Care.com is considered the go-to site for caregivers in the US, but it just faced a serious shakeup. The company has confirmed that it took down 46,594 daycare center listings (45 percent of the listings in its database) after a Wall Street Journal...April Fools' Day is here, bringing clever and cringeworthy gags in equal measure.
April Fools' Day is here, and that means a day full of gags as tech brands try to outdo one another. Google in particular likes to go all-out on this day, and while the search giant has created some truly memorable gags over the years — like the Google Gnome — but there was also the infamous mic drop.
Without further ado, here are the best and worst April Fools' Day tech gags of 2019.
Once again, Google is kicking things off with a new feature coming to Maps. Starting today, you'll be able to play Snake from within Google Maps, and you can choose from a variety of cities:
Google Maps shows you how to get around on foot, car, train and bicycle, and now, you can ssslither to your destination too. Starting today, you can play a twist on the snake game in different locations across the world—including Cairo, London, San Francisco, São Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo–right from Google Maps.
To get started, launch Google Maps, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines on the top left), and hit the Play Snake button. If you don't see the feature just yet, wait for the clock to switch over to April 1 in your timezone. Google also has a dedicated website for Snake that will continue to be active "long after April Foolsss is over."
Files by Google does a great job removing unused apps and clutter from your device's internal storage, but what about the outside of your phone? Google is introducing a new screen cleaner feature that will "wash away smudges and polish your screen." Google says screen cleaner uses the "smudge detector API" to identify imperfections using geometric dirt models and a haptic micromovement generator.
Coming soon. pic.twitter.com/0Kn0ozIjYh
— OnePlus (@oneplus) March 29, 2019
OnePlus partnered with McLaren over a limited edition 6T, and now the Chinese manufacturer is all set to roll out its latest collaboration. This one probably won't come under $1,000 though.
Is your Discover Weekly playlist a bit off this week? You're not alone, as Spotify's weekly playlist is getting a disco makeover for April Fools' Day. The streaming service even changed the name to Discocover Weekly, which I didn't notice the first time.
More than a few restaurant-goers in the US will want to check their bank statements. Earl Enterprises has confirmed that hackers used point-of-sale malware to scoop up credit and card data at some of its US restaurants between May 2018 and March 2019...Sony is consolidating its business units into a new Electronics Products & Solutions division.
It's no secret that Sony hasn't fared well in the mobile space for a few years. Sony tried to stem the losses by pulling out of the budget segment and switching focus to the premium segment, but that hasn't been enough. According to Reuters, Sony's mobile business recorded a loss of $863 million in 2018, selling just 6.5 million phones over the year.
To put things into context, Huawei announced last week that it netted $52 billion from its consumer business in 2018, with the manufacturer recording an overall revenue of $107 billion. Sony, meanwhile, now has a global market share just under 1%, and the company is shutting down a major production facility in Beijing.
Going forward, Sony will rely on its Thailand manufacturing facility for phones, and the company is adamant that it will not sell off the mobile unit. Sony will once again trim its workforce, this time by a projected 50%, leading to 2,000 cuts. The goal for Sony is reducing overhead as it tries to become profitable in the mobile space.
To that effect, Sony is consolidating multiple businesses into a single unit, with the Imaging Products & Solutions, Home Entertainment & Sound, and Mobile Communications businesses merging to form the Electronics Products & Solutions unit.
Shigeki Ishizuka — who ran the imaging unit — will now oversee the Electronics Products & Solutions business. The change is set to go into effect starting April 1, and Sony is projecting that its restructuring efforts will make the mobile business profitable by April 2020. We've heard similar projections in the past, and Sony is now running out of time to turn its fortunes around.
The end to Celebgate didn't mark the end to attempts to exploit superstars. Georgia resident Kwamaine Ford has pleaded guilty to hijacking Apple IDs of athletes (including NBA and NFL players) and rappers for the sake of spending sprees. From "at l...
If you thought the DEA's mass surveillance was irresponsible, you're not the only one. The Justice Department's Inspector General has released a report showing that the DEA "failed to conduct a comprehensive legal analysis" of three bulk data gather...
Facebook has just announced a new feature called "Why am I seeing this post?" which will let you know why you're seeing content from friends and others on your News Feed. Developing...
Now that the Atari VCS team has once again delayed its retro console to give it more powerful innards, it's ready to show what that redesign looks like. The developers have unveiled what they say is the "production-ready" system design, and it pays...
Google has a habit of introducing goodies on April Fools that last long after the gags are over, and that isn't changing for 2019. The company has added a Snake game to Google Maps that lets you play the classic title themed around major cities. You'...
Best answer: If you need to get replacement tips and rings for the Galaxy Buds, you will need to reach out to Samsung's support. The company currently does not offer replacements for purchase on its storefront or Amazon.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds have been out for a few weeks at this point, and these are some of the most impressive truly-wireless earbuds on the market. Not only do you get a great fit with the earbuds and wing tips, but Samsung also introduced PowerShare to use your smartphone to charge the Galaxy Buds.
Speaking of those earbuds and wing tips, this is a rather interesting design in order to keep the Buds actually in your ears, regardless of what you are doing. However, there is a slight issue if you ever need to replace the ear, or wing, tips. Unlike the Samsung Gear Icon X (2018), you cannot purchase replacement tips for the Galaxy Buds through Samsung's online storefront.
Instead, you will need to reach out to Samsung Support, in order to order a new set of replacement tips for your Galaxy Buds. This is rather frustrating, but as is the case with new products, this could change in the future. One big proponent of supporting different headphone tips is Comply Foam, but this company does not yet have an option for the new Galaxy Buds.
The Galaxy Buds could end up being the best headphones of 2019.
Samsung's new Galaxy Buds may be just a slight change over its predecessor on paper, but Samsung has done its homework and improved many of the qualms users had, especially when it comes to keeping these buds in your ears during workouts or strenuous activities.
By Geoffrey Morrison 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 3060-degree camera guide here....
Just because Apple scaled back its self-driving car team doesn't mean it's out of the game. If anything, it made a potentially significant hire. The company has hired Michael Schwekutsch, the Tesla VP overseeing electric powertrains, as a Senior Di...
There's no better symbol of plastic ocean pollution and '80s consumerism gone wild than the Garfield phones of Brittany. The handsets, in the form of the aggressively unfunny cat, have been washing up on French beaches for decades. However, the novel...The Netgear Orbi Pro AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi System 2-pack typically sells for $500, but right now Amazon is selling it for $389.99. This deal brings the system down to its best price yet and beats the previous low by $10.
If you need strong, seamless, easy-to-use Wi-Fi, look no further. For work or for play, this system has you covered.
This tri-band system is designed with businesses in mind, though you could use it in your home if you were so inclined. It blankets a location in Wi-Fi, up to 5,000 square feet, and it's easy to use since it works with your existing Internet service. You can also separate traffic, like making one network for your employees and one network for guests. Each unit can handle up to 40 connections, meaning your speeds won't be compromised, even if you throw the party of the century.
The initial 5G rollout in the US has been underwhelming, in part because those vaunted gigabit-class speeds have been nowhere to be found. AT&T, at least, is inching closer to that goal. The provider has declared that it's the first US telecom...Amazon is offering the Bose SoundTouch 300 Soundbar for $499 today, which saves you $200 off the usual price. Today's deal marks the first and best price drop we've ever seen for this product.
Nab the best price in history and vastly improve sound quality in the process.
This soundbar features HDMI connectivity with 4K pass-through. You can also use Bluetooth with NFC pairing and Wi-Fi to stream your music. Enjoy the look of the glass and metal grille, and let the soundbar do the hard work for you thanks to the adapted audio room calibration. You can even use this with voice control by pairing your Alexa device.
If you ever want to modify the sound, add a bass module or surround speakers to your setup.
A microSD card lets you easily move your files, photos, and music from device to device without having to rely on steady Wi-Fi or costly data. It also helps if you like to load your phone up with apps, music and movies. These are the best microSD cards you can buy for your Android phone.
Staff Pick
Samsung's high-performance EVO Select is the perfect blend of fast read and write speeds (100MB/s and 90MB/s, respectively) and affordability. This card comes with a full-size SD adapter, and its high class means it can handle all types of media, including 4K video.
If speed is of utmost importance to you because you're constantly shooting high-def video or whatever, then this is the card you want. It has transfer speeds of up to 150MB/s, meaning it can hand 4K and even 3D video, as well as all the high-res images and music you can throw at it. It's pricey for a 64 GB card, but worth it for performance alone.
The SanDisk Extreme has blazing fast read speeds of up to 160MB/s (in certain scenarios) and write speeds of up to 90MB/s, capable of handling 4K video, high-res photos, and large files without issue.
If simple storage is what you need and price is your biggest motivator, then the Silicon Power Elite card should be enough. It's still a Class 10 card, so it can handle HD video (albeit somewhat slowly), but the best thing about it is that you can get a 128GB version for fairly cheap.
SanDisk's Ultra series isn't as high-performance as the Extreme, but its 100MB/s transfer speeds are still adequate. Since this is a U1 class card, it can't really handle 4K video expediently, but 1080p is more than fine.
Affordable and with solid performance, the Samsung EVO card is perfect for the casual users who just want to store their physical music and some files. It has read speeds of up to 100MB/s and write speeds of up to 60MB/s, with Samsung's 10-year warranty in case anything goes wrong.
Your Android phone's onboard storage may be enough for you, but if you want to easily take music, photos, videos, and files from phone to phone with you, then a microSD card is a great option. And if you regularly fill up your phone's storage with apps, a card can help take some of that weight. For all intents and purposes, the Samsung EVO Select is the best microSD card for most people.
Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Alex Dobie begin the episode by looking at credit cards and gaming subscriptions through the lens of Apple Card and Apple Arcade. At face value, Apple Card seems to be 'best of the worst' and an interesting adjunct to mobile payments. And what could be learned from Apple Arcade when it comes to games and the Google Play Store?
They also look at instances where phone makers are 'mistakenly' sending user data to servers in China, and a recent report that cites significant security flaws in Huawei devices.
With Huawei remaining in the spotlight, the main event this week is discussion of the new P30 and P30 Pro. They offer unique camera experiences and tremendous overall value. Turns out, they're also phones!
Jeff Bezos' accusations of blackmail and extortion extend beyond just the National Enquirer and its parent AMI. Bezos' investigation team has determined "with high confidence" that Saudi Arabia had access to the Amazon chief's phone. Team leader G...Few careers are more exciting and lucrative than those that reside under the umbrella of project management. Companies large and small are scrambling to hire talented and trained project leaders who can inspire teams and exceed goals, and they're paying these productivity pros handsomely for their services.
The Complete Six Sigma Green & Black Belt Training Bundle will help you earn some of the industry's most valuable certifications, and thanks to Android Central Digital Offers, the entire bundle is available for 98 percent off the regular price of $2,075. That brings the total cost down to just $69!
The first module prepares you for your Six Sigma Green Belt certification, through instruction that focuses on everything from cost management and opportunity expansion to customer service tricks and cutting waste from a project.
Next, you'll prepare for your Six Sigma Black Belt certification with instruction that will help you streamline the budget for any project, inspire teams to exceed their goals, build powerful analytical tools, and much more.
And all of the course material utilizes hands-on exercises and real-world examples so you won't get left behind during your training.
Master Six Sigma and prep for key certification exams for just $69! Learn more
Get the skills and certifications you need in order to become an in-demand project manager with the Complete Six Sigma Green & Black Belt Training Bundle for just $30, 98 percent off its usual price.
The Toshiba Canvio Advance 2TB portable hard drive is down to $51.99 on Amazon. That price is about $13 off what this hard drive normally goes for and a brand new low. The deal is only applicable to the white model. You can also get the 1TB version at a substantial discount today.
This portable hard drive looks as good as it performs. Keep in mind that the discount isn't around for long!
This is a USB 3.0 hard drive with a sleek, compact design and a high-gloss finish. It's easy to use and requires no additional software — just plug it into your computer's USB port and you're good to go. The drive comes formatted for Windows computers and will work with Windows 7 and up. It can work with Mac as well but will need reformatting first.
There are optional free downloads of Toshiba Storage Backup software to easily back up your content and schedule your backup to run automatically as well as Toshiba Storage Security software to help prevent unauthorized access to your data with a password lock feature if you want to use either of those.
Users give it 4.3 stars based on over 3,700 reviews and it is backed by a two-year warranty from Toshiba.
Baseball season is the best season, regardless of what summer tells you. So take a cue from the MLB's Korea marketing team, grab your glove and get ready for 162 games, that's 486 hours, of Great American Pastime. Of course, not everybody is into spo...
Best answer: Purely from an activity tracking perspective, the Gear Fit2 Pro is still a great fitness band and the Galaxy Watch Active isn't dramatically better. But if you want that tracking to happen on a larger screen that's easier to use and in a form factor that's a bit more traditional, this is a nice upgrade.
Since the Gear Fit2 Pro was released, Samsung has realized there's room in its wearable lineup for something in between the fitness band and a full-fledged smartwatch like the Galaxy Watch. Not everyone wants a big smartwatch, but at the same time a "fitness band" type device can feel a bit restricting with a small rectangular screen and limited functionality beyond activity tracking.
The capabilities don't change much, but a larger screen and new design could be just what you're looking for.
The Galaxy Watch Active is a good attempt at fitting that middle ground, although it skews a bit more toward the fitness band side than the smartwatch side. But that can make it an appealing option for someone who likes their Gear Fit2 Pro (or standard Fit2) but wants a different form factor. Fitness bands are great because they're small and light so they don't get in the way of your workout, but they don't look particularly good if you're trying to wear it with nicer clothes. Nor does it really jive with wearing a mechanical watch at the same time. The Galaxy Watch Active provides a nice compromise in that it's still relatively small and light for a smartwatch, meaning it won't be cumbersome for a workout, but has that shape and form factor of a watch so it can blend in with a wider variety of attire.
You don't lose anything, but the gains are pretty niche and that makes a $200 purchase tougher.
The Galaxy Watch Active has new software that adds a few extra features — like stress monitoring and breathing exercises — and refreshed interface with better information density compared to the Fit2 Pro, but its core tracking capabilities are effectively the same as the fitness band. That's a good thing overall, but may be underwhelming if you were expecting to get a new device that has altogether new features. Even though the Fit2 and Fit2 Pro are relatively old, they are still very capable in today's fitness tracker market.
So it's pretty simple. If you like the capabilities of your Gear Fit2 Pro but feel restricted by its screen size and shape, the Galaxy Watch Active is a very appealing upgrade. It gives you everything you have now in terms of features, plus a few extras, and a larger screen to see and interact with. It also is shaped like a regular watch, so it doesn't have to stand out quite as much as a dedicated fitness device.
The same core fitness tracking you know, in a watch casing with upgraded software.
As a fitness tracker, the Galaxy Watch Active isn't dramatically better or any more feature-filled than the Gear Fit2 Pro. But it has the distinct advantage of having a larger, circular screen that's easier to read and touch, while being in a more traditional watch shape that's easier to wear while fitting a wider variety of clothing and occasions.
The SanDisk 256GB Extreme MicroSD Card has fallen in price from $69 down to $52.99 at Amazon. This deal is good for one day only, so don't miss out if you're interested. We've never seen it drop lower in price before.
Whether you're adding storage to your phone or your tablet, your action camera or your console, good luck finding a better deal on a microSD card this rugged. The sale ends tonight, so don't miss out!
This well-rated microSD card features read speeds up to 160MB/s and write speeds up to 90MB/s. The card is thoroughly tested and built to withstand harsh conditions. You can easily store 256GB of your personal files, favorite movies, music, videos, and more on it. It comes with a full-sized SD card adapter, so you can use it in a laptop or digital camera with ease, and the card can easily record all of your adventures in stunning 4K without a problem.
It's been a long week, so why not treat yourself to one of these awesome deals? You deserve it.
Having your data stored in the cloud is great, but can also be expensive, and if the company has a failure you risk losing it all. Keep local copies of your most important files for less with today's big sale.
We've seen some random groupings of items in the past, but this one is a little weirder than usual, we'll admit. It's full of great products, though, from Belkin, Wemo, and Linksys. Whether you're looking to improve your Wi-Fi at home, or want to make your home a little smarter than it currently is, these deals make it far more affordable to do just that.
Once you've upgraded your home, it's time to check out the rest of today's deals.
Whether you need an SD card for your camera, flash drive for your computer, or a microSD card for your action camera, tablet, or phone, today's sale on PNY products is one you'll want to take advantage of.
ExpressVPN is a highly-rated VPN service with an excellent feature-set such as over 3,000 servers around the globe, no activity logs or connection logs, a built-in speed test so you get the fastest connection, unlimited bandwidth, and 256-bit data encryption. Right now, you can save $55 by just paying for the year upfront.
You'll need to clip the $10 off on-page offer to save the full amount here, but if you're tired of your existing router, let today be your time to upgrade. It has Alexa compatibility, parental controls and so much more.
You can save $80 on an Apple Watch Series 3 at Amazon right now. The 38mm size is down to only $199 — the lowest we've ever seen it go. If you want the 42mm version, you can get it for just $30 more. Apple Watch Series 3 tracks your health and fitness with its precise sensors, has built-in GPS for workouts and is water resistant. You'll get the notifications you want from your iPhone right on your wrist, too.
The black Oontz Angle 3 enhanced stereo edition waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker is down to $20.99 when you clip the $4 off on-page coupon. This speaker normally sells for around $28, but it's currently down to around $25 without the coupon. There are a lot of Oontz speakers, but this one has enhanced stereo functionality for a greater clarity of sound with dual-precision acoustic drivers.
Kickstart your smart home with an Amazon Echo and Smart Plug bundle. Buying the two together saves you $10 off their individual costs. You'll be able to voice control whatever's plugged into Smart Plug and Alexa Skills allow you to get answers to questions, convert measurements, catch up on the news, control your other smart home gear, request an Uber, order a pizza, and much more.
This is just a small sampling of the deals that the Thrifter team has uncovered today. If you want to keep up with everything that the crew is uncovering, be sure to follow Thrifter on Twitter and sign up for the daily deals newsletter so you never miss out on anything!
