Saturday, 8 February 2020

A Galaxy Z Flip sneak peek

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It's Saturday, February 08, 2020.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Why wait until Tuesday to find out what Samsung will unveil? A tipster sent us these pictures of what appears to be Samsung’s next foldable phone. The Galaxy Z Flip has appeared in earlier leaks, but these are the clearest real-world shots we’ve seen. Other than that, if you look below we have Friday’s other major stories plus some highlights from all of last week.

Samsung’s Unpacked event will take place ahead of MWC 2020 -- probably a good thing, considering how companies like NVIDIA, Ericsson and LG have already dropped out of the mobile show because of concerns about the coronavirus outbreak. I’ll wait to find out how much it costs before I get too excited, but the extra-tall device could be cheaper and easier to handle than the Razr. I gotta admit, I’m not worried about the midrange specs, dual-lens camera or what its external display can show -- I just want to go back to hanging up on calls by flipping my phone closed. I miss it so much.

-- Richard

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It's not just an app problem.

The Engadget Podcast: How tech (and humans) failed the Iowa caucus

The Engadget Podcast: How tech (and humans) failed the Iowa caucus This week on the Engadget Podcast, Devindra and Cherlynn chat about what exactly went wrong for Iowa's Democratic Party. The mysterious app from an unknown progressive tech firm was mostly to blame, but it was also helped by some good old fashioned human error. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Pocket Casts or Stitcher.

Roll some more of that test rack footage.

How reliable is the Motorola Razr, really?

How reliable is the Motorola Razr, really? The other day, CNET strapped Motorola’s new flexible handset into a test bench and experienced issues after about 27,000 folds. That’s fewer times than you might expect to open and close the $1,500 handset in one year. Now, Motorola has responded with footage of its own and some explanations about why the other test might not reflect real-world use. The new Razr only just went on sale, so we don’t have extended experiences to draw on yet, but hopefully, this goes over better than Samsung’s first Galaxy Fold attempt.

Looking for a new show to binge-watch this weekend? All nine episodes are available now.

Apple TV+'s Mythic Quest is 'Silicon Valley' but for game devs

Apple TV+'s Mythic Quest is 'Silicon Valley' but for game devs According to Devindra Hardawar, this new comedy on Apple TV+ is “sharp and funny enough to keep non-gamers hooked, it actually tackles major issues facing the industry, and at times, it's surprisingly sweet and poignant.” It’s produced by Ubisoft and made by some of the folks behind It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia so you’ll have some idea of what to expect. Plus, it’s already greenlit for a second season. Read the full review and then give it a look.

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These six essential auto accessories are all on sale

These six essential auto accessories are all on sale

GM is pulling out all the stops in its electric vehicle push.

LeBron James helps GMC pitch its Hummer EV in a Super Bowl ad

LeBron James helps GMC pitch its Hummer EV in a Super Bowl ad

GM thinks it has a simple way to drum up hype for its future GMC Hummer EV: give it the kind of celebrity endorsement that sports fans would notice. No less than LeBron James is pitching the company’s all-electric pickup truck -- even if he’s not a pro football player.

Don't expect to see more of the Hummer in this ad than you have so far. Instead, this is more about the EV's combination of raw power with near silence... and, of course, equating James' basketball dominance with the Hummer's performance. The machine should produce a 0-to-60 time of about three seconds, and may not go on sale until fall 2021.

Change is good.

15 years in, Google Maps is getting a whole new look

15 years in, Google Maps is getting a whole new look Google Maps launched 15 years ago this week (in beta, of course). Not surprisingly, Google is using this as an opportunity to launch a few updates to its massive mapping service. That includes a new icon plus a navigation system at the bottom of the app that eliminates the old “hamburger” button menu you’re probably familiar with. The Live View feature that lets you use your phone’s camera to get augmented reality directions is also upgraded, and now it can tell you exactly how far away things are. There are other new features, too, check them all out here as they start rolling out on Android and iOS.

That front pocket has a drain plug and can hold as much as a 36-gallon cooler.

Ford thinks the Mustang Mach-E's frunk is a good tailgate cooler

Ford thinks the Mustang Mach-E's frunk is a good tailgate cooler Is this on your list of reasons to consider an EV?

But wait, there's more...

1. TCL will stop selling BlackBerry-branded phones in August

2. See how VFX artists included Carrie Fisher in 'The Rise of Skywalker'

3. Apple may be testing Macs with AMD processors

4. iOS 13.4 could turn your iPhone and Apple Watch into car keys

5. Netflix says it's only obeyed nine government takedown requests

6. How AI helped upscale an antique 1896 film to 4K

7. 2021 Cadillac Escalade packs 38-inches of curved OLED screens and Super Cruise

8. 'Altered Carbon' season two teaser shows Anthony Mackie as the 'new' hero

9. 'OurMine' group briefly hijacked Facebook's Twitter and Instagram accounts

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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Friday, 7 February 2020

Netflix finally ends the auto-play nightmare

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It's Friday, February 07, 2020.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

About five years ago, Netflix revamped its streaming apps and rolled out the worst feature it’s ever developed. Even if you like it, you know which one I’m talking about -- bringing video playback “forward” to make things more like cable TV. At first, pulling up a show or movie and pausing for a moment too long would cause it to start playing. Then, simply highlighting a selection while scrolling meant it would start playing the trailer, or worse, playing a section of the movie backed by some random stock music Netflix pulled from somewhere.

It made casually browsing the service’s catalog a nightmare, but for whatever reason -- I assume there was some analytical data showing it increased viewing -- Netflix refused to change it. Since then, competitors like Disney+ and HBO Max have highlighted the “feature” as something they chose not to copy, and now, at long last, Netflix is providing a way to turn it off.

You’ll need to pull up the Manage Settings page in your browser and disable AutoPlay Preview, but by pressing that one button, things can go back to the way they should’ve been all along. Was that really so hard, Netflix?

-- Richard

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The pre-MWC event takes place on February 11th.

What to expect from Samsung's Galaxy S20 event

What to expect from Samsung's Galaxy S20 event Next week, we’re expecting Samsung will reveal new Galaxy S-series phones alongside a clamshell Z Flip foldable. The company may also provide us with a release date for the Galaxy Home. Here's everything we know so far about the products Samsung will likely announce at the event.

Where’d you go on your last trip?

Christina Koch returns to Earth after a record 328 days in space

Christina Koch returns to Earth after a record 328 days in space After 328 days in space, NASA astronaut Christina Koch is back on Earth. She returns holding the record for the longest stay in space by a woman, and she has earned bragging rights for another major milestone: She and fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir completed the first all-female spacewalk during Koch's extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

It still worked, but not well.

Motorola Razr's hinge 'broke' after 27,000 folds in durability test

Motorola Razr's hinge 'broke' after 27,000 folds in durability test CNET put the new Motorola Razr to the test by folding it repeatedly thousands of times using a machine called Foldbot. The result? Its hinge started acting wonky (making noises and showing resistance) by around 27,000 folds.

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Seven must-have resources for any designer

Seven must-have resources for any designer

This plane flies itself at about 20km above the ground.

Remember Alphabet’s LTE-broadcasting balloons? 

Remember Alphabet’s LTE-broadcasting balloons?  Loon teamed up with Softbank to put its wireless tech in this drone, which is now ready to serve as a cell tower that flies in the stratosphere.

Many companies have extended their holiday break.

Coronavirus outbreak affects Nintendo Switch supply in Japan

Coronavirus outbreak affects Nintendo Switch supply in Japan As the noble coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, more tech companies are having their operations affected. Nintendo cited production delays for Switch hardware headed to Japan, including this new Animal Crossing-themed model, while a port of The Outer Worlds for Switch has also been delayed.

Memes in traffic.

Ford’s biking jacket shows emoji to everyone behind you

Ford’s biking jacket shows emoji to everyone behind you To bolster road safety, Ford came up with a way to help cyclists communicate: a jacket that displays emoji. The prototype has an LED display on the rear, which is linked to a wireless remote attached to the handlebars. Cyclists might use it to display turn signals, a hazard symbol or just their current mood.

But wait, there's more...

1. A $1 billion initiative aims to bring EV chargers to highways and rural areas

2. Steam's 2020 plans: more game soundtracks and cafes, SteamVR 2.0 and more

3. Huawei sues Verizon after patent talks break down

4. Boeing found another software bug on the 737 Max

5. Strict visa rules are still keeping game devs out of the US

6. ViacomCBS is planning a bigger streaming service around CBS All Access

7. Instagram will automatically tell you which of your boring friends to unfollow

8. Attorney general thinks US should buy stake in Nokia, Ericsson to keep up with Huawei

9. Engadget Podcast: How tech (and humans) failed the Iowa caucus

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:
Apple Podcasts  |  Spotify  |  Google Play  |  iHeart Radio

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Have a suggestion on how we can improve The Morning After? Send us a note.
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