Thursday 15 August 2019

The mystery of Virginia's TV Man

Engadget Email Newsletter

It's Thursday, August 15, 2019.

Hey, good morning!

This Thursday, we’re trying to unravel the mystery of TV Man, fight the robocall fight and see T-Mobile and Sprint’s merger creep closer to a conclusion. The FCC boss likes it -- what could possibly go wrong?

Ten questions for TV Man.

Why is someone leaving old TVs on porches in Virginia?

Residents in Virginia remain bewildered after a mysterious person with a TV on their head placed out-dated televisions on the doorsteps of more than 50 homes in Henrico County. Police have yet to identify the person behind the screen, even though he (or she) was spotted in action by several doorbell cameras. We have so many questions.

Nest Hello doorbells and Dropcams will also be affected.

Google Nest camera users can no longer disable the status light

Oddly connected to the story above, Google has sent an email notifying existing Nest camera, Nest Hello doorbell and Dropcam owners that they can no longer disable their devices' status light. It was previously possible to switch off those security devices' status lights to prevent them from being spotted in a dark room, keeping them hidden from, say, home invaders. Google says the move is connected to its privacy policy.

What's illegal, what's not and what you can do to get rid of them.

What to do when the robocalls won't stop

You recognize it the moment you pick up the phone. The quiet beat before a clearly prerecorded message speaks ominously about your social security number getting canceled. Or perhaps it's a call trying to sell you health insurance or a vacation. Either way, you've been hit by a robocall, and you're not alone. YouMail, which makes robocall-blocking software, estimates that Americans received 47.8 billion robocalls in 2018.

The FCC says that US consumers receive 350,000 unwanted calls every three minutes, and of those calls, a whopping 47 percent are illegal scams. Knowing all of this, what can consumers do? Thankfully, there are several safeguards in place -- Nicole Lee runs through the options.

Save over $150 on a lifetime to Babbel language learning

He already said he'd ask commissioners to greenlight the deal.

FCC chairman Ajit Pai endorses T-Mobile / Sprint merger

The proposed merger of Sprint and T-Mobile is inching ever closer to completion after the Department of Justice gave its conditional endorsement last month. Now, Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai is formally recommending that the agency's commissioners approve the deal. Pai claims the combined capabilities of Sprint and T-Mobile will speed up the deployment of a 5G network. The order requires Sprint and T-Mobile to provide 5G coverage to 99 percent of Americans within six years.

Pai's recommendation is not much of a surprise. He's been open about his support for the deal, believing it to be "in the public interest."

Changes are coming, but they might not be big enough for teams like Renault.

Formula 1's underdogs struggle with the technical challenges of the sport

As Renault approached the French Grand Prix, a lot was at stake. The race was on the team's home turf, at a make-or-break point in the season. Nobody was panicking. Yet. Despite having won twice in 2018 with Red Bull, new driver Daniel Ricciardo knew what he had signed on for with Renault. The team was ready: It came in with both engine and chassis changes.

But the Paul Ricard circuit at Castellet in France was not the best test for Renault. On a high-speed track that rewarded horsepower and aerodynamic downforce, Mercedes, Ferrari and other rich, top-tier teams dominated. While Hulkenberg finished in the points, he (and nearly all other teams) were literally lapped by Lewis Hamilton. In the end, it was a dull race for the few fans that did attend and another disappointment for Renault. Here's how an upcoming F1 team saw a promising season go so wrong.

Marie Kondo would approve.

The tech you need to declutter your academic life

Japanese decluttering extraordinaire Marie Kondo has inspired many to get rid of unnecessary junk in their homes. As it turns out, clearing away stuff that doesn't "spark joy," per the MariKon program, can actually help you feel good about your life. Having less mess is not only good for general well-being but can also make you more productive at school. Our goal is to give you all the tools you need to succeed at school without anything extraneous dragging you down.

But wait, there's more...

1. The fitness gadgets and apps you should be using at school

2. Porsche's Cayenne E-Hybrid is the company's 'just right' SUV

3. NASA chooses four potential asteroid sample sites for OSIRIS-REx

4. Misfit's Vapor X smartwatch boasts longer battery life and Spotify

5. Massive biometric security flaw exposed more than one million fingerprints

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Wednesday 14 August 2019

Editor's Pick: Snap Unwraps $380 High-Tech Specs

Snap Unwraps $380 High-Tech Specs

John P. Mello Jr.
Aug 14, 2019 2:56 AM PT

With the announcement of its Spectacles 3 sunglasses, Snap must be hoping three times will be the charm. Unlike the two previous generations, Spectacles 3 has two HD cameras to add depth perception to the peepers' repertoire. "The second camera for depth should improve capture and the overall experience, if not add anything truly new," said Eric Abbruzzese, senior analyst at ABI Research. [More...]

More Picks:

Spotify for Podcasters Hits the Open Road
Spotify has launched Spotify for Podcasters following a year-long beta involving more than 100,000 podcasts from 167 countries. Spotify for Podcasters is a discovery and analytics dashboard designed to let podcasters track performance through data such as episode retention charts, aggregate demographics about listeners, and details on follower growth. Podcast data is updated daily. [More...]

The Apple Card Difference: Security
Apple sent emails to a small number of customers last week, inviting them to apply for the company's new Apple Card, and a privileged few have become the first to enroll in the program. The rollout is limited to qualifying applicants in the U.S. The Apple Card, which is a virtual Mastercard issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA's Salt Lake City branch, will roll out generally later this summer. [More...]

ClickSoftware Buy Signals Important Directional Shift for Salesforce
What's the big deal, I thought? Last week Salesforce announced it was paying in the range of $1.35 billion for ClickSoftware, a private field service automation and workforce management company. At first, I attributed it to a slow summer news cycle that was driving attention to the deal at a time when many people in the industry are off trout fishing near the Continental Divide or elsewhere. [More...]

Samsung Announces Monster 108MP Smartphone Sensor
Samsung and Xiaomi have announced a new sensor for smartphone cameras comparable to those used in high-end DSLR shutterboxes. The new Isocell Bright HMX packs 108 megapixels on a three-quarter-inch sensor, similar to the sensors found in digital cameras that use interchangeable lenses. The new sensor could "enable smartphones to capture images that rival DSLR cameras," said analyst Charles King. [More...]

The Future of Entertainment Services Authentication
New personal identification and authentication technologies have the potential to transform the way entertainment services are delivered, accessed and experienced. These technologies offer a high level of security, often incorporating biometrics such as voice, fingerprint, iris or retinal features, and facial characteristics. Each type of authentication bears its own advantages and disadvantages. [More...]

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What to expect from the next-gen Xbox

Engadget Email Newsletter

It's Wednesday, August 14, 2019.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Welcome! It’s Wednesday. Today, we’ve got hints of a SNES resurgence on Nintendo’s Switch, more vague details on the next-gen Xbox and a $30 billion merger between CBS and Viacom, aimed at standing up to the streaming competition.

Fancy on a budget.

The Kia Telluride is surprisingly high-tech and stylish (for a Kia)

Kia is making a bid to break out of its image as a maker of small, cheap cars. It's doing a good job of it, too. The Telluride is a well-equipped, comfortable, midsize SUV with a dollop of tech thrown in for good measure. According to Roberto Baldwin, it’s got tinges of luxury throughout while still being relatively inexpensive. It’s good value without compromising on style.

Steam hit 'PC Building Simulator' makes the jump to consoles today.

Build the PC of your dreams... on PS4, Xbox and Switch

PC Building Simulator, a game in which players can create monster PC gaming rigs, is now available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Before you start asking too many questions about the cognitive dissonance of building a virtual PC on a console, know that PC Building Simulator isn't just a game about building PCs. But, well, it mostly is.

It’s now available on the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store and Nintendo eShop for $20.

You could play 'Mario Kart' as it's meant to be played.

Nintendo appears to be readying a SNES Switch controller

Nintendo may be planning to make SNES-style wireless controllers for the Switch, according to an FCC filing first spotted by a user on the Resetera forum.

There aren't many details revealed in the FCC filing, but it does show that the controller would have Bluetooth to wirelessly connect to the Switch. From looking at the image, the controller may have ZL and ZR buttons on the top, or it could be a Joy-Con docking rail. Or possibly both.

Nintendo’s already offered wireless NES controllers, accompanying a run of NES titles that launched on the Switch. Could this mean the company will tap its SNES back-catalog? I hope so.

This Google Cloud online training could launch your tech career

Backwards compatibility and cross-gen gameplay are also on the agenda.

Microsoft's next-gen Xbox: High frame rates and fast loading

Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer has revealed even more about what's in store for the console, which Microsoft claims will be four times as powerful as the Xbox One X.

In an interview with Gamespot, Spencer said that consistency would be at the top of the agenda for the new console. He wants games loading fast and consistently high frame rates. Crucially, backwards compatibility will play a major role in the console's design -- which is great, but Microsoft’s major challenge against the PlayStation competition will be offering a unique game lineup that players can’t find elsewhere.

It's also easier to control with one hand.

DJI's Osmo 3 smartphone gimbal has a travel-friendly folding design

JI’s Osmo Mobile 3 is a cheaper and more travel-friendly version of its smartphone gimbal. The electronic stabilizer has an all-new folding design and locking mechanism that takes up a lot less space. At the same time, it's easier to operate thanks to a new Quick Roll control that switches the gimbal from portrait to handheld mode with no need to remove the phone.

Despite the extra folding mechanism, it's still lightweight and lets you shoot for up to 15 hours before the battery dies. On top of that, it gets rid of one big complaint with the Osmo 2, as the redesign doesn’t obscure audio and charging ports. At $119, it might be a very cheap way of upgrading your smartphone videography.

They’ll combine as ViacomCBS to fight cable competition and streaming services.

CBS and Viacom agree to sign $30 billion merger deal

The two companies announced today that they will reunite as ViacomCBS. According to The Wall Street Journal, CBS and Viacom hope that, together, they'll be better positioned to fight against cable TV competition and streaming services.

If it goes through, the all-stock deal will bring together Viacom's MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, as well as its Paramount film and TV studio and CBS's broadcast network and Showtime premium network. The merger is far from a surprise. The media giants originally split in 2006, but rumors that the companies might reunite began circulating ten years later.