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Samsung's Galaxy Home is here at CES, and you can (sort of) talk to it
When Samsung revealed its oddly shaped, Bixby-powered Galaxy Home last year, many of expected the company to launch it immediately. That, uh, didn't happen. It's been five months since then, and Samsung still refuses to discuss when its first smart speaker will go on sale, or how much it'll cost when it does. Hell, even though Samsung has trotted out the speaker a few times since that day in Brooklyn, it generally hasn't let members of the public actually talk to it. At this year's CES, though, that changed — sort of.
ASUS' new StudioBook S is a portable workstation for creators
ASUS' new ZenBooks are pretty solidly spec'd, but sometimes you need some serious power to get your work done. That's where the company's new StudioBook S comes from: sleekness and portability were priorities, but the company was arguably more concerned with squeezing as much power as it could into a notebook. Not a huge surprise from a company that takes gaming as seriously as ASUS does -- this time, though, the Taiwanese PC maker is setting its sights on creatives.
What to expect at CES 2019
We're not quite done dusting off the glitter from our New Year's Day celebrations, but it's time to turn our attention once again to that other big event in January: the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Yes, the annual flurry of tech and gadgets returns to Las Vegas next week, and we'll be right there in the middle of it all to check out what's new. From smart homes to the biggest of big-screen TVs, here's a brief sneak peek at what we expect from this year's show.
What to expect from Apple's iPad and Mac event
The last time we trekked to an Apple event, the company showed off three new phones that everyone saw coming a mile away. That's not to say the XR, XS and XS Max were in any way lacking; it's just that the leaks told us a thorough story of some logical upgrades to the stuff we got the year before. You can always count on Apple to regularly release new phones, but the same can't be said of other kinds of Apple hardware. That's what makes the company's next launch event (in Brooklyn, for whatever reason) so interesting. Once again, we have a pretty good idea of what it plans to show off, thanks to months of rumors and supply chain intrigue. This time, though, Apple seems set to deliver what some die-hard fans have wanted for years: meaningful updates to Macs that have largely gone neglected (oh, and some new iPads, too). The show starts in earnest at 10 AM on Tuesday, October 30th, and we're getting ready to bring you as much coverage from the ground as we can. In the meantime, though, let's take a closer look at the things we're pretty sure Apple plans to show off and dig into why they're so important.
Apple's bigger, better Watch Series 4 makes a great first impression
Apple's new iPhones are impressive and all, but I'd argue the company's new Watch Series 4 stole the show in Cupertino last week. In addition to the first major redesign in the wearable's history, Apple crammed a host of improved health and fitness features into the Series 4's new and improved body. There's a lot to dig into and honestly, we're just not done testing the thing yet. As we work on our full review, though, there a few features and flourishes you should definitely keep in mind.
iPhone XS and XS Max, Day 1: A clear step forward
Last year was a big one for Apple — with the launch of the iPhone X, the company redefined what it meant to be iPhone. This year, Apple's job wasn't any easier. It had to figure out what worked, what didn't, and put that knowledge to use building a trio of new smartphones that would make its new vision more accessible. And now that the iPhone XS and XS Max are finally here, we're getting to see if Apple actually achieved those feats.
Lego's new toy train is a STEM tool for preschoolers
Twenty years ago Lego introduced Mindstorms as a way to engage kids who were becoming more interested in video games and the internet than plastic building blocks. It was successful enough that the kits became a regular sight in robotics classes and competitions. Now the line is on its fourth generation, and it's been joined by other STEM-friendly Lego kits like Boost and Powered Up to bring tech skills to many different types of kids. Now Lego's educational division goes even younger with Coding Express, a set that will teach 3- and 4-year-olds the basics of programming while they construct a world of trains, picnics and wandering deer.
Two days with the Galaxy Watch: Bezels, Bixby and stress tests
Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy Watch officially went on sale today, but here's the thing: we've fully reviewed the former and only just received the latter. (Well, 48 hours ago, to be precise.) As a result, we're still working on our full Galaxy Watch review, which should drop sometime next week. But, the first two days with the Galaxy Watch have already revealed a lot about how well Samsung's updated wearable experience works.
macOS Mojave first look: Minor but welcome additions
Three weeks ago at this time, Engadget was in the middle of a marathon liveblog. Apple was kicking off its annual WWDC developer conference and, as usual, it had news to share about each of its major platforms. Though iOS was the clear star of the show, dominating more than half of the two-hour keynote, macOS notched a solid second place, with around half an hour of lip service. Some observers dismissed it as a relatively boring day of Apple news. I say most of the tweaks are useful, if not overdue in some cases. The newest version of macOS, called Mojave, arrives today as a public beta, with the final software launching sometime this fall, but I've been testing it since last week. As ever, to make the most of the OS, you'll also need to be on the latest version of iOS. That, too, should be out in beta any time now, with a full rollout this autumn. Read on for our preview of Mojave, and we'll be following up soon with first impressions of iOS 12.
A closer look at the BlackBerry KEY2's new dual camera
It'll still be a little while yet before the first BlackBerry KEY2s wind up on people's doorsteps, and we're currently putting our review unit through its paces. For now at least, we've grown quite fond of the thing: even a few Engadget staffers who haven't used BlackBerrys before have found value in having a full, physical keyboard and that Speed key for super-fast multitasking. (Perhaps naturally, others here have come to regard the thing with equal doses of bemusement and skepticism.)
'Tunic' is more than just a 'Zelda' clone with a cute fox
Tunic looks like a game that's taken a lot of inspiration from SNES era Zelda titles — and when Xbox's E3 2018 showcase is an awful lot of games with guns, zombies or unexplained apocalyptic surroundings, it was a welcome panacea. Meet the tiny fox embarking on an adorable, mysterious adventure.
What to expect at WWDC 2018
It's officially June now, which means it's time for us to pack our bags, get on a plane to California and take in the second major developer conference of the season: Apple's WWDC. We'll be on the ground at San Jose's McEnery Convention Center next week scrounging up insights from as many presentations and developer sessions as we can crash. But as always, the show's focal point is the Monday keynote, during which Apple lays out its future in software. Be sure to keep your browser locked on our liveblog when the keynote begins on Monday, June 4th at 10AM PT/1PM ET — until then, read on for a primer on all the things we expect to see once the keynote unfolds.
Three days in, life with the Android P beta has been mostly painless
The first public preview of Android P is finally here, and as you might have guessed from the jam-packed keynote, there's a lot going on in this new build. As Google tells it, Android P is centered around intelligence, simplicity and what the company refers to as "digital well-being." All together, those themes represent the most compelling case we've heard for Android in years. This is beta software, though, so you probably shouldn't install this build with the intent of using it as your daily driver. Not everything works the way it's supposed to, and reverting to good ol' Android Oreo requires you to flash a factory image onto your phone. That said, since there's a pretty good chance you're probably going to take the plunge anyway, I'm pleased to report that life with Android P has been more pleasant than painful.
What to expect at Google I/O 2018
It's somehow already May, which means Google's I/O developer conference is right around the corner: next week, in fact. The show is once again being held in scenic Mountain View, California, and with its keynotes, sessions and musical acts, I/O feels like a developer conference with just a hint of Coachella. Personally, we're going for the hard news, and we expect a lot of it, even despite a recent, massive Google news dump. In anticipation of all that action, here's a quick primer on what we know Google has in store for I/O, along with a few things we're likely to see once the show kicks off on Tuesday.
Atari shows its non-functional 'VCS' console prototype at GDC 2018
Last June, venerated gaming company Atari announced that it was making a comeback. Specifically, that it would be jumping back into the console market with a retro-style entertainment system it dubbed at the time, the Ataribox. Eleven months later, we can finally see the results of the company's IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign: Say hello to the 2600-inspired Atari VCS.
Apple iPhone X, Day 1: The future is surprisingly familiar
Look back at Apple's decade of iPhones and you'll see that, minor plastic surgery aside, they all basically stick to the same design formula. Even the company's relatively new, larger Plus phones kept faithful to the traditional iPhone look. Those days are numbered. The iPhone X officially launches this Friday, and I'm not being hyperbolic when I say it drastically redefines the iPhone as we know it. You'll have to wait a little longer for our full review -- we've only been testing the phone for about a day -- but there's already plenty to get into.
Driving with AR glasses may be information overload
The bridge of my nose is starting to collapse under the weight of the augmented reality glasses I'm wearing. I'm sitting in an Infiniti SUV being taken on a short tour near San Francisco's AT&T Park (home of the Giants. Go, local sports team), peering into what could possibly be the future of driving: a world where your glasses highlight landmarks and places of business while "following" a virtual Porsche along a route. I can't say if it's amazing or just another piece of technology being shoved into the automobile because it's in vogue. I do know that if anyone is expected to enjoy the wonders of AR, the glasses are going to have to lose about five pounds.
Apple Watch Series 3 first look: So far, no LTE problems
The Apple Watch Series 3 started shipping today, and our definitive review is still in the works. In the meantime, we wanted to give you a taste of what life is like with the company's first LTE-connected watch, so when we got it in for review, we said eff it: let's use nothing but the Watch all day. I was going to respond to every text, email and Slack message from my wrist, use it for listening to music on the subway and talk into it as much as I would with my iPhone. To be fair, Apple doesn't seem like a huge advocate of this idea -- it treats the Series 3 as an occasional substitute for an iPhone rather than a day-to-day replacement. That said, this is the first Apple Watch with cellular connectivity. How could we not try this?
'Destiny 2' gives Bungie's online shooter the narrative it deserves
Bungie's shared-world shooter is known for a lot of things. It has a dedicated community and excellent gunplay mechanics -- but Destiny has never been known as a game with a great story. In fact, the original title's story is notoriously vague, to the point that a single quote from the core game is both emblematic of the entire narrative and an in-joke: Destiny doesn't "have time to explain" what it doesn't have time to explain. The original game's storytelling was bad enough that I almost dismissed its sequel without playing it -- but Luke Smith promised me that Destiny 2 was being written for players just like me. I gave the game a shot at a recent review event and you know what? He's right. Bungie has finally figured out how to tell a story.
'Destiny 2’: A more open and impactful shared-world experience
My first experience with Bungie's shared-world online shooter was the result of a challenge. It was 2014, and I still hadn't upgraded to the new console generation. It was early in the cycle, and I had yet to stumble across a game that justified the upgrade. Then, Engadget's gaming staff insisted I try Destiny. I did. And I hated it. My friends had primed me for an epic space opera with tight gunplay and exciting challenges -- but to me, the game felt like an intentionally tedious shooting gallery filled with generic enemies that soaked up bullets like a dry sponge. I found Destiny and its expansions so boring that I was hesitant when Bungie invited me to try the game's sequel ahead of launch. Today, I'm eating my words. Destiny 2 is shaping up to be everything its predecessor wasn't.
