It's Friday, March 06, 2020. Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.  James Bond movies have an... interesting dynamic when it comes to product placement. In recent times, there have been fewer Aston Martins and Rolexes. There was that awkward Virgin Atlantic flight (oh, hi Richard Branson), the Heinekens and the weird glut of Sony devices; in recent years, it has been a Sony Pictures co-production. That is, until now. With the delayed-due-to-coronavirus No Time to Die (the most millenial of Bond movie titles) there’s a new partner, which means new money-making opportunities. And here comes Nokia. Well, here comes Nokia phone owner HMD. It was Bond’s mobile brand of choice a few decades ago -- Daniel Craig used a Nokia 8800 in 2006’s Casino Royale. Now Nokia’s are, apparently, back, even if James isn’t brandishing one, yet. A forthcoming Nokia ad will include Lashana Lynch's character, 00 agent Nomi, completing a mission with the help of the company's as-yet unannounced 5G flagship phone. It doesn’t quite have the gravitas of Bond, however, but I’ll withhold judgment until I see the ad. Sony once offered millions to Craig to pose with its latest phone ahead of the release of Spectre, a few years ago. That didn’t happen. According to a leaked email, Craig wasn’t on board, apparently noting that: “James Bond only uses the 'best...' the Sony phone is not the 'best.'” How much does HMD have to spend on marketing? -- Mat (View in browser.) Also: Xbox Series X speculation and first impressions of TCL’s foldable tablet concept  This week on the Engadget Podcast, we dive into the many ways the coronavirus is affecting the tech industry, all the while remembering to wash our hands and not touch our faces. And for something completely different, Devindra chats with Ann Druyan (starting at 26:59), the co-creator of Cosmos, on the show's incredible new season. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Pocket Casts or Stitcher. | | Don’t brick your old devices for a discount. A Sonos spokesperson confirmed that the Trade Up program will continue, but recycling mode is no more. If you want to get the 30 percent discount, you just need to prove you own one of the eligible "legacy" products by validating its serial number. Once that's done, you can apply the discount to anything Sonos is currently selling at its online store. | | The completed statue should go on display this fall.  It will move. As the latest Gundam statue gets prepped to go on show in Yokohama later this year, we’re learning that the mech will not only light up like its predecessors -- it’ll move a bit, too. Japanese media got a tour of the Gundam’s leg ‘bones,’ as they crept forward. If anything, the tour proved that full-scale robot suits are a thing of the distant future, sadly. | | Sponsored Content by Stack Commerce | |
