’s meant to run for a whole day, as well as a new Android tablet and smartwatch we’ve already talked about. Samsung gave a deep-dive tour of its upgraded S Pen stylus and its gesture controls, or Air Actions. These will let users activate shortcuts and perform specific actions by drawing shapes above the screen. The S Pen can also shrink, enlarge or change the color of text -- and you'll be able to export handwritten notes in different formats, including Microsoft Word and PDF.

Some models will pack Sharp IGZO displays.

Nintendo may have many, many more Switch consoles planned

Nintendo is definitely releasing the $200 Switch Lite handheld on September 20th, and may, according to rumors, release a higher-end console soon. Its plans might even go farther, too. According to Wall Street Journal sources on the inside, the company is reportedly working on updates beyond those models "to make the platform's lifecycle long." Sharp VP Katsuaki Nomura has added that the company will supply its IGZO display panels to a videogame client assumed to be Nintendo, according to an earlier WSJ report. Expect the next Switch to have a better-looking, power-sipping screen, as well.

Bundesliga uses Artificial Intelligence to deliver world-class soccer to growing global fanbase

For Microsoft, it looks like money well spent.

Ninja already has a million subscribers on Mixer

Streaming superstar Tyler Blevins, better known by his online handle, Ninja, has already racked up one million subscribers on Mixer. It's an impressive feat considering Mixer is smaller than Twitch and the streamer only announced his exclusivity deal last week. For now, anyone can nab a free one-month subscription to Ninja's channel. After September 30th, though, fans will have to pay a fee -- probably $5.99 -- for subscriber perks such as custom emotes and ad-free streams. That will prove to be a true test of loyalty.

What, no haircut video?

Apple (gently) taps ASMR fans with its latest iPhone ads

Apple wants to show that it's hip, latching on to one of YouTube's biggest trends: ASMR videos. A year or two late, the company has posted a series of iPhone-captured Apple ASMR clips from director Anson Fogel, which aim to deliver relaxing tingles. There are only four so far: You can fall asleep to rain during a camping trip, scratch that mental itch with hiking trail crunches, set your mind alight with whispers or listen to satisfying wood carving sounds. If sweet whispers and crunches do absolutely nothing for you, we’ve got some bad news: This is only season 1.

Eat fresh without eating real meat.

Beyond Meat comes to Subway in the form of a meatball

Impossible Foods might have Burger King, but Beyond Meat has Subway. The sandwich chain has announced that it will test a sub with plant-based meat, the Beyond Meatball Marinara, in 685 North American restaurants this September. Eat faux.