Tuesday 14 January 2020

Are 8K TVs a big waste of time?

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It's Tuesday, January 14, 2020.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

One of the best parts of CES is spending some time with the rest of the Engadget team, instead of just chatting in Slack. That means when we have a disagreement, we can go over it in person, like when Devindra is wrong about 8K TVs. He thinks the extra-large high-res screens that dominated CES 2020 are a waste of time and, to be fair, he has a point: There’s almost no native content, no way to deliver that content in most places and the quality difference is arguable.

Of course, he’s also completely wrong, and I explained a bit about why in our combined editorial. 8K TVs are cool, and if I could afford to wallpaper my house with them I’d be doing that right now. There’s no reason to diss new technology simply because it’s too expensive at the moment. I can appreciate that companies are pushing the bleeding edge, even as I stick to more mainstream waters. 4K TVs are a great buy now, and 8K is nice to drool over until it’s realistic -- you can do both.

-- Richard

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Think months.

Apple's next MacBook upgrades could be coming soon

Apple's next MacBook upgrades could be coming soon

We loved last year’s 16-inch MacBook Pro, but now we want all those upgrades (namely the return-to-form keyboard) in other MacBook sizes. Fortunately, they may not be far away. According to 9to5Mac, a new filing with the Eurasian Economic Commission (the ECC) indicates that we could see the more ergonomic notebooks sooner rather than later.

Caveat: The filing simply mentions a "portable personal computer," so that could mean, well, anything.

And more storage than your Chromebook.

Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra might have more RAM than your PC

Max Weinbach (who shared the leaked photos of the S20+ 5G) claims on Twitter that the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G will have extreme specs, including as much as 16GB of RAM in its top spec, a 5,000 mAh battery, a 48MP secondary camera and up to 512GB of built-in storage before you add a microSD card.

A 'Power Up Band' wearable will track visitors' progress in collecting coins and fighting bosses

The Super Nintendo World theme park is a 'life-size, living video game'

The Super Nintendo World theme park is a 'life-size, living video game'

Universal Studios Japan is on track to open its Super Nintendo World park this summer, ahead of the Olympic Games. Now it's teasing the new area with a mostly CG music video and song made by Galantis with Charlie XCX.

It’s not heavy on the facts or features, but there is a dance sequence and some dreamy segments showing how players go from hanging out at home with their Switch to enjoying a real-life experience. A companion website hints at something approximating Mario Kart and the ability to roam the park on Yoshi’s back, but we’d love to hear more about those. Naturally, it’s 2020, so there’s a companion app, too.

Separate to the trailer, in a briefing in Tokyo, Universal Studios Japan showed the Power Up Band, which will track visitors’ progress in its "life-size, living video game," as well as a mention that future parks will come to Hollywood, Orlando and Singapore.

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Give your resume the edge it needs in 2020 with Rezi.

Give your resume the edge it needs in 2020 with Rezi.

At the Golden Globes, Netflix scored two wins from 34 nominations.

Netflix receives more than 20 Oscar nominations

Netflix receives more than 20 Oscar nominations The 2020 Oscar nominations are in, and Netflix has received more than 20 nods. The Irishman and Marriage Story are both up for best picture. The Irishman has been nominated in nine categories, and Marriage Story could walk away with up to six awards, including lead actor (Adam Driver) and lead actress (Scarlett Johansson).

Engadget Deals.

Apple's AirPods drop to $129 on Amazon

Apple's AirPods drop to $129 on Amazon Don't worry if you missed out on some of the sweeter AirPods deals from the holidays -- you can get a solid bargain right now. Amazon is selling Apple's standard wireless earbuds for $129, or $30 off (and a return to an all-time low price). You won't get a wireless charging case or the noise cancellation of the AirPods Pro, but you're also paying relatively little for some iconic audio.

But wait, there's more...

1. Sony isn't bringing the PS5 (or anything else) to E3 2020

2. YouTube lures three top streamers (LazarBeam, Muselk and Valkyrae) away from Twitch

3. Korg unveils a full-sized, assembly-free MS-20

4. Sex toys came to CES, and the sky didn't fall in

5. 'Westworld' season 3 premieres March 15th

6. Visa acquires fintech startup used by Venmo, CoinBase for $5.3 billion

7. Comma Ai continues to impress with its aftermarket driver assistance tech

8. Apple, US government square off over encryption again after naval base shooting

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you'll miss if you don't subscribe.

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Monday 13 January 2020

Let the Samsung Galaxy S20 leaks begin

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It's Monday, January 13, 2020.

Hey, good morning!

As the team recovers from a hard week in Vegas (we were there to work, you know), the year begins in earnest. Cast your eyes a little further than early January, and there’s a lot to look forward to in 2020. 

This year, we’ll see next-gen games consoles from Sony and Microsoft, continued streaming competition for Netflix courtesy of Disney and others, (hopefully) more accountability for social networks and the usual upgraded phones, PCs and more.

On the latter, we’re already on to the next thing: Samsung’s Galaxy S phone -- thanks to some leaks. We also have some final dispatches from CES and a tech upgrade for your grill, helping us all to imagine a season that isn’t winter. 

-Mat

Cameras and a name.
 

Oh look, our first Samsung Galaxy S20 leak 
 

Oh look, our first Samsung Galaxy S20 leak <br />    XDA-Developers has obtained pictures of what it says is the Galaxy S20+ 5G -- which is what it says on the boot-up screen. A shot of the back reveals an elaborate camera array that reportedly includes a 12-megapixel 1.8-micron main camera, an ultra-wide, a telephoto and possibly a macro lens. There might also be a rear microphone to boost audio quality when you're recording videos. According to reports, this wouldn't necessarily be the highest-end model, either. There's also a rumored S20 Ultra, which would include more advanced camera tech (such as Samsung's 108-megapixel sensor). Talking of names, the next attempt at a foldable phone could arrive as the Galaxy Z Flip. I have zero emotional attachment to that name.

There are ways...
 

Six ways to ‘win’ CES
 

Six ways to ‘win’ CES<br />    CES 2020 was, in comparison to the eight previous shows I’ve attended, kinda silly. Whether that’s because tech is bigger (and the budgets have followed), or that we’re all a little desensitized to new product reveals, this year offered some tangible ways to make sure companies made a splash. Some of these methods are more replicable than others.
 

The app offers the most comprehensive set of grilling features we’ve seen so far.

Weber Connect will be a useful tool for grillers of all skill levels
 

Giving a boost to Weber’s SmokeFire grills and the Smart Grilling hub is the company’s new Connect app. For at-home grill masters, Weber Connect will provide step-by-step guidance on how to prep the grill, prep meat, when to put it on, when to flip, how long to rest it and more. The system can even give an estimated completion time based on the type and weight of meat or seafood you tell the app you're cooking. Inside the Weber Connect app, the steps run in order, so you know what's next and how long you have until you need to move to the next step. According to Engadget pitmaster, Billy Steele, it’s a major upgrade that will help both newbies and seasoned professionals. Also, how did he get to write about BBQ when I was schlepping around conference halls?
 

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Mashvisor takes the guesswork out of real estate investing.

Mashvisor takes the guesswork out of real estate investing.

Software and keyboards will make foldables feasible.
 

The future of foldable tablets got clearer at CES 2020
 

The future of foldable tablets got clearer at CES 2020<br />    At CES, one of Engadget's PC reporters Cherlynn Low saw several folding screens that were bigger than the Galaxy Fold's 7.3-inch panel. As it turns out, she thinks a bigger foldable makes a lot more sense, and at CES, the industry showed the broad strokes of what a foldable PC would do.

You don't have to open a window to talk to the outside world.
 

Tesla cars will soon ‘talk’ to pedestrians
 

Elon Musk has teased plans to let Tesla cars "talk" to pedestrians through external speakers (presumably the ones added to comply with sound requirements in the EU and US). He didn't outline how it would work, but the feature appears to at least support canned clips.

It's not certain if you'll get to either speak directly to people outside or send automated speech (say, to warn that you're backing up). It could still be helpful both for convenience and as a safety measure, though.

But wait, there's more...

1. CES 2020: In pictures

2. US may permanently ground civilian drone program over China fears

3. 'Star Trek: Picard' has already been renewed for a second season

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you'll miss if you don't subscribe.

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