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Amazon's 'Making the Cut' is the ultimate example of product placement
Storytelling works better than direct advertising.
With a "Buy It Now" button that pops up at the end of episodes while watching on Fire TV, Nicole Lee sees how Amazon's fashion show represents a glimpse into "the future of shopping and advertising." Continue reading.
Surface Go 2 review: Microsoft's tiny PC is only a tiny bit better
The new 10.5-inch screen is nice.
If what you want is a PC with a detachable keyboard, then the good news is that Microsoft's Surface Go 2 remains a nimble device thanks to its slim frame and light weight. The main issue Devindra Hardawar points out in his review is that loading up on extras, like a more powerful processor, LTE or the nicely-designed keyboard accessory, adds hundreds of dollars to the price. Add in a distinct lack of tablet-friendly apps on Windows 10, and the device becomes less compelling than it otherwise could be. Continue reading.
Microsoft will fix Surface Laptop 3 'hairline fractures' for free
Reports link the issue to devices without the Alcantara fabric option.
Over the past few months, Surface owners have been posting online about discovering hairline cracks on their new laptops' display even though they treated their device with care. Microsoft said in a statement: "in a very small percentage of cases, a hard foreign particle may cause a hairline fracture in the glass that may seem to appear unexpectedly or without visible cause." Anyone who has experienced the issue is encouraged to reach out for a free repair of devices still under warranty -- which they should be since it only just came out. Continue reading.
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Why I caved and finally bought a 4K Blu-ray player
Even using an Xbox One X couldn't cut it.
Devindra Hardawar explains why he bought a disc player dedicated to a 'dead' format. Continue reading.
Billy Mitchell is taking his 'Donkey Kong' cheating saga to court
'If anybody wants to see, there's a 'Donkey Kong' kill screen coming up.'
Arcade expert Billy Mitchell made a name for himself by earning record-breaking scores in games like Pac-Man and BurgerTime. However, two years ago, de facto scorekeeper Twin Galaxies stripped Mitchell of his Donkey Kong records after concluding that his most recent score was not achieved on authentic arcade hardware. (Guinness also subsequently stripped him of his records.)
Mitchell and his lawyer announced they'd be taking Twin Galaxies to court, after claiming that the company had defamed his name. The case was served to Twin Galaxies this February, and a hearing will be held in July. Continue reading.
Over the last few years, social networks have instituted slightly stiffer policies against misinformation, but those systems are being pressed to their limit by a fast-spreading new video. The 'Plandemic' clip "spreads debunked conspiracy theories about the coronavirus and features a discredited biologist." Meanwhile, the removal of coronavirus misinformation has pushed theorists to suggest such reasonable moderation is just another conspiracy. Ugh.
-- Richard
Apple MacBook Pro review (13-inch, 2020)
Finally.
For the first time in years, our discussion of new Apple laptops doesn't include any consideration of waiting for an updated keyboard. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is the last machine in its lineup to get the new/old Magic Keyboard design as part of a hardware refresh that also brings Intel's latest 10th-generation Core CPUs with more power and better battery life. Now, about that Touch Bar... Continue reading.
Xbox Series X third-party games take the stage
Microsoft's 'gameplay' event was just the beginning
Well. We've had our first look at a bunch of next-gen games, and even if Microsoft is slightly massaging the meaning of "gameplay," its 20/20 event gave some impressive previews of Xbox Series X action. Jessica Conditt has a breakdown of the 13 games shown, with 10 supporting Smart Delivery that stretches purchases across console generations.
The new Surface notebooks are a grab bag of bad decisions
Certain design choices make Microsoft's latest convertibles hard to recommend.
Microsoft's new Surface lineup looks good, and Cherlynn Low was impressed by the company's efforts in audio with new earbuds and headphones. Where she does have questions is its notebook strategy -- the Surface Go 2 gets expensive quickly when you upgrade the processor and add on a must-have keyboard cover, while the Surface Book 3's detachable screen design is the thing holding it back from including more powerful six- or eight-core CPU options. Continue reading.
Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs abandons its Toronto smart-neighborhood project
Just like that, it's over.
Alphabet subsidiary Sidewalk Labs will no longer pursue its dream of a smart neighbourhood in Toronto. In a Medium blog post, CEO Daniel Doctoroff said, "unprecedented economic uncertainty" meant it was "too difficult" to achieve its dreams for Quayside, a proposed redevelopment on the city's waterfront.
Doctoroff said the coronavirus pandemic had made his team "feel even more strongly about the importance of reimagining cities for the future." He said his team would continue to work on smart city innovations, including factory-made mass-timber construction. The big question, though, is whether Sidewalk will attempt another large-scale development like Quayside. Continue reading.
Samsung will introduce an 'innovative' debit card this summer
Can you call it innovative when half the competition has already done it?
Samsung wants to do more with payments than offer a virtual prepaid card. The company plans to grow Samsung Pay this summer by introducing a new "experience" that includes an "innovative" debit card supported by a cash management account. Details are only slated to arrive in the "coming weeks," but it'll have help from the financial startup SoFi.
It's not a surprising move for Samsung. Apple has offered a credit card since 2019, and Huawei is following suit. Google is believed to be working on a debit card of its own -- it seems like the company has a case of financial FOMO. Continue reading.
FDA approves a rapid COVID-19 test that uses CRISPR
This is the first time the FDA has authorized the gene-editing tool.
Sherlock Biosciences has received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA for a rapid COVID-19 test that uses CRISPR technology. This is the first FDA-authorized use of the gene-editing tool, which combines massive potential and possible ethical issues.
Sherlock's test uses a CRISPR molecule to detect the genetic signature of the virus. If it finds the virus, the CRISPR enzyme is activated, and that releases a detectable signal. The kit is designed for use in laboratories authorized to perform high complexity tests. While it's considered a "rapid" test, Sherlock did not say how long it takes to process the results. Continue reading.