The power and promise of holographic technology have been depicted in science fiction stories for years. Today, several companies are at work to bring immersive transportation to the real world.
A recent survey of more than 3,000 adult consumers shows that nearly 70 percent prefer digital payment options, such as website and mobile app channels, to pay their one-time bills.
The Critical Nature of Qualcomm's Appellate Court Win
Last week Qualcomm won its appeal long after settling with Apple. This decision is critical to the long-term position of the U.S. in the technology market, and showcases that the U.S. legal system, while clearly under a lot of stress, still works.
5G Rollout Includes Challenges to Supply Chain, WFH Value
The growing work-from-home movement amid the coronavirus and its likely continuing challenges has created the need for additional broadband capacity in more places. Mobile telco and other service providers are rallying around 5G wireless as the most promising solution for reliably faster Internet connectivity. But the path to rolling out 5G has been rocky and spotty.
Curbside service is one of the more popular strategies that businesses and consumers now use to navigate the 'new normal'. Ideally, it's a contactless, convenient experience for all involved. For curbside pickup to be successful, however, it needs to be as quick and easy as possible for consumers -- and a large part of that ease of use requires adequate business planning and management.
California's Quake Alerts to Be Standard on Android Phones
Earthquake alerts are being incorporated into Android, Google's mobile operating system. The feature will be included in a refresh of Google Mobile Services, so a full operating system upgrade won't be necessary.
Website Development Contracts: Lawsuit or Arbitration?
A website development contract should identify how the parties will handle disputes. Nowadays, contractual disputes can be handled in a variety of ways, in more than one forum.
Automated CX Strategies to Revitalize Customer Relations
The ongoing struggles amid the pandemic have taught retailers to automate the customer service experience. CX automation can make the difference between hanging on until closing down and ensuring more returning customers.
Open Source Software brings a different set of risks and perceived challenges compared to proprietary software. The Information Security Forum has released a report to help security pros recognize the benefits and challenges of using OSS.
Verifying Global Identities at Scale: August 25 Webinar
With so much identity data flying around online these days, fraudsters can easily impersonate your customers or create fake identities to exploit your business. Learn how Ekata helps organizations with their fraud risk assessments.
Women in Tech: 20 Trailblazers Share Their Journeys
Successful women in the tech trenches share their insights and tackle subjects ranging from how to search out a strong mentor to how to be one -- from how to advance in a large company to how to start your own firm.
This book is an excellent guide for students considering STEM courses, graduates pondering job choices, and career changers at any stage in life. It's also a useful tool for school and career counselors, recruiters, and HR pros eager to diversify their workplaces.
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Cherlynn and Devindra discuss why Microsoft's Surface Duo is such a compelling product and spell out some concerns that could hold it back. How can Microsoft justify the controversial price tag and is the software any better than previous efforts?
Our hosts also take a deeper look at Cherlynn's experience reviewing the Galaxy Watch 3 and provide updates on some Intel and Avatar news that came out this week.
This week's best deals: Amazon Fire tablets, Apple MacBook Pro and more
Plus a $200 bundle for the Echo Studio + Echo Show 5.
Engadget
A bunch of the newest laptops, tablets and other gadgets are discounted this week. Amazon slashed the prices of its latest Fire tablets to all-time lows and you can still grab a few of Apple's latest MacBook Pros while they're hundreds of dollars off.
Here are all the best deals from the week that you can still snag today, and follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for more updates. Continue reading.
Watch Roger Federer play himself in an AI-generated Wimbledon match
Sega CD-style FMV is back.
Haotian Zhang and Cristobal Sciutto and Maneesh Agrawala and Kayvon Fatahalian
Researchers from Stanford University simulated Wimbledon with the help of artificial intelligence. They trained their Vid2Player AI using a database of annotated footage, and it created controllable video sprites that match the real players' tendencies. Continue reading.
Galaxy Watch 3 review: The best non-Apple smartwatch
Tizen OS gets it done again.
Engadget
Cherlynn Low makes it simple for you: Its battery life could be longer and software could be smoother, but even without upcoming features like ECG, the Galaxy Watch 3 is an excellent smartwatch for Android users. Continue reading.
Cherlynn and Devindra discuss why Microsoft's Surface Duo is such a compelling product and spell out some concerns that could hold it back. How can Microsoft justify the controversial price tag and is the software any better than previous efforts?
Our hosts also take a deeper look at Cherlynn's experience reviewing the Galaxy Watch 3 and provide updates on some Intel and Avatar news that came out this week.
This week's best deals: Amazon Fire tablets, Apple MacBook Pro and more
Plus a $200 bundle for the Echo Studio + Echo Show 5.
Engadget
A bunch of the newest laptops, tablets and other gadgets are discounted this week. Amazon slashed the prices of its latest Fire tablets to all-time lows and you can still grab a few of Apple's latest MacBook Pros while they're hundreds of dollars off.
Here are all the best deals from the week that you can still snag today, and follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for more updates. Continue reading.
Watch Roger Federer play himself in an AI-generated Wimbledon match
Sega CD-style FMV is back.
Haotian Zhang and Cristobal Sciutto and Maneesh Agrawala and Kayvon Fatahalian
Researchers from Stanford University simulated Wimbledon with the help of artificial intelligence. They trained their Vid2Player AI using a database of annotated footage, and it created controllable video sprites that match the real players' tendencies. Continue reading.
Galaxy Watch 3 review: The best non-Apple smartwatch
Tizen OS gets it done again.
Engadget
Cherlynn Low makes it simple for you: Its battery life could be longer and software could be smoother, but even without upcoming features like ECG, the Galaxy Watch 3 is an excellent smartwatch for Android users. Continue reading.
If you're planning a trip after our shared isolation comes to an end — or if you're ready to get out of the house right now, we'll try not to be too judgy — then keep an eye on Google. It's rolling out updates to search and its Trips section that include COVID-19 advisory info, as well as notes on which hotels or vacation rentals offer free cancellations if your plans change.
— Richard
Intel dishes on Tiger Lake, 'SuperFin' transistors and what lies ahead
Including its first discrete graphics card.
Intel Corporation
Intel recently delivered some disappointing news about its move to 7nm processes, but it does have advanced technology inside laptops, which you should see. For its Architecture Day 2020, engineers talked up advancements like SuperFin, which should "deliver its biggest speed improvement ever within a single node." Devindra Hardawar tried out laptops with the new tech back at CES and saw performance suggesting that new Tiger Lake CPUs in future mainstream laptops will do a better job with gaming.
Apple is reportedly planning 'Apple One' subscription bundles
That could launch later this year along with new iPhones.
Apple's push toward services could expand in a new way soon. A Bloomberg report describes "Apple One" bundles that tie together some of its different services for a discount. The cheapest will reportedly combine Apple Music and Apple TV+, followed by pricier options that stack Apple Arcade then Apple News + and finally iCloud storage on top.
Epic uses 'Fortnite' to start a war with Apple and Google
They kicked the game out of their stores, and now Epic is suing.
Epic Games
Enjoying a game of Fortnite on your mobile device just got a bit more complicated. Epic Games has been noisy about its objections to the control that Apple and Google have over app installs on their mobile platforms and the fees they impose on developers who sell software via the App Store on iOS and Play Store on Android.
So on Thursday, the company flipped a switch that enabled a "Mega Drop" in Fortnite. It promised a 20 percent discount on buying the in-game V Bucks currency as long as players paid Epic directly — using the same framework it applies to PC gamers — instead of going through Apple or Google. That violates the TOS on both platforms, and before long, the game disappeared. Epic has filed lawsuits against both companies as a result, and while gamers on Android may be able to sideload future versions, players on iOS won't be able to get updates or install the game for now.
Disney and Lego are making a new 'Star Wars Holiday Special'
It can't be worse than the original, can it?
Lucasfilm/Disney
The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special on Disney+ "will reunite Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, Rose and all your favorite droids, from R2-D2 to BB-8, for a joyous feast on Life Day, the holiday first introduced in 1978's Star Wars Holiday Special," Disney wrote in a press release. Continue reading.
Let's take a break from foldable phablets for a second. Instead, take a look at this 907X 50C medium-format setup from Hasselblad. It pairs a CFV II 50C digital back — complete with a 50-megapixel sensor, 3.2-inch 2.36 million dot tilting display and capture system — with a slim X1D lens mount.
Hasselblad
Hasselblad sold the system last year as part of a limited-edition Moon Landing kit, but now it's coming in as a standard model. At $6,400, it's not anywhere near cheap, but you can attach that digital back directly to 60-year-old SLR cameras (and the lenses that work with them). Just a thought.
— Richard
You can already pre-order Microsoft's Surface Duo foldable phone
It costs $1,400 and will launch September 10th.
Microsoft
An early leak gave us the price and release date, but now we have all the details about Microsoft's 250-gram, dual-screen Android device. It features Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB of RAM and starts with 128GB of storage (you can get a 256GB model for $1,500). Its two 5.6-inch AMOLED screens sport a resolution of 1,800 x 1,350 each — together they form a 8.1-inch display (with a hinge in the middle, of course).
Puerto Rico's massive Arecibo radio telescope suffers serious damage
One of the largest telescopes in the world, it's recently been studying near-Earth asteroids.
University of Central Florida
Early this week, a support cable snapped, causing a 100-foot-long gash in the telescope's reflector dish. It also damaged panels in a receiver called the Gregorian Dome and twisted a platform used to access the dome. The University of Central Florida (UCF), which operates the telescope, has stopped work at the observatory until repairs can be made. Continue reading.
A quick read that you'll finish before your first cup of coffee.
Motorola will show off the next Razr on September 9th
Its invite promises to "flip the smartphone experience once again."
Engadget
Speaking of high-priced foldable devices, Motorola is apparently ready for a second attempt at restarting its famed Razr line. Our review of the first device found its $1,500 price didn't match well with lackluster battery life, middling performance, a dim screen and uninspiring cameras. While Motorola didn't provide any details, leaks have suggested we should expect a new Razr with extra battery capacity, more RAM, an upgraded processor and 5G capability. Continue reading.
Hans Zimmer scored an extended Netflix intro for theaters
The longer 'ta-dum' has a little more punch.
Not that many of us will be in theaters anytime soon, but when we are, Netflix will be ready. So ready, in fact, it's commissioned a lengthier audio sting for use during the movies it's been involved with. It's got a Marvel-ish vibe to it, and also sounds like something from Inception. The latter makes sense, as composer Hans Zimmer was responsible for both that and this new melody, all 16 seconds of it. Continue reading.
