Gadgets
Latest
Samsung Galaxy S20 and S20+ review: Smaller is better
Samsung was more ambitious than usual this year, launching the souped-up S20 Ultra alongside a more conventional pair of flagships. The Ultra, though, is an impressive but impractical device. Most people should clearly consider something more sensible, like the "regular" S20s. The S20 and S20 Plus have the same smooth displays and 5G support as their larger sibling as well as cameras that aren't as excessive. That's fine, because they're not as expensive either. At $1,000 and $1,200, respectively, the S20 and S20+ are at least in the same ballpark as other flagships.
Microsoft details its low-latency Xbox Series X controller
A new Xbox console also means a new controller. In a Q&A, Microsoft's Ryan Whitaker, a senior designer with the company's Xbox team, detailed some of the enhancements you can expect to see on the Xbox Series X's controller when it becomes available later this year.
Beats' redesigned Powerbeats earbuds have longer battery and hands-free Siri
The only thing left to do was officially announce it. Apple's Powerbeats 4 is far from a well-kept secret at this point. The tethered wireless earbuds popped up in an FCC filing in late February. Another leak last week offered full details and images. The unannounced product even hit shelves at Walmart over the weekend. Well, the official reveal is here: Apple's latest Beats wireless earbuds are indeed a new Powerbeats device. However, they're not called Powerbeats 4, they're simply named Powerbeats.
The Morning After: Disney released 'The Rise of Skywalker' early
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. As if this week didn't have enough happening (check below for a few highlights) Friday tossed in enough groundbreaking events for an entire week. At a White House press conference, the president announced Google would make a screening site for people in the US with COVID-19 symptoms to determine if they need testing, find a drive-thru test and later, receive their results. Shortly after, it became apparent this website won't do all of that, won't work for everyone in the US when it launches and is the work of a small Alphabet subsidiary named Verily, not 1,700 Google engineers. According to a report by Wired, Google execs didn't even know the announcement was part of the plan. Meanwhile, other companies responded to the growing pandemic in their own ways. Comcast decided to back off of bandwidth caps for two months and open up its WiFi hotspots for free use by all, mobile carriers banded together with a pledge to suspend cancellations and even Disney got into the act. It's promising to release Frozen 2 on Disney+ early this weekend (you'll have to wait until Tuesday to watch in 4K) to give families stuck at home something to enjoy, and it already released Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on video-on-demand several days earlier than expected. I haven't mentioned the two most surprising stories from Friday afternoon and evening yet -- look below. -- Richard
The best deals we found this week: Mario games, iPad mini and more
We saw a number of good deals this week, with one of the highlights coming from Mario Day—or "Mar10" Day in Nintendo lingo. Some of the most popular Mario-verse games are still on sale, dropping them to prices that are rarely seen outside of the holiday shopping season. Also, you can still get $50 off an iPad mini 5 at Amazon and Best Buy. Here are the best deals from this past week that you can still get today. Nintendo Switch Mario games Nintendo's annual "Mar10" day celebration of Mario is still happening. Through March 14, you can snag a number of popular Mario games for Nintendo Switch at discounted prices. Key among them are Super Mario Maker 2 for $40, Super Mario Party for $40, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 for $40 and Yoshi's Crafted World for $40. These sale prices are available at Nintendo's eShop, Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers, but since the sale is nearing its end, some retailers may be sold out of certain games. Also, check out Nintendo's eShop for additional, non-Mario games on sale including Just Dance 2020 for $20, Monopoly for $10 and Child of Light for $5. Buy Super Mario Maker 2 on Best Buy - $40 Buy Super Mario Party on Best Buy - $40 Buy Mario & Sonic at the Olympics on Amazon - $40 Buy Yoshi's Crafted World on Amazon - $40
The best uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
By Sarah Witman This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). Most people don't need an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), but it can be a worthwhile investment to keep a few key electronics running when a power outage occurs. After spending more than 20 hours considering nearly 100 models, interviewing experts, and testing our top candidates, we found that the Tripp Lite AVR750U is the best UPS for people who want to power a home Wi-Fi network and other small electronics during a blackout of an hour or less. The Tripp Lite AVR750U will cover the basics for most people during common, short-term blackouts. In our tests, it provided enough power to keep the average broadband modem and Wi-Fi router running for an hour, which means you can stay online while the power is off and get in touch with emergency services, follow news and weather changes, or just pass the time on your favorite websites. It requires no setup aside from plugging it in, and it includes automatic voltage regulation—an important feature that some cheaper models lack. Six of its 12 outlets are backed up by a battery, and its compact shape—about the size of a Merriam-Webster dictionary—and its 6-foot cord make it relatively easy to stow under a desk or nightstand.
Nintendo prevails in lawsuit over Switch console and JoyCon design
After two and a half years of back-and-forth, a patent battle around the Nintendo Switch's design has ended in a win for the Japanese gaming company. In 2017, Gamevice filed suit against Nintendo, claiming that the Switch was too similar to its gaming tablet and that Nintendo's JoyCons were a ripoff of its snap-on tablet and smartphone controllers. Gamevice even tried to stop Nintendo from importing Switch units to the United States in 2018. All that effort didn't pay off, though.
Looxid adapts its VR brain monitor for Oculus Rift S
Two years ago, Looxid Labs walked Engadget through a VR museum. A virtual display was pinned to the corner of the user's field of vision and contained real-time stats on his brain activity. At the time, the product seemed a little out-there, but it has matured considerably, and has some clear applications not just in the world of VR gaming, but also in business and health industries. The company revealed that the Looxid Link now works with Oculus Rift S using an EEG-equipped attachment -- and for an add-on, it looks surprisingly slick.
Engadget Podcast: Coronavirus and our remote work future
Well, we're officially living through a global pandemic, folks. This week, Devindra and Cherlynn chat about how coronavirus is pushing many companies towards remote work and better employee support. (It's just too bad it took a widespread illness to make those things happen.) Will this be the norm moving forward for white-collar jobs? And for a change of pace, they chat about the tech world's war on bezels and the state of software in folding phones. Be sure to stay tuned for some quarantine viewing recommendations too! Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News! Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Play Music Links 'It's Just Everywhere Already': How Delays in Testing Set Back the U.S. Coronavirus Response How Taiwan and Singapore Have Contained the Coronavirus Foldable phones are the future, but their software is stuck in the present Why the tech world is waging war on bezels Dyson's Corrale is a $500 straightening iron with over-engineered plates Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Cherlynn Low Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
The Morning After: Meet Lego Super Mario
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. Just in case you were wondering how necessary ISP's bandwidth limits are, Comcast and AT&T have found some wiggle room in response to the outbreak of coronavirus. AT&T told Motherboard it is suspending broadband usage caps for now, as children, college students and adults are all suddenly spending some extra time at home. For its part, Comcast is boosting broadband speeds for low-income Internet Essentials customers, which is an important first step. Canceling caps like AT&T or expanding them beyond current outdated limits could be a great second step -- especially if other ISPs do the same. And then keep the changes in place after the crisis is over, as step three. Just a thought. -- Richard
Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 2 has ANC and improved battery life
Sennheiser's first true wireless earbuds were some of the best-sounding audio accessories that I tested last year. Unfortunately, that stellar audio quality was offset by frustrating touch controls and other annoyances. And to justify the $300 price, you have to nail the details. A year later, the German company is back with an update version: the Momentum True Wireless 2. Even with the addition of active noise cancellation (ANC) and extended battery life, Sennheiser has kept the price at $299 (€299).
MSI's PS42 Modern entry-level gaming laptop is on sale for $830
If you've been thinking of investing in an entry-level gaming laptop, now might be the time. The MSI PS42 Modern is on sale on Newegg for $830. That's a $770 savings off of the machine's original price, and it's closer to the price you'd usually see on a base-level Ultrabook.
A beginners guide to buying a synth
It's no secret that there's a growing interest in synths, drum machines and other electronic music instruments. There are many reasons for that -- most obviously because electronic music is now popular music. But it's also because improved technology and manufacturing have driven the prices of such devices low enough that even the most casual musician can dabble. Plus there are a dizzying number of options for you to choose from at the entry level. So how do you get started? Should you get a portable and affordable Volca? Or that new Model:Cycles that we liked so much? And are Behringers actually any good? I know you have a lot of questions, so let's get right to it.
Ring temporarily pauses most third-party data collection
Ring promised to give users more control over their privacy -- and the company seems to be making an honest effort. After The Electronic Frontier Foundation discovered that Ring's apps were sharing data with third parties, Ring allowed users to opt out of certain data sharing practices -- as well as police video requests. Now, the company is pausing its use of "most third-party analytics services" for the Ring apps and website while it works on a better solution.
TAG Heuer's latest smartwatches start at $1,800
Most smartwatches look like smart watches. For some people, that's perfectly fine. Others, though, prefer a more sophisticated look. The third generation of TAG Heuer's Connected series merges the fitness and productivity features of Google's Wear OS with a design that might be mistaken for a classic chronograph at first glance. But there's a big price to pay for the upscale looks -- these are still luxury watches after all.
Elektron's Model:Samples groovebox gets improved pitch control
Elektron has made a name for itself making complex and expensive electronic music gear, but over the last year or so it's made a serious bid for the entry-level market -- consumers that are keen to have a tinker around a newbie-friendly instrument rather than professional musicians. Its Model:Samples -- which launched for $449, but is now only $299 -- was designed to simplify Elektron's unique workflow for beginners, and now it's been given an update to give it even beefier features.
The Morning After: BMW will end production of the i8 soon
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. E3 is canceled. Due to the extended threat of the coronavirus pandemic, the gaming industry's biggest event of the year isn't happening. Please add it to the canceled event list that includes SXSW and Google I/O. As we mentioned when the news broke, there were already several question marks hanging over this year's show. Earlier this year, Iam8bit, best known for its video game vinyl releases, resigned as E3 creative directors. The production company didn't give reasons for why it was bowing out, and there were whispers that this would be a very different kind of E3. Last year, an E3 2020 pitch deck was leaked, outlining a "fan, media and influencer festival" that sounded a little different from the usual hands-on areas and industry meetings. Instead, the show would reportedly retool to pull in more of the general public -- and ticket sales. Geoff Keighley, the organizer of The Game Awards and host of the E3 Coliseum event space, announced that he would be skipping the show last month, too, following up with a sober tweet about how this year's E3 was shaping up. Not to mention, Sony was already no-show. Both the team behind PlayStation and Microsoft are planning standalone events to showcase their new consoles. (There will be a digital event for Microsoft's E3 news.) You could argue, then, that our team dodged a bullet. But those games will still be announced, and still playable -- somewhere, at some point. It'll all be in a more piecemeal fashion. -- Mat
EU plans to introduce sweeping 'right to repair' legislation for electronics
As part of its newly announced Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Commission, the body that drafts the EU's laws, says it will introduce right to repair legislation that will push electronics manufacturers to create products that last longer, include as many recycled materials as possible and are easier to reuse, repair and recycle.
Ring's latest doorbells feature a three-camera array
Over the weekend, a leak revealed the latest smart doorbells from Ring. The product pages -- which were quickly taken down from Ring's website -- highlighted the addition of a 5GHz wireless connection and a "Pre-Roll" feature that shows users the four seconds of video that happened before an alarm was tripped. Today, the company officially revealed the Video Doorbell 3 and Video Doorbell 3 Plus, and elaborated on the technology behind the Pre-Roll feature. While the Video Doorbell 3 seems to be an incremental upgrade, the 3 Plus may pique the interest of existing Ring users as well as new customers.
Foldable phones are the future, but their software is stuck in the present
Take your boring glass rectangle of a phone and fold it in half! Or thirds! Or.. quarters? It's time for the shape of smartphones to change again. Over the last decade, they've settled into a largely uniform look. If I were to draw an icon for a phone, it would be a vertical rectangle with rounded corners and maybe a button on the front. There -- I've just described the Galaxy S line, iPhones, Pixels and pretty much every other phone.
