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What to expect at CES 2019
We're not quite done dusting off the glitter from our New Year's Day celebrations, but it's time to turn our attention once again to that other big event in January: the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Yes, the annual flurry of tech and gadgets returns to Las Vegas next week, and we'll be right there in the middle of it all to check out what's new. From smart homes to the biggest of big-screen TVs, here's a brief sneak peek at what we expect from this year's show.
The best weapon in 'Just Cause 4' is Mother Nature
Just Cause 4 arrives at the end of a busy season of open world games. Fortunately, the series has always done things differently from the likes of Assassin's Creed, Read Dead Redemption, Far Cry and the rest. It's the game that coaxes you into causing destruction and explosions, offering a shamelessly hard-boiled physics playground for you cut loose inside. During a lengthy playtime session last week with what appears to be very close to the final game, Just Cause 4 begs to be live-streamed, clipped and shared on Twitch, Twitter, Reddit, Discord and everywhere else.
iPad Pro preview (2018): Early signs point to a powerhouse with potential
Apple's newly updated iPad Pro is, to put it bluntly, a spectacular bit of hardware. In fact, it's so spectacular that we haven't been able to completely put it through its paces yet. Frankly, there's so much going on here that to try and pretend we could thoroughly test it in the four days we've had it would be a disservice to you and anyone else considering buying one. After all, these machines don't come cheap: The model we've been testing is the fully specced-out 12.9-inch Pro with 1TB of storage, and once you factor in the keyboard case and a new Apple Pencil, you're looking at more than $2,000. To really decide if something like that is worth it, we needed a little more time. That's why we're saying to hell with embargoes and holding off on publishing our full review for a few more days. Don't worry: You'll be able to read it soon, so you'll have our full verdict ready just as the new Pros go on sale. In the meantime, though, we've learned a lot about the 12.9-inch iPad Pro over the past few days, and I wanted to share some of those first impressions with you.
Life with the OnePlus 6T: A better phone with less compromise
OnePlus has been churning out two smartphones a year since 2016, and that sheer speed means some of those rapid-fire sequels weren't as exciting as we would've hoped. (Here's looking at you, 5T.) Despite sharing a lot with its predecessor, you can't really say the same of the new OnePlus 6T. It's a phone that, in many ways, is defined by its firsts: this is the first phone to be sold in the US with an in-display fingerprint sensor. This is the first OnePlus phone ever to work on Verizon. And it's the first OnePlus ever to get the full sales support of a major US carrier — in this case, T-Mobile. For years, the company has insisted on measured growth, but now it seems to be sitting right at the edge of a huge moment. We've had the phone for less than a week and publishing a full review didn't feel quite right yet, but in the meantime, I find myself nearly sold. As the company prepares to go big in the US, this phone just might be the right phone at the right time.
What to expect from Apple's iPad and Mac event
The last time we trekked to an Apple event, the company showed off three new phones that everyone saw coming a mile away. That's not to say the XR, XS and XS Max were in any way lacking; it's just that the leaks told us a thorough story of some logical upgrades to the stuff we got the year before. You can always count on Apple to regularly release new phones, but the same can't be said of other kinds of Apple hardware. That's what makes the company's next launch event (in Brooklyn, for whatever reason) so interesting. Once again, we have a pretty good idea of what it plans to show off, thanks to months of rumors and supply chain intrigue. This time, though, Apple seems set to deliver what some die-hard fans have wanted for years: meaningful updates to Macs that have largely gone neglected (oh, and some new iPads, too). The show starts in earnest at 10 AM on Tuesday, October 30th, and we're getting ready to bring you as much coverage from the ground as we can. In the meantime, though, let's take a closer look at the things we're pretty sure Apple plans to show off and dig into why they're so important.
'Fallout 76' preview: This isn't 'Fallout 5'
I really wanted to find the Mothman. Apparently he resides along the Greenbrier River, in the lush, post-apocalyptic forests of West Virginia. Pull up the map in Fallout 76 and a friendly icon proclaiming "Mothman Museum" sits along the river's east bank, just below Vault 76 and above something called The Giant Teapot. Fallout 76's world is four times larger than Fallout 4's, easily making it the biggest game in the series, and the Mothman is just one pit stop among hundreds of attractions littered across the freshly irradiated land.
Apple's bigger, better Watch Series 4 makes a great first impression
Apple's new iPhones are impressive and all, but I'd argue the company's new Watch Series 4 stole the show in Cupertino last week. In addition to the first major redesign in the wearable's history, Apple crammed a host of improved health and fitness features into the Series 4's new and improved body. There's a lot to dig into and honestly, we're just not done testing the thing yet. As we work on our full review, though, there a few features and flourishes you should definitely keep in mind.
iPhone XS and XS Max, Day 1: A clear step forward
Last year was a big one for Apple — with the launch of the iPhone X, the company redefined what it meant to be iPhone. This year, Apple's job wasn't any easier. It had to figure out what worked, what didn't, and put that knowledge to use building a trio of new smartphones that would make its new vision more accessible. And now that the iPhone XS and XS Max are finally here, we're getting to see if Apple actually achieved those feats.
iPhone Xr hands-on: Premium power for everyone
Apple's iPhone Xr wasn't exactly a surprise -- tons of leaks saw to that. Even so, the Xr is easily the most fascinating device the company released today. As expected, this less-expensive version of the iPhone X packs a 6.1-inch LCD display and an aluminum frame, all in the hopes of keeping costs down so more people can benefit from the work Apple poured into this generation of smartphones. And like the iPhone 5c before it -- way before it -- it comes in a host of pretty colors. Actually, hold on. iPhone 5c comparisons like the one I just made are almost impossible to avoid, but they're not exactly fair. The iPhone 5c packed year-old phone guts into a charming, plastic body. The iPhone XR takes much of what makes the iPhone Xs special -- like that A12 Bionic chipset -- and squeezes it into a body that would've felt premium not long ago.
Lego's new toy train is a STEM tool for preschoolers
Twenty years ago Lego introduced Mindstorms as a way to engage kids who were becoming more interested in video games and the internet than plastic building blocks. It was successful enough that the kits became a regular sight in robotics classes and competitions. Now the line is on its fourth generation, and it's been joined by other STEM-friendly Lego kits like Boost and Powered Up to bring tech skills to many different types of kids. Now Lego's educational division goes even younger with Coding Express, a set that will teach 3- and 4-year-olds the basics of programming while they construct a world of trains, picnics and wandering deer.
Two days with the Galaxy Watch: Bezels, Bixby and stress tests
Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy Watch officially went on sale today, but here's the thing: we've fully reviewed the former and only just received the latter. (Well, 48 hours ago, to be precise.) As a result, we're still working on our full Galaxy Watch review, which should drop sometime next week. But, the first two days with the Galaxy Watch have already revealed a lot about how well Samsung's updated wearable experience works.
macOS Mojave first look: Minor but welcome additions
Three weeks ago at this time, Engadget was in the middle of a marathon liveblog. Apple was kicking off its annual WWDC developer conference and, as usual, it had news to share about each of its major platforms. Though iOS was the clear star of the show, dominating more than half of the two-hour keynote, macOS notched a solid second place, with around half an hour of lip service. Some observers dismissed it as a relatively boring day of Apple news. I say most of the tweaks are useful, if not overdue in some cases. The newest version of macOS, called Mojave, arrives today as a public beta, with the final software launching sometime this fall, but I've been testing it since last week. As ever, to make the most of the OS, you'll also need to be on the latest version of iOS. That, too, should be out in beta any time now, with a full rollout this autumn. Read on for our preview of Mojave, and we'll be following up soon with first impressions of iOS 12.
A closer look at the BlackBerry KEY2's new dual camera
It'll still be a little while yet before the first BlackBerry KEY2s wind up on people's doorsteps, and we're currently putting our review unit through its paces. For now at least, we've grown quite fond of the thing: even a few Engadget staffers who haven't used BlackBerrys before have found value in having a full, physical keyboard and that Speed key for super-fast multitasking. (Perhaps naturally, others here have come to regard the thing with equal doses of bemusement and skepticism.)
'Tunic' is more than just a 'Zelda' clone with a cute fox
Tunic looks like a game that's taken a lot of inspiration from SNES era Zelda titles — and when Xbox's E3 2018 showcase is an awful lot of games with guns, zombies or unexplained apocalyptic surroundings, it was a welcome panacea. Meet the tiny fox embarking on an adorable, mysterious adventure.
BlackBerry KEY2 hands-on: A stylish approach to privacy and multitasking
Last year's BlackBerry KEYone was a love letter to fans as much as it was a capable smartphone, but I think we can all agree it wasn't perfect. It was chunky. Performance was purely adequate. The keyboard some getting used to, even for long-time BlackBerry fans. It's little surprise that TCL — the Chinese company in charge of building BlackBerrys now — would try to address all those issues. What is surprising is just how elegant the end result wound up being. We recently spent a little time with the just-announced BlackBerry KEY2, and while it's still clearly not for everyone, this is the most capable, polished attempted at an Android-powered BlackBerry yet.
What to expect at WWDC 2018
It's officially June now, which means it's time for us to pack our bags, get on a plane to California and take in the second major developer conference of the season: Apple's WWDC. We'll be on the ground at San Jose's McEnery Convention Center next week scrounging up insights from as many presentations and developer sessions as we can crash. But as always, the show's focal point is the Monday keynote, during which Apple lays out its future in software. Be sure to keep your browser locked on our liveblog when the keynote begins on Monday, June 4th at 10AM PT/1PM ET — until then, read on for a primer on all the things we expect to see once the keynote unfolds.
Google Assistant users can preview YouTube’s 'Impulse' for free
With its paid Premium streaming service, YouTube has a steep climb to even compete against entrenched services like Netflix. First it has to get our attention, so for one of its most-anticipated series, Impulse, it came up with an interesting promotion. Google Assistant owners can access the first episode by saying "talk to Impulse." The AI device will give a brief sum-up of the show and ask for a password (it's "Henry" and a few variants). Once you do that, you'll get a link to the first unlisted episode on YouTube.
LG V35 ThinQ hands-on: Modern brains but last year’s looks
LG's flagship V30 has been on the market for well under a year, and it -- somehow -- has already spawned two sequels. The first, an AI-infused redux called the V30S ThinQ, only recently became available for pre-order in the US. The second, which LG just revealed today, takes many of the features found in the new G7 and packs them into a very familiar body. Say hello to the V35 ThinQ: it's a dead ringer for last year's V30, with a few modern niceties tucked away inside.
Next Xbox One update finally saves multiple WiFi passwords
Microsoft continues to chip away at software concerns with the Xbox One (work in progress indeed -- can you even recognize the launch UI shown above?), and its latest Alpha test addresses two pain points that have existed practically from the start. One option upgrades the system's Pins options with Groups. It's similar to the way gamers can organize items on the PS4 ribbon, popping games and apps into sets for easier access, instead of just having a single group of Pins on the home screen or in the mini guide.
Three days in, life with the Android P beta has been mostly painless
The first public preview of Android P is finally here, and as you might have guessed from the jam-packed keynote, there's a lot going on in this new build. As Google tells it, Android P is centered around intelligence, simplicity and what the company refers to as "digital well-being." All together, those themes represent the most compelling case we've heard for Android in years. This is beta software, though, so you probably shouldn't install this build with the intent of using it as your daily driver. Not everything works the way it's supposed to, and reverting to good ol' Android Oreo requires you to flash a factory image onto your phone. That said, since there's a pretty good chance you're probably going to take the plunge anyway, I'm pleased to report that life with Android P has been more pleasant than painful.
