Wednesday 2 October 2019

Microsoft Surface event preview

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It's Wednesday, October 02, 2019.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Microsoft’s 2019 Surface event is just hours away, so before we kick off coverage at 10AM ET, it’s time to lay out everything we’re hoping to see unveiled. Also, Nintendo released a major upgrade for Super Mario Maker 2, and we have a review of the latest GoPro action camera.

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Its AI can avoid objects even when you’re flying in manual mode.

Skydio’s next self-flying drone is ready to take on DJI

According to the company, the Skydio 2 is much closer to its true vision: a practical, truly autonomous drone that also does anything a regular drone can. Unlike its previous effort, the R1, this drops the price from $2,500 to $999, is more practical to carry around and comes with a better camera that can shoot 4K at 60 frames per second. Pre-orders are open now.

You don't have to play with randos anymore.

You can finally play online with your friends on 'Super Mario Maker 2'

Nintendo has finally rolled out the ability to play with friends online in Super Mario Maker 2. The game launched with online co-op and competitive modes, but you could only play with random people via matchmaking -- if you wanted to play with friends, local play was your only option. According to Nintendo World Report, the company chose not to include online play with friends as one of the game's original features to prevent people from teaming up to dominate the global leaderboards.

Tune in live at 10AM ET.

What we hope to see at Microsoft’s Surface event

Devindra Hardawar is ready to run down what we know will be unveiled at Microsoft’s Surface event later today, as well as some of the things we’d like to see. It’s not all laptops, tablets and dual-screen devices. We’ll see what’s real at 10AM ET, and you can catch Engadget’s official liveblog right here.

Kick-off for 5G: Latest technology activated in world premiere for soccer at Bundesliga stadium

A minor redesign with major pay-offs.

GoPro Hero 8 Black review

According to James Trew, this $399 action camera provides “the most comprehensive GoPro experience yet.” The Hero 8 Black loses compatibility with some old accessories for an updated design that gives easier access to the battery and memory card. The changes still feel “logical,” while other tweaks, like HyperSmooth 2.0 and support for aftermarket “mod” accessories, build on a solid base. Oh, and we went behind the scenes to find out how GoPro makes those jaw-dropping demo videos.

Stock up.

Sony’s PlayStation sale includes ‘Red Dead Redemption 2,’ ‘Spider-Man’ and PlayStation Now

Sony has put over a hundred titles on sale as part of its Games of a Generation event, with deals that include half off the original price. The company says the sale highlights "the most memorable games to date," such as Red Dead Redemption 2, Marvel's Spider-Man: Game of the Year Edition, Call of Duty Black Ops 4, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, Crash Bandicoot, Bloodborne and Skyrim. More than enough to keep you entertained til PS5 time. And even if you’re not currently a PlayStation owner, the company has also cut the cost of its streaming-games service, PlayStation Now, down to $10 per month.

The company says this is the first "drone airline" to be certified.

UPS delivery drones just got FAA certification

UPS might soon be dropping off packages across the US by drone. The Federal Aviation Administration granted the UPS Flight Forward subsidiary air carrier and operator certification, allowing it to use drones for commercial deliveries. At first, UPS plans to expand drone deliveries to hospitals and medical campuses across the US.

Flight Forward is the first company to claim the Part 135 Standard certification, which will allow it to operate an unlimited number of drones. The machines and their payloads can weigh more than 55 pounds and UPS can even fly its drones at night. What are Amazon’s drones up to?

But wait, there's more...

1. Logitech's new mechanical keyboard lets you swap switches with ease

2. Intel's 10th-gen X-series CPUs include an 18-core model under $1,000

3. WSJ: Visa, Mastercard are reconsidering support for Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency

4. What's on TV this week: 'Mr. Robot,' 'Ghost Recon,' 'Toy Story 4' and 'Big Mouth'

5. 'Apex Legends' season 3 debuts with a new hero and new map

6. Tesla reportedly buys DeepScale, an AI startup that helps self-driving cars see

7. Scuf's Vantage 2 improves the customizable PS4 controller

8. TiVo Edge DVR adds Dolby Vision to become the ultimate binge box

9. Michael Bay's '6 Underground' hits Netflix on December 13th

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Tuesday 1 October 2019

E-Commerce Minute

E-Commerce Minute: Tuesday -- October 1, 2019

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

Headline Scan
DevOps, Platform Strategy and Transformation
How Committed Is Your CEO to a Great Customer Experience?
iPhone 11: Fewer Sales, More Yawns
Google's 'Right to Be Forgotten' Approach Wins Nod From EU Court
OpenWorld Takeaway

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Today's Story Highlights

DevOps, Platform Strategy and Transformation

The software development lifecycle reminds me of the proverb of the
three blind people confronting an elephant. One grabs the trunk and says
it's a snake, another touches a tusk and says it's a spear, while the
third feels its side and calls it a wall. The moral of the proverb is
that perception has a lot to do with perspective. For a long time, the
perspective on software was that it was a cost.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86269.html

How Committed Is Your CEO to a Great Customer Experience?

Consumers have been adopting disruptive digital technologies in their
daily lives at a rapid pace. Customers went from being limited to brick-
and-mortar stores to researching, comparing and buying a company's
products and services online. Along with those shifts came a change in
how customers communicate with companies, and the need for positive,
consistent and engaging customer experiences.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86267.html

iPhone 11: Fewer Sales, More Yawns

After having countless conversations with iPhone users in the last few
days, I've concluded that Apple will sell loads of these new devices --
but not as many as in the past. There are several reasons I'm expecting
a downturn in iPhone sales. Among the top reasons are lack of support
for 5G, lack of innovation, and high prices. I wanted to learn how users
felt about trading up this year.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86264.html

Google's 'Right to Be Forgotten' Approach Wins Nod From EU Court

Google need not comply with the right to be forgotten outside of the
European Union, according to a European Court of Justice ruling. A
global de-referencing would meet the EU's data protection objectives,
the court said, but it found that numerous third states do not recognize
the right to de-referencing or have a different approach to that right.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86261.html

OpenWorld Takeaway

I was speaking to an Oracle executive about some of the company's
announcements at OpenWorld, and my impression that the company has
changed so much that it is difficult to recognize it from the entity it
was just a few years ago. On the macro side it's easy to see that Oracle
has transitioned from a products company to a subscription company. It
uses its own apps in a proof-of-concept mode.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86260.html

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With iPadOS, Apple's tablet is more like a laptop than ever

Engadget Email Newsletter

Now available on your smart speaker and wherever you get your podcasts

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | iHeart Radio

It's Tuesday, October 01, 2019.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Good news: It’s October. Bad news: iOS 13 arrived two weeks ago, and Apple is still trying to squish some bugs. Also, we have news about Stranger Things, and images of Microsoft’s upcoming Surface hardware have hit the internet ahead of its unveiling event on Wednesday morning.

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A successor has not been announced.

PlayStation studio chairman Shawn Layden abruptly steps down

Sony has announced that Sony Interactive Entertainment's Worldwide studios chairman Shawn Layden is leaving the gaming division. The tech giant didn't initially say when Layden would leave, who would replace him or provide an explanation for the move. It did, however, wish him the best in "future endeavors," suggesting this isn't a retirement. Layden has been with Sony in some form or another for roughly 32 years, including a stint as the comms assistant for co-founder Akio Morita.

And a claimed 22 hours of battery life.

HP’s Spectre x360 packs a 4K display if you want it

While the new x360 maintains the overall look of its predecessor, it's 13 percent smaller. It also has less noticeable display bezels, with the top half of the computer featuring a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio where the 2018 model was only 78 percent display. At 2.8 pounds, the new Spectre is also lighter than both the 2018 MacBook Air and 2019 MacBook Pro.

The new 13-inch Spectre x360 convertible laptop will be available in October, starting at $1,099 for the base model with Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. You can get a 4K OLED display with HDR, too, but that adds another $400 to the price.

More stable than iOS 13, too.

Apple iPadOS review: More like a laptop than ever

Beyond a handful of visual changes, the platform’s biggest improvements come in the form of desktop-class web browsing in Safari, key changes to Apple’s multitasking tools, a new approach to file downloads and more. According to Chris Velazco, “We're still not at the point where iPadOS turns iPads into full-blown computer replacements for most people, but the update is a big step down that path.”

These weatherproof wireless earbuds are just $40 today

Least surprising move of the year.

Netflix renews 'Stranger Things' for a fourth season

Along with the renewal, Netflix said it signed the show's creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, to a multi-year film and series overall deal.

One more time.

Apple's latest iOS 13 update fixes camera glitch and other issues

Apple already has another iOS 13 update, iOS 13.1.2. It fixes a bug that affected the progress bar for iCloud Backup, an issue with the camera and another with the flashlight, glitches with HomePod shortcuts and more.

Oh, is that all?

Hyundai hires a NASA engineer to run its new 'flying car' division

Hyundai appointed Dr. Jaiwon Shin as head of its new Urban Air Mobility (UAM) division. Most recently, Shin led NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. Hyundai has tasked Shin and his team with developing core technologies behind the company's flying vehicles, in competition with the likes of Uber, Volocopters and Kitty Hawk.