Advertisement

The Morning After: Samsung might not release a new Galaxy Note next year

Big phones are the standard now.

Engadget

So Samsung might give the Galaxy Note series a break in 2021, according to a Reuters report, but the stylus (Samsung calls it an S-Pen, of course), compatible with Galaxy S devices, may well live on. The decision apparently comes due to a drop in demand for high-end phones during the coronavirus pandemic — not to say that Samsung isn’t moving ahead with its foldables, which are even more expensive than the Note series. The company hasn’t yet confirmed these plans.

Samsung’s second flagship series — a giant device with an almost-retro style input pen that slotted into the phone — was ridiculed when it first appeared. It made the word ‘phablet’ mainstream — but I won’t hold that against it because it proved there was a lot of interest in big-screened smartphones with decent battery life. Samsung’s Galaxy S devices grew in size over the years to the point where the Galaxy S20+ and Note 20, with their 6.7-inch and 6.9-inch displays respectively, aren’t all that different. The bigger screens even influenced Apple, and we soon saw the company launch iPhone ‘plus’ models to compete at that size.

— Mat

Spotify Wrapped chronicles your 2020 listening habits in a stories-style format

Relive what were (hopefully) some of the best parts of a terrible year.

The Morning After

As is typically the case in early December, the streaming service is debuting the 2020 installment of Wrapped, the company’s year-in-review that chronicles a year of music and podcast activity. In true Spotify fashion, there are some key changes to the tool this year, with the biggest being that the personalized version of Wrapped is now mobile only, available inside the company’s apps on Android and iOS.
Continue reading.

Watch the trailer for Studio Ghibli's first fully CG movie

'Earwig and the Witch' embodies the spirit of Ghibli movies.

The Morning After

You no longer have to wonder how Studio Ghibli will enter the world of fully computer-generated animation. The first trailer for Earwig and the Witch, which makes its premiere on Japanese broadcaster NHK on December 30th, has now appeared. Unsurprisingly, the clip is in Japanese, but it gives you a sense of how Ghibli will tackle digital art. The movie is set to premiere in North American theaters in early 2021 (provided they’re open, of course) so expect to see a dubbed (or at least subtitled) trailer soon. 
Continue reading.

Apple's MagSafe Duo Charger is now available for $129

A first-party charger for both your iPhone and Apple Watch.

The Morning After

Apple’s MagSafe Duo charger is finally available from the company’s store for $129. The company announced the charger, which can charge two devices at once, during its October event. Like the iPhone 12 series also announced then, while the device comes with a USB-C to Lightning cable, it doesn’t ship with a USB-C power adapter. Apple recommends using a 20W power adapter for wireless charging up to 11W or a 27W adapter for wireless charging up to 14W — you’ll probably want the latter.
Continue reading.

Sponsored by Walmart

From TVs to game consoles, discover the gifts techies really want

Walmart Holiday 2020

The 'lost' Superman PlayStation game has appeared in public

But you probably won’t want to play it.

The Morning After

Superman 64 is a 1999 Nintendo 64 title that has the unfortunate reputation for being one of the worst games ever made. Now, the lost PlayStation version of that very same, very dreadful game has been posted online. On DeviantArt, a user going by the name Richard Mandel says they won a copy of the game in an eBay auction in 2013. They say this is “not a leak. This is a release.” To make it work, you’ll need to run an emulator, but be warned: You may wind up actually playing Superman 64.

Continue reading.

But wait, there’s more...

The Arecibo Observatory's telescope has collapsed

The second-gen Eve V may take on the Surface Pro again in 2021

The Snapdragon 888 is Qualcomm's latest premium CPU for smartphones

Uber and Postmates are now one and the same.

Quibi's short life is over

Reddit shares its daily user figures for the first time

Evernote's major redesign is rolling out on Android

China’s lunar-sampling robot has landed on the Moon

'Rocket League' season 2 adds a new arena, car and music next week

This article contains affiliate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission.