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Amazon takes on PS5 and Xbox scalpers with a new invite system
The goal is to help legitimate shoppers get their hands on in-demand products.
LG's next dual-screen phone may gain a small outer display (updated)
While Samsung and Huawei refine their foldable devices, LG has introduced expanding hardware with its V50 ThinQ (shown above) that uses a case to add a second screen. The company's invite to its unveiling event on September 6th at IFA 2019 in Germany suggests it will continue to develop that strategy, with a video done up in 8-bit style that expands from one narrow screen across a second one. What's new, though, is a small screen on the outer side for showing the time and date.
Samsung will reveal the Galaxy Note 8 on August 23rd
Samsung's next large-screened phone is on its way, as invites have just gone out for the company's Unpacked event on August 23rd. A teaser image promises to "Do bigger things," which is about what we'd expect from the followup to last year's Galaxy Note 7 debacle. Rumors indicate that the Galaxy Note 8 we're expecting to see will rock a larger 6.3-inch version of the Galaxy S8's Infinity Display, dual rear cameras and 6GB of RAM.
LG's G6 invite drops more hints about the 'Big Screen' phone
As usual, LG is continuing to slowly drop hints about its big product unveiling ahead of Mobile World Congress 2017 next month. Our official invite to the launch event for its next flagship mobile phone has arrived and positions the G6 as having a "Big Screen...That Fits." The words and diagram continue to hint at a device with minimal bezel, which backs up images previously leaked. LG itself already revealed the device's unique 18:9 ratio display -- branded "Full Vision" -- and promises it won't explode. Since Samsung's Galaxy S8 debut will be delayed, something has to grab the spotlight in Barcelona and maybe the G6 is that phone. We'll find out on February 26th.
Samsung will unveil something at MWC on February 26th
Samsung just sent out its invites for the Mobile World Congress 2017, however, unlike previous years, the big news is what won't be there. As a knock-on effect of the whole Galaxy Note 7 mess, its introduction of the flagship Galaxy S8 is delayed from its usual February reveal to (likely) March. Still, Samsung has a show to put on and sent out this curious image to pique our interest.
Sony is holding a PlayStation event on September 7th
It looks like we could finally see what Sony has up its sleeve for the future of PlayStation next month. Members of the press have begun receiving invites to a "PlayStation Meeting" scheduled for September 7th at 3pm Eastern. Where? The PlayStation Theater in New York, of course. This confirms reports that began floating around yesterday that Sony would finally show off the revamped PlayStation 4, codenamed "Neo."
The OnePlus X is now available without an invite
OnePlus is now selling its "X" smartphone to anyone that wants it. The budget Android device had previously been part of OnePlus' much maligned invite-only policy, which makes buyers wait for a code before purchasing. (As if buying a $249 phone makes you part of some sort of exclusive club). Announcing the decision, OnePlus says this is the fastest a phone has moved from invites to general availability, and notes that this is a trend it hopes to improve upon in the future.
The next Ubuntu phone is here, but you'll need an invite
Another Ubuntu phone, another unusual launch. After the BQ Aquaris E4.5, which debuted with a series of online flash sales, Canonical is following up with an invite-only handset built by Meizu. Yep, the same Meizu that once hoped to release an Ubuntu phone in 2014. The new MX4 "Ubuntu Edition" has been available to developers in China since May, but starting tomorrow you'll be able to order one in Europe too. At least, you will if you're lucky enough to receive an invite. Canonical and Meizu aren't revealing how many will be available each day, so you'll just have to visit their teaser site, complete the "origami wall" and hope for the best. The company is also staying tight-lipped about whether the invite system will eventually be dropped and if the MX4 will later be sold in other markets.
Apple schedules March 9th event ahead of Watch launch
You know the drill. Apple issues an invite for an event, and tech media channels go wild with speculation. Except that we know the event in question this time, scheduled for March 9, is almost certainly about the Apple Watch. How? Well, we already know it's slated for an April release, so there's that. Oh and a not-so-subtle "spring forward" message the invite contains. Apple losing its cryptic touch? Maybe, but it's not unknown for Cook and crew to throw in a few surprises (but please, no more musical "surprises"). Engadget will of course be there to find out, with a liveblog so you can follow along too. Just don't forget to change your (non Apple) watch an hour, or you'll miss the whole darn thing.
Got Google's new Inbox app? Now you can invite three friends!
The jury's still out on Google's new mobile approach to email, but that hasn't stopped people from going a little batty over getting invited to use it (see also: Gmail, Google Wave). In case you were feeling a little weird about begging Google for an Inbox invite, though, you can now just beg your Inbox-using friends for one. Google has just started gracing users with three invites to spread among their needy peers -- if they happen to see a golden ticket (we really need a new visual metaphor to that effect) in their Speed Dial menu, they can start spreading the love. Alas, Google isn't letting the floodgates fully open just yet: if you got your invite from someone who didn't get theirs straight from Mountain View, chances are you don't have any invites of your own to share. Now we're just waiting to see if a secondary market of Inbox invites springs up -- what's the Bitcoin-to-Inbox invite ratio these days?
Samsung's 'Kapture The Moment' event hints at new camera-centric phone
Samsung just posted a mysterious invitation for an April 29th event, but it'd be more intriguing if we hadn't already seen alleged specs and a picture (after the break) of the soon-to-be-revealed device. That'd be the Galaxy K Zoom, reportedly an Android 4.4.2 KitKat camera phone with a 20-megapixel 10X optical zoom and Xenon flash. The invite seems to confirm a change from Samsung's usual naming scheme of matching its flagship-du-jour, like last year's Galaxy S4 Zoom. That may be because the new device bears little resemblance to the current Galaxy S5, with the leaked specs showing a much milder quad-core 1.6GHz CPU and 4.8-inch, 720p screen. In case you missed all the qualifiers, none of this has been verified by Samsung, so don't get too excited (or not) until the end of the month.
Amazon likely to announce media streamer at April 2nd event
Amazon's name has been circulated pretty heavily in the rumor mill as of late, especially when it comes to a streaming music service and set-top box. So we aren't necessarily surprised to see the company send us an invite to an event April 2nd for "an update to our video business." That's the only clue we have -- unless you count the image of a couch as a hint -- but given the aforementioned rumors, it seems very likely that we're going to see the set-top box that's been rumored for so long. If so, this should be Amazon's answer to other media streamers like Apple TV and Roku. We've heard whispers that the new box will run on a forked version of Android, much like the Kindle Fire, and will feature Netflix and Hulu Plus apps. Whatever Amazon does announce, we've got the event on our calendars and we'll be there to get you the latest updates.
Tizen ready to unveil its newest devices in February at Mobile World Congress
Tizen is a relatively new operating system which will be featured on a wide range of devices, from smartphones and tablets to automotive computer systems, but it's been pretty quiet thus far, only getting into the hands of developers and just a couple of cameras available for general consumers. That's all about to change, as Tizen has sent us an invitation to check out the first set of devices running the OS on February 23rd in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress. It doesn't specifically mention that smartphones will be included in this lineup, but it's a pretty safe bet -- especially since the first handset with Tizen was supposed to be coming out at the end of 2013. As always, we'll be on the lookout for more details as they trickle in.
Haiku Deck updates iPad app, launches web-based cloud version
Making presentations is a harsh reality of modern business life. Eventually you'll have to use PowerPoint or Keynote to sell your ideas. But there are alternatives for people who find those presentation options heavy handed and difficult to use. For more than 800,000 iPad users, the go-to alternative is Haiku Deck, a simple app that quickly helps you build presentations using Creative Commons-licensed photos to give your work an extra layer of quality. As a TUAW reader, you can enjoy early access to the new web app! More on that later in this post. Haiku Deck has been a joy for iPad users, regularly landing at the top of the App Store's productivity charts around the world. Today Haiku Deck is expanding beyond your iPad with a powerful new cloud-based browser version. The online deck keeps the iPad version's commitment to building simple slides that focus on one idea at a time, emphasizing the interplay between your words and images. Because the new desktop app is cloud-based, a user can start building a presentation on their iPad, save their work and then pick right back up where they left off in the web app. That's very convenient for "emergencies" like an iPad that's low on power or a significant other who needs to use it. To get this functionality, you will need to update to version 2.3 of Haiku Deck for iPad, which is already in the iTunes store. When you're done building your presentation, your work can be shared via the bowser, iPad app or exported to a PDF or PowerPoint format. Currently the web app is invite only, but if you'd like to try the web version of Haiku Deck without waiting, we've got an early access link to share with you. Haiku Deck has given us its blessing to share our early access link, so click here to get started now. We've played with it over the last few days and it provides the same clean experience you've come to expect from its iPad incarnation. You can find the updated version of the iPad app in the iTunes store right now. If you're a power user of Haiku Deck, this web app is sure to be a welcome addition to the platform.
Elder Scrolls Online beta keys are going out now
If you've been eagerly awaiting your chance to get in on ZeniMax's Elder Scrolls Online, you might want to check your inbox. The company has confirmed that additional beta invites are being sent out right this very moment and should be arriving shortly. ZeniMax also offered a heads-up: Check your spam filters and don't forget the Gmail "Promotions" tab. If you didn't receive a key, don't worry -- ZeniMax will be sending more out in the near future.
Google expands Glass sales but still wants a one-to-one chat with every buyer
Gone are the days when you needed to visit a Google office in person to pick up a pair of Explorer Edition spectacles. Following the recent expansion of the wearable project, which allowed existing owners to invite up to three friends or relatives to take that $1,500 step into the future, it's been possible for new customers to have their glasses shipped to them, just like any commercial product. What hasn't changed, however, is Google's desire to influence these users' first impressions of the device by giving them a highly personalized introduction. Soon after Phil Nickinson of Android Central received his invite-only Google Glass, he got a phone call asking him to join a personal 45-minute Hangout to take him through the "entire setup process" and tell him "about the history of Glass along the way." These calls are a sensible move on Google's part, no doubt, and likely very helpful to new owners, but they also suggest that Glass may still be a little too complicated to ship with nothing but a Getting Started PDF and a legal disclaimer.
Google will soon let Glass users upgrade their hardware and invite their friends to buy one (updated)
Well, that was quick. Shortly after a Financial Times report to the effect, Google has confirmed that it is indeed preparing an invite system that will let current Glass owners invite up to three friends to join its Explorer program and buy a device of their own. The company isn't saying exactly when they'll be able to do so just yet, but is promising a rollout "over the next few weeks." What's more, Google's also announced a one-time hardware exchange for existing Glass users, which will let them swap out their eyewear for an upgraded version. There's no word on any potential improvements to battery life or other specs just yet, but Google says the new version will work with "future lines of shades and prescription frames," and also come equipped with a mono earbud. Glass users can expect to receive an email sometime next month with further details on the exchange process. Update: It looks like Mountain View is beginning to open up the invitation floodgates as one of our editors in the Explorer program just received an email to invite friends. Head past the break for the missive.
Apple confirms October 22nd event, still has 'a lot to cover'
The rumors, they are true. Apple's ready to take the wraps off of something big next week, just in time to seriously impact our collective holiday spending -- and just a little more than a month after that big iPhone event. In fact, the invite alludes to that recent event by noting that the company still has "a lot to cover." And just like the last invite, there's more than enough color here to go around, so take that as you will. As ever, there's no word on precisely what'll be announced, but rumor is that the iPad, iPad mini and MacBook Pro lines are set for refreshes. And the recent release of the OS X Gold Master hints at a bit more information on the desktop operating system side of things. Whatever the news may be, we'll be bringing it to you live at 10AM PT.
Apple to host second launch event in China on September 11th
We can't be the only ones wondering whether the bright colors in Apple's September 10th invite were a visual reference to the snazzy plastic iPhones we've been seeing recently. Indeed, these same primary hues have now re-appeared in a second invite sent to journalists in China, summoning them to special event on September 11th in Beijing, and that only adds to our expectation that a cheaper iPhone 5C (if that's what it's really called) may be imminent. Tim Cook wouldn't have undertaken all those long-haul visits to Chinese carriers just for the free slippers and sleeping masks. Update: Seems like Beijing won't be alone; Berlin and Tokyo will also be getting their own iPhone launch events. Those localized launches will apparently feature either a live stream or a replay of the Cupertino press conference, along with some "other content," according to AllThingsD. This isn't the first time Apple has run events in multiple countries, but we also don't expect them to differ terribly from the primary one held in the US.
T-Mobile holding a press event July 10th, promises 'boldest moves yet'
We're never ones to turn down a particularly intriguing teaser, so you can bet we'll be be there with bells on. T-Mobile's event's going down on July 10th in New York City. Beyond that, well, your guess is as good as ours. The minimalistic magenta invite promises that the carrier will be delivering its "boldest moves yet," via an image file titled, fittingly, "moonshot." Moon rockets? PlayStation Moves? BlackBerry Bolds? The sky's the limit, apparently.
