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Kaspersky Lab is closing its Washington, DC office
Kaspersky Lab Inc. has had a rough time with the US government this year and now Bloomberg reports that the company will be closing its Washington, DC office. However, while its government business seems to be dead in the water, Kaspersky still plans to sell to non-federal US customers and will be opening offices in Chicago and Los Angeles next year.
Best Buy claims Google Home Max will be on sale December 11th
The Google Home Mini might be 40 percent off right now, but if you'd rather have a Google smart speaker with a little more oomph you might not have to wait much longer. Mountain View's self-calibrating Home Max will be released on December 11th according to a Best Buy listing spotted by 9to5Google. This could be a gaff, but Google did say the $400 device would be out before year's end. And, well, today being November 30th means the company doesn't have much time left to fulfill that promise.
Best Buy will have Nintendo's SNES Classic in stores Saturday
If you still don't own an SNES Classic Edition, you'll have a chance to get one tomorrow, November 25th. Best Buy has announced that it will sell Nintendo's mini, retro console in stores across the US starting at 9AM local time. Not surprisingly, you'll have to be at the door early since stock will be limited. There's going to be a cap of one per customer, and Best Buy said in a blog post that it's going to offer a first-come, first-served ticketing system for customers waiting in line.
Alexa will help you order gadgets and gear from Best Buy (updated)
In an odd turn for retail cooperation, Best Buy is now available on Alexa, Amazon's voice-powered digital assistant. Starting today, you can learn about and order Best Buy's Deal of the Day sales just by saying, "Alexa, talk to Best Buy." Sure, it seems odd to have a competing service on Amazon's own devices, but as the blog post from Best Buy points out, the big box store has been selling Amazon Alexa devices in a special section in about 700 of its stores earlier this year.
Best Buy stops selling full-price iPhone X following backlash
Last Friday, when the iPhone X became available for preorder, would-be Best Buy customers found that to buy the phone upfront through the retailer, they would have to pay $100 more than what Apple itself was charging. Rather than $999 or $1,149 depending on what amount of storage was wanted, Best Buy was charging $1,099 and $1,249. Now, as Bloomberg reports, Best Buy has stopped selling the iPhone X upfront and is only offering it through carrier-specific billing plans.
Best Buy bets you'll pay $100 extra for an iPhone X
After half an hour of iPhone X preorders going live, the first ship date of November 3rd had already filled up. New owners were told they would have to wait 4-5 weeks for their new Apple device to ship. Maybe that has something to do with Best Buy's surprise price hike of $100 extra for folks who pre-ordered either model of iPhone X on the retailer's site.
Kaspersky says it briefly possessed classified NSA files
Earlier this month, reports surfaced that classified NSA documents detailing how US agencies defend their cyber networks and how they breach foreign ones were stolen by Russian hackers in 2015. Those reports noted that the files were spotted through Kaspersky security software used by an NSA contractor who had saved the classified documents on a home computer. Well, Kaspersky has now provided some more information about the incident and it has acknowledged that it did in fact have classified NSA materials in its possession, the Associated Press reports.
Sphero’s R2-Q5 ‘Star Wars’ droid is basically a goth R2-D2
Sphero just announced a new app-controlled robot a few days ago, the Mini, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have anything else in the works. The company has now revealed the latest member of its Star Wars family, R2-Q5, the Empire's version of the beloved R2-D2 character. As is the case with all of Sphero's toys, you can take charge of R2-Q5 via its Droids app for iOS and Android, where you'll be able to drive it, hear it make sounds and use it to play various mini games. You'll need to act fast if you want one for yourself: Sphero says the number of R2-Q5 numbers made is in the "low thousands," and Best Buy has an exclusive on it in the US, while John Lewis has that honor in the UK. Pre-orders are open now for $200/£200, with shipping expected to happen November 5th.
Russian hackers reportedly stole NSA cyber defense material
The Wall Street Journal reports today that Russian hackers stole documents detailing how US agencies defend their networks against cyberattacks, how they breach foreign networks and the computer code they use to do so. Sources told the publication that the stolen files were identified through Kaspersky security software used by an NSA contractor that had taken classified material from the NSA and saved it on his come computer.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 hits stores today
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 fans, the day is here. The phone hits stores today after breaking series pre-order records in the US and abroad. Samsung announced earlier this week that it sold over 650,000 phones in the first five days of its presale, outselling the Note 7 over the same time period.
Best Buy pulls Kaspersky's antivirus software from its shelves
Amid growing concern/speculation/hysteria that Kaspersky Lab products could be tied to the Russian government, retailer Best Buy has stopped selling its antivirus. Minnesota's StarTribune first reported the move, citing a source who said that the company felt there are "too many unanswered questions" after conducting its own investigation. There's no word on what those questions are, or why Kaspersky's offer to share its source code isn't enough to prove there's no backdoor, and the company hasn't spoken about the move beyond confirming the report. In a tweet, Kaspersky noted its products are available through other retailers and said that while its relationship with Best Buy is suspended, it "may be re-evaluated in the future."
Best Buy plans to send sales consultants to more homes this fall
Best Buy, the company that'll sell you overpriced HDMI cables and charge a premium for making basic adjustments to your TV, wants to put its sales people in more houses. The Associated Press reports that the expanded service will be free, and this fall will move beyond the five test cities where it's currently available. The retailer says that in its tests, customers spend more when a sales person comes to their homes versus what they do in stores.
Andy Rubin's Essential Phone is up for pre-order through Sprint
Starting today, Essential Phone is available for pre-order from Sprint -- the exclusive carrier of the smartphone. While the phone is compatible with all major networks and can be purchased unlocked from Essential, Sprint is offering payment plans and leases for those that don't want to necessarily commit to the model.
Amazon invests in Andy Rubin’s Essential phone project
Amazon is dipping more digits into the hardware market. Along with Chinese powerhouse Tencent, the shopping juggernaut has announced an investment into Andy Rubin's Essential Products Inc. via the Alexa Fund, the Wall Street Journal reports. Other details are scant, like how much either of those contributed to the $300 million funding. But we do know that while the PH-1 handset is exclusive to Sprint here in the US, you'll be able to buy one at Amazon or Best Buy at launch.
Nintendo World Championships return on October 7th
You won't have to wait nearly so long for the third Nintendo World Championships as you did for the second. Nintendo has revealed that its third World Championships will take place in New York City on October 7th, 2017. Anyone in the US or Canada can register (it's not really a world tournament, is it?), but you'll have to qualify by playing Mario Kart 7 for the 2DS/3DS at certain Best Buy locations in eight American cities. The first qualifiers start August 19th in New York City and San Jose, while Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Dallas, Seattle and Miami are also on deck.
Skip the line and grab a Uniqlo jacket from a vending machine
You can get Best Buy products, Snapchat Spectacles and Instagram likes from a vending machine these days. You can even get a car. Now, Uniqlo wants to add its clothing to the myriad of items you can snag from a machine. The retailer is planning to install 10 apparel-spouting vending machines in markets across the US over the next two months. Locations will include airports and shopping malls in New York, Houston and Oakland, among other cities.
Amazon's Geek Squad-like service installs your smart home gear
Geek Squad is supposed to be one of Best Buy's few clear advantages over internet retailers: you can ask for help from a real human being if you're not sure how to set up your devices. Even that edge is disappearing, however. Recode has learned that Amazon is quietly rolling out a smart home setup service that helps you get started with connected lights, thermostats and (of course) smart speakers. If you have an Echo or another Alexa-connected device, you can get a free 45-minute consultation from an Amazon staffer who'll answer questions, demo Alexa-linked devices and, naturally, create shopping lists. However, the real stars of the show are the in-person visits.
eBay will match prices from Amazon and Walmart on certain items
eBay announced a new Price Match Guarantee today, ensuring many of its items will cost the same or less than those offered by other major retail competitors. It's the company's latest move in the ongoing business battle with giants like Amazon and Walmart.
Best Buy will let you rent gadgets before you purchase them
Retail is tough. Customers have to be able to figure out which item will best suit their needs while retailers need to make sure their customers are happy enough with their purchases to keep them. One way to serve both needs is with a solid "try before you buy" system, which lets consumers get some hands-on time with items before committing to a full purchase. This is even more useful when customers are looking for big-ticket items like fancy wearables and high-end cameras. Big-box electronics retailer Best Buy has partnered with gadget rental startup Lumoid to provide just such a system, which is due later this month.
Samsung’s mesh WiFi system connects your smart home this July
Samsung's oh-so-smoothly named Connect Home Smart WiFi System now has a launch date and pricing structure. The router, which was announced in March, also has a SmartThings hub built right in, making it super easy to connect all of your smart gadgets.
