Friday 20 December 2019

Is this Samsung's folding clamshell phone?

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It's Friday, December 20, 2019.

Hey, good morning!

If I was going to start my own tech site or media vertical, with no intention of turning a profit or even being all that knowledgeable, I’d do food gadgets. I won’t shut-up about the Instant Pot, I own a sous vide machine (that I now have a guide for) and the contents of my kitchen drawers are the equivalent of the crying face joy emoji. The festive season and the epic-scale meals that accompany them make it a peak opportunity for simplifying your established cooking norms, but it’s also a gamble. My mum has an Instant Pot, sure. Will she use it for sauces or sides for this year’s Christmas dinner? Probably not. It’s about consistency. She’s cooked more Christmas meals than I’ve had... Christmas meals. I’m not going to suggest she shake things up.

The best kitchen tech is simple. I own a Nespresso Barista milk frother. It can heat and whip up milk, making at-home flat whites a possibility. Is it smart, though? It has Bluetooth connectivity and a companion app, but beside downloading new recipes (more or less milk; hotter or colder) that’s not remotely necessary. It makes silky milk for my latte nonsense, though, so it keeps its place on the kitchen worktop. Crucially, the metal jug and magnetic stirrer are both incredibly easy to clean -- something all kitchen gadgets could benefit from.

- Mat

Another Fold, but vertical this time.

Samsung's next foldable phone could be this RAZR-like clamshell

Weibo user Wang Ben Hong shared five photos of what he claims to be Samsung's latest foldable prototype -- one that appears to be half the size of the Galaxy Fold. There's no word on internal specs, but we can see the punch-hole camera right below the earpiece, and the lack of chin allows the unfolded screen to extend all the way to the bottom. Both characteristics match the clamshell concept art at this year's Samsung Developer Conference, and Samsung has previously said it was working on a vertically-folding device.

Small steps.

Panic's quirky Playdate handheld will be available for developers soon

Several months ago, Panic unveiled the Playdate, a tiny gaming handheld with a crank, which is perhaps the most adorable gadget we've seen this year. Panic is announcing a new preview program where developers can get their hands on one early, so they can start creating games for it before it ships later next year.

Self-driving cars could require redesigned controls.

Honda's new steering wheel is built for cars that can drive themselves

How do you bridge the gap to autonomous cars? This Honda concept tries adding some Bop-It-like features to the standard steering wheel setup: Pat it twice to start the vehicle, pull it to slow the car down and push it to accelerate. "In the autonomous future, Honda believes that customers will be able to enjoy mobility in new ways when freed from the responsibility of driving," the company wrote in its announcement. "At the same time, customers may still want to experience the emotion and thrill of driving."

This $500 project management training is just $79 today

Employees have been testing FSD for over a year.

Musk: Holiday Tesla update adds 'Stardew Valley,' self-driving preview

Elon Musk tweeted that a "holiday" Tesla update will add farming RPG Stardew Valley as an in-car playable game and include a Full Self-Driving "sneak preview.” Earlier this year, Musk said Teslas would be capable of self-driving by the end of 2019, and there’s not a lot of time left to make that happen.

All you need is a USB-C port.

This Apple Watch charger plugs directly into your MacBook or iPad Pro

Charging an Apple Watch demands hauling around a proprietary charging puck. The cable is also USB-A not USB-C. Enter Satechi’s USB-C Magnetic Charging Dock, which can recharge your wearable from a battery bank to your iPad Pro while you're sipping coffee. The puck and connection are all contained in one thing, though there’s an extension cable included. The charger is more expensive than Apple's own options (including its native USB-C cables) at $45, but it might be easy to justify the outlay if you’re in deep with the Apple ecosystem -- or bought a laptop in the last six months.

But wait, there's more...

1. The best PC games for the end of2019

2. Malware at Wawa stores has been stealing credit card info since March

3. A beginner's guide to smart sous vide

4. Malware at Wawa stores has been stealing credit card info since March

5. 'Mario Kart Tour' multiplayer beta starts, but only for Gold Pass subscribers

6. Google buys Typhoon Studios to beef up Stadia's game library

7. Chipotle is redesigning its restaurants to better serve mobile orders

8. BMW now has 500,000 EVs on the road

9. Congress is raising the minimum smoking and vaping age to 21

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Thursday 19 December 2019

Tech News Flash

Tech News Flash: Thursday -- December 19, 2019

TechNewsWorld -- All Tech - All The Time
https://www.TechNewsWorld.com
Part of the ECT News Network

Headline Scan
32-Minute Cleveland-Chicago Hyperloop Run Is Feasible, Study Says
Providers Game System to Boost Broadband Speeds
Data-Munching Bug Throws Chrome 79 Android Rollout Into Chaos
The Human Problems Underlying Intel's Diversity Report
China's Tech Ban Could Have Grave Long-Term Consequences
Plenty of Linux Power Is Built Into Linux Lite 4.6

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Today's Story Highlights

32-Minute Cleveland-Chicago Hyperloop Run Is Feasible, Study Says

The 300-plus mile trip between Cleveland and Chicago could take as
little as 32 minutes by Hyperloop, according to a new feasibility study.
Hyperloop is the only form of high-speed transportation that is
profitable and makes economic sense in the U.S., found the study, a
joint effort of TEMS, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency,
and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86424.html

Providers Game System to Boost Broadband Speeds

A 10-year-old FCC program to ensure that ISPs deliver on their
connection speed promises to consumers, has become unreliable. Companies
including AT&T, Cox, Comcast and Verizon reportedly have been employing
tactics to make their performance numbers look better than they actually
are. "The FCC is friendly to operators currently," observed Parks
Associates' Brett L. Sappington.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86419.html

Data-Munching Bug Throws Chrome 79 Android Rollout Into Chaos

Google has stalled the rollout of its Chrome 79 Web browser for Android
devices until it can find a way to neutralize a data-destroying bug.
Affected users have been vilifying Google and app developers for failing
to head off the problem. The latest Chrome version contains two highly
anticipated new features: phishing protection, and the ability to
reorder bookmarks.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86420.html

The Human Problems Underlying Intel's Diversity Report

When Intel released its diversity report last week, it got pounded for
the lack of diversity in its executive staff. Intel is one of the few
companies being transparent about diversity. Given that lack of
diversity is the problem we want to solve, the bashing is stupid. It is
only going to make it harder to address the problem. In effect, Intel
did the right thing and was punished for it.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86414.html

China's Tech Ban Could Have Grave Long-Term Consequences

China has issued an order that all foreign-made computer equipment and
software be removed from government offices and public institutions
within the next three years. China has estimated that upwards of 30
million pieces of hardware will need to be replaced. This is just the
latest salvo in the ongoing trade war between the United States and
China, the world's two largest national economies.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86416.html

Plenty of Linux Power Is Built Into Linux Lite 4.6

Serving two masters, in theory, is nearly impossible. In practice, the
Linux Lite distribution easily satisfies Linux newcomers and veteran
penguin fans as well. This distro is very beginner-friendly -- in large
part due to a fine-tuned Xfce desktop interface that gives former
Windows and macOS users a familiar base. I have always considered the
distro's name -- "Linux Lite" -- to be a misnomer.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86412.html

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Our 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' review is in

Engadget Email Newsletter

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

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It's Thursday, December 19, 2019.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

The final chapter of the third Star Wars trilogy is out, and Devindra has thoughts on it. Mat (me) also has feels about avoiding The Rise of Skywalker spoilers across Twitter, work Slack channels and inadvertent WhatsApp messages. Devindra’s review is spoiler-free, but I’m steering clear for now.

The jury remains out on what entails a decent amount of time between a movie premiere and when one is (digitally) allowed to discuss that iconic part or twist, whether all the Marvel female superheroes charged on Thanos or when Stark family member X died in season X of Game of Thrones. Don’t even mention The Good Place surprise that got half-spoiled for me a few years back.

I’ll probably see The Rise of Skywalker this weekend if I can convince the uninterested SO to endure it. Two weeks after release is fair game for post-match analysis, I think. More enthused film fans, franchise stans and angry internet people seem to whittle it down the opening week. Barring an entire digital lock-down and hiding in your garage till you see the thing, how do you avoid spoilers? All tips will be gratefully received.

- Mat

(View in browser.)

And Ninja’s first Adidas go on sale December 31st.

Puma’s first ‘active gaming footwear’ is a sock

Now that eSports is getting mainstream attention, the next stop is heavily branded apparel. It might be hard for a gamer to sell as much clothing as LeBron James or Michael Jordan, but that won’t keep Nike, Adidas and Puma from trying.

According to Puma, its $105 sock-like “active gaming footwear” has been designed for indoor and in-arena use to deliver "seamless comfort, support and grip so gamers can adapt to different active gaming modes and game their best." Meanwhile, Adidas has introduced the Ninja edition of its Nite Jogger silhouette. The shoes come in the streamer’s signature blue and go on sale for $150 on New Year’s Eve.

A no-spoilers review.

'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' is made for fans, but fails them

Devindra Hardawar has seen the new Star Wars flick, and, well -- we’ll let him tell it: “It'll undoubtedly be a crowd-pleaser, but as I sat in the theater, watching the gang run through yet another set piece on the brink of death, I couldn't help but sigh. We could have had so much more.” Its rating currently sits at 58 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Its owners already turned down an offer of $1.2 million.

The legendary Nintendo PlayStation prototype is up for auction

After years of touring the world to show off the system to classic gaming fans, the owner of what is believed to be the only remaining Nintendo PlayStation prototype is putting the console up for sale. We tried it out in 2015, and you can play it, too, if you win the auction that’s set to take place on February 27th.

Build a network of high-profile international contacts and life-long connection

Good for gaming or spreadsheets.

LG's latest 4K monitors include a 32-inch model with a space-saving stand

The headlining LG monitor for 2020 is the UltraFine Ergo (32UN880), a 32-inch 4K screen that floats on a post that clamps to your desk. It's like you're buying a VESA mount at the same time, in other words. This helps make room, of course, but it also lets the monitor swivel up to 280 degrees horizontally and tilt 25 degrees vertically. The other options include a 38-inch UltraWide and three gaming monitors that slightly tweak 2019’s successful formula.

The internet of easy-to-use things.

Apple, Amazon and Google unite to help create a universal smart home standard

Google, Amazon and Apple (plus others) have created Connected Home Over IP, a new working group managed by the Zigbee Alliance, which aims to develop a new open smart home connectivity standard based on Internet Protocol (IP). For consumers, this will mean that stuff just works together, but it'll be a boon for developers, too, as a universal standard streamlines product development and reduces costs by giving them a blueprint for their products.