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Life with Bixby is equal parts futuristic and frustrating
In the future, the voice of Bixby -- Samsung's virtual assistant -- will ring forth from refrigerators and smart speakers and who knows what else. No wonder the company is taking its time with it. For those who really can't wait, Bixby's voice interface is available as a preview you can access now. I spent the last few days chatting with Bixby as often as possible. Our time together has been ... eye-opening, to say the least. It's definitely not ready for the wild, but despite the bad news surrounding it, Samsung's virtual assistant is starting to feel pretty capable. Emphasis on "starting to."
macOS High Sierra preview: It's what you can't see that counts
You can tell by its name: The next version of Apple's macOS, High Sierra, isn't a huge and transformative update. Instead, like Snow Leopard and Mountain Lion, the new OS refines what came before it. It's hard not to feel a bit disappointed, though, since last year's macOS Sierra was also a modest update. It brought Siri to the desktop and Apple Pay to the web but didn't fundamentally change how we used Macs. Now with High Sierra's first public preview, we're getting even more incremental upgrades. While the new OS isn't flashy -- you'll barely even notice you've upgraded -- it's an important stepping stone for Apple. It brings along some important changes under the hood that will modernize macOS and prepare it for the future of desktop computing. But with iOS getting some major updates that make it look and feel more like macOS, especially on iPads, it's also transforming into a legitimately competitive platform to macOS. We can't help but wonder when Apple will deliver something truly new for Macs.
Samsung's pricey Galaxy Book is a flawed powerhouse
Samsung's Galaxy Book isn't the company's first attempt at taking the Surface Pro head-on: Last year's TabPro S was clearly inspired by Microsoft's convertible. But sluggish performance and a cramped keyboard made the whole experience a bit painful, despite a great screen and battery life. At first glance, it seems that Samsung has learned from its mistakes -- the new Galaxy Book features a number of improvements. Most notably, the Galaxy Book features a Core i5 processor rather than the weaker Core M in last year's model. The keyboard is larger, too. But the things that we liked about the TabPro S, including its stunning, pressure-sensitive display, appear to still be intact. That said, after a couple days with the Galaxy Book, I'm at once impressed and infuriated with what I've found so far.
The hidden depth of mobile puzzle game 'Where Cards Fall'
We're sitting in a circle on the floor of a decadent San Francisco hotel lobby, crowds of people milling around the couches and stairways. The young men of Snowman, the studio behind Alto's Adventure, watch as Sam Rosenthal sets up a small iPad, preparing to show off his latest game, Where Cards Fall. Rosenthal is the co-founder of the Game Band, a small Los Angeles studio working with Snowman to bring its new project to iOS, Apple TV and Steam this autumn. Rosenthal flips through a slideshow of character designs, explaining the premise as he goes. Where Cards Fall is a top-down, 3D puzzle game that has players build houses of cards to navigate tricky environments. It follows a handful of teenagers over the course of 10 years, from adolescence to college and finally adulthood. The art is cartoonish yet polished, as if the designs of Oxenfree had been transformed into 3D.
Initial thoughts on 'Zelda: Breath of the Wild'
Unlike my New York-based colleagues, I didn't get a Nintendo Switch early enough to give some thoughts on the hardware. Mine arrived yesterday, along with Just Dance 2017 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. For obvious reasons, the former is still in its plastic wrapping, and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future. I've since put five hours or so into Zelda, though, and I'm really enjoying it... when I can stay alive. Five hours isn't long enough to really make a substantial call on a game of this size's merits, but I can say a few things with certainty.
48 hours with the Nintendo Switch
Is the Switch more like the Wii, Nintendo's ambitious and wildly successful console which unearthed a whole new audience of casual gamers, or the Wii U, the half-baked followup that even the company's hardcore fans never truly adopted? That was the main question I had in mind as I started testing the new console this week.
Samsung and Google have work to do before the Chromebook Pro launches
Samsung's forthcoming Chromebook Pro, which the company introduced in partnership with Google at CES last month, appeared to be the latest contender in my search for the perfect premium Chromebook. For me, that means a high-resolution screen, excellent keyboard and trackpad, and a battery that lasts all day. I'm also looking for a well-designed machine, not the cheap, netbook-inspired computers that were the hallmark of earlier Chromebooks. On the surface, the Chromebook Pro offers all of that, along with a few new hardware and software tricks. It's the first Chromebook specifically designed with the Google Play Store and Android apps in mind. It's also the first Chrome OS device with a stylus, and Google added new features to its Keep note-taking app to make it work with a pen. Samsung and Google claim that the machine learning prediction should remove latency to the point that it feels like writing on the Surface Pro 4 -- one of the best stylus experiences available.
YouTube for iOS gets Chromecast lock screen controls
It can be annoying having to unlock your phone screen and sift through all the open apps to pause, forward or rewind what you're casting on TV. Good thing YouTube has finally made things easier for iOS users. The latest version of the app for iPhones and iPads adds lock screen controls not just for Chromecast, but also for smart TVs and other devices. If you have an Apple Watch, you'll now be able to access play, pause, prev, next and volume controls on your wearable, as well. The upgrade is now available from iTunes, just in time for this weekend's YouTube binge watch session.
Four hours with 'Horizon Zero Dawn'
Personally, I don't put much stock in video game previews. Pre-release gameplay events for major, AAA titles are generally controlled and precise experiences, with scenes handpicked by developers to show only the best, most complete parts of a game. They're representative of the studio's goals, but not necessarily the final product. However, most preview events aren't four hours long. For Horizon Zero Dawn, Guerrilla Games and Sony opened up the robot-dinosaur-infested world and set me loose for nearly four hours. I played straight through the very beginning, skipped a section that apparently includes some spoilery story points, and then ran around the game's massive world completing side quests and following the main narrative. It was a sizable chunk of the game that actually felt representative of a complete experience. I can't say definitively whether Horizon is a good game just yet. But after playing it for a few hours, I can say one thing wholeheartedly: I'm more excited than ever to play Horizon when it comes out on February 28th.
First look at the new MacBook Pro (the one without the Touch Bar)
This is the new MacBook Pro. But it's probably not the one you were hoping to read about. What I have here today is the entry-level 13-inch model — the one without the multitouch Touch Bar you've surely heard about by now. No, this is, for all intents and purposes the Pro that replaces the MacBook Air. (The Air is still on sale — for now — but unless you have an inflexible budget, you should buy the new Pro instead.)
What to expect from Apple's 'Hello Again' event
Apple is sneaking in one more big product unveiling before 2016 comes to a close, and expectations for new Macs are running high. And how couldn't they be? Aside from last year's iMacs and the 12-inch MacBook, Cupertino's computer lineup has gone largely untouched since 2015 -- and there are numerous systems that have remained the same for even longer. But which Macs are going to get an upgrade on Oct. 27th? And is there a chance that other devices will get their moment in the sun? We've rounded up some of the more credible rumors to give you a sense of what's likely in store.
iOS 10 preview: Apple's software takes a big step forward
Rumor has it that Apple isn't going to reinvent the iPhone this year, but you definitely can't say the same about its software. iOS 10 was unveiled to the world late in the company's Worldwide Developer Conference keynote, and for good reason -- there were many, many new software features to unpack. And now it's time to play. Assuming you have the guts to install unfinished software, you'll be able to grab the iOS 10 public beta soon (as long as you're part of the Apple Beta Software Program, anyway). As a quick reminder, the preview is compatible with the iPhone 5 and newer, the iPad mini 2 and newer, and the sixth-generation iPod touch. Before you choose your sacrificial iDevice, though, read on to get a better sense of what works in the beta, what doesn't and how Apple's approach to software continues to evolve.
FIFA vs PES: The battle to make the best soccer game rages on
FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer? It's a debate that's been around almost as long as I've been playing soccer (or football, to me and the rest of the world) games. Since their introductions in 1993 and 1996, respectively, EA and Konami's series have been trying to outdo each other, adding various new features, tweaking their gameplay styles and snapping up licenses to appeal to fans. This year is no different, and the question is once again a hard one to answer.
What to expect from Apple's WWDC keynote next week
Apple's grand convocation of geeks -- also known as the Worldwide Developers Conference -- is set to kick off next Monday smack in the heart of San Francisco. We'll be liveblogging the keynote starting at 1 PM Eastern/10 AM Pacific, but really, who wants to go into a situation like this blind? No one, that's who. Curiously enough, the rumor mill has been churning more quietly than usual. It's tough to say whether Apple is doing a better job keeping its juicy WWDC details under wraps or if this is just a low-key keynote compared to previous years. We do know some things, though, so take a few moments to get caught up -- and be prepared for some possible last-minute surprises.
Get ready for Android N, VR and more at Google I/O 2016
It's that time of year again -- Google's about to give developers a serious show at I/O 2016, which this year is at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California (also known as Google's backyard). We'll be there throughout the week bringing you thoughtful, up-to-the-moment coverage of Google's future looks like, but until then, here's what we expect (and hope) to see starting tomorrow morning.
Amazon's high-end Kindle Oasis is sleek, sharp and pricey
Jeff Bezos probably wasn't pleased to see his surprise spoiled this week, but e-book fans still have reason to get pumped. Amazon just pulled back the curtain on its new premium reader, the Kindle Oasis, and it's the slimmest and sleekest model the company has put out yet. Of course, with a price starting at $290 (£270), it's also one of the most expensive. As Amazon tells it, all the decisions were made with one goal in mind: to let the hardware itself almost disappear from view so that readers can lose themselves in their stories.
Apple's smaller iPad Pro is the 9.7-inch iPad we've always wanted
Last year's iPad Pro was, without question, the most powerful tablet Apple had ever made, but let's be real: Its size made it a complete nonstarter for some people. That's why the folks in Cupertino took all the things that made the iPad Pro a pro and shoved them into a smaller chassis for everyone else to use. Heading into the event, I was skeptical about how well this would work, but I didn't need to be. After playing with the new, smaller Pro, I realize it's actually the iPad Air 2 sequel I was hoping for. Well, in most ways, at least.
Android N for phones is promising, but not for the faint of heart
Last Wednesday, Google threw us all for a loop by pushing out an Android N Developer Preview well ahead of its I/O developer conference. We already dug into what this preview build means for tablets like the Pixel C, but that's only part of the story. The only thing left to do was to throw N onto a sacrificial Nexus 5X and spent a few days getting a feel things on the small screen. Long story short, while most of you should steer clear, the preview offers a tantalizing -- and feature-packed-- peek at Google's refined vision of mobile computing.
The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are beautiful, if unsurprising sequels
When Samsung outed the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge last year, we all generally lavished it with praise. It was for a good reason -- they were easily the nicest phones Samsung had crafted in years, even though one was clearly more popular than the other. This year isn't really about reinventing those formulas, but about refining them, and the results are the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. You'll be able to get your own starting on March 11, but read on to get our early impressions.
LG made a robot ball and a VR headset for the G5
LG basically just shot for the moon with the new G5, but that's not all the company's been working on. There's a fascinating spate of accessories to go with the phone, though what's really weird is how LG is characterizing them. They're not just accessories -- oh, no. They're "friends."
