Advertisement

The Morning After: Tuesday, August 22nd 2017

Sun'll come out, tomorrow.

This Tuesday morning, we're still talking about the eclipse, getting a name for Google's latest version of Android and testing the best virtual assistants out there.


It'll be on the Pixel very soon.
Oreo is officially the next name for Android

Google loves to make a big splash when it reveals the name for the latest version of Android. But the company is going all out this year, using the solar eclipse as an opportunity to reveal that Android O will henceforth be referred to as Oreo. It makes at least a little sense to tie this reveal into the eclipse -- those iconic photos of the solar event are at least a little bit evocative of Oreos, after all.


But why?
The solar eclipse hype is annoying, but the event is worth it

By now, it's possible that you are completely fatigued by the August 21st total solar eclipse and all the media hype surrounding it -- and it hasn't even happened yet. It seems as though every outlet is talking nonstop about this event. But this actually is a big deal, which is why it's gotten so much coverage. Let us break it down for you: this is one of those rare cases where the event is worth the hype.


No clear winner.
Engadget is testing all the major AI assistants

Hardly a day goes by that we don't cover virtual assistants. If it's not news about Siri, there's some new development with Alexa, or Cortana or Google Assistant. Perhaps a new player, like Samsung, is wading into the space. Even Android-creator Andy Rubin is considering building an assistant of his own. And his company probably isn't the only one that thinks there's room for another AI helper.

With virtual assistants becoming such an integral part of our lives (or at least our tech-news diets), we felt it was time to stop and take stock of everything happening here. For one week, we asked five Engadget reporters to live with one of the major assistants. First up, Google Assistant.


The law enforcement agency has met with firms in the energy and tech sectors

FBI reportedly advising companies to ditch Kaspersky apps.

Kaspersky Lab's tussle with the US government could have ramifications for its dealings with the private sector. A new report claims the FBI has been meeting with companies to warn them of the threat posed by the cybersecurity firm. The briefings are the latest chapter in an ongoing saga over government agencies' use of Kaspersky's products. Officials claim the company is a Russian stooge that can't be trusted with protecting America's critical infrastructure. The company denies these claims -- its CEO, Eugene Kaspersky, has even offered up its source code in a bid to clear his firm's name.

But wait, there's more...