Last spring, Apple engineer Walter Huang aka Wei Lun Huang died in a crash when his Tesla Model X hit a median on Highway 101 in Mountain View while the car's Autopilot driving assist was engaged. Now ABC 7 News and NBC Bay Area report that Huang's f...A new teaser on Flipkart reveals the launch date of the Pixel 3a and 3a XL.
After months of rumors and leaks, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL are set to make their debut on May 7. Google is planning to bring both phones in India just a day later, as a teaser on Flipkart suggests the devices will be launching on May 8.
As spotted by FoneArena, the teaser shows off a silhouette of a phone with the tagline, "Help is on the way. Something big is coming to the Pixel universe on 8th May." That's the same tagline that Google used a few weeks ago to tease the devices on its store.
The latest leaks of the devices suggest a similar design as the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, albeit with mid-range hardware. The Pixel 3a is rumored to feature a 5.6-inch 1080p OLED display along with a Snapdragon 670, with the larger Pixel 3a XL sporting a 6.0-inch FHD+ OLED panel and Snapdragon 710. Both phones will come with 4GB of RAM, 32GB/64GB of storage, and the same 12.2MP camera sensor from the standard Pixels.
Given the timing of the launch, it's possible the new Pixels will be unveiled at I/O 2019, which kicks off on the same day. With just a week to go, we'll know much more about the Pixel 3a and 3a XL very soon. Who's excited?
Elon Musk now knows exactly what Tesla information he can tweet without getting in trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission. According to The Wall Street Journal, US District Judge Alison Nathan has signed off on the agreement the executiv...
Good news: you don't have to buy a brand new Toyota (or score a very lightly used model) just to get modern mobile conveniences. The automaker has announced that you can add Amazon Alexa and Apple CarPlay (sorry, no Android Auto) to the 2018 Camry a...
Out of all the announcements Facebook made at its F8 2019 developers conference, one of the most important was the redesign of its core smartphone app. The new application, which has been updated with what Facebook is calling the "FB5" version, is no...
Facebook's F8 developer conferences tend to be chock-full of news, and that's truer than ever for 2019. The company's opening keynote brought major changes to just about every corner of Facebook's universe, including a site redesign, a super-li...
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is not seeking reelection to the board of directors of Alphabet, Google's parent company. Schmidt will step down from the board after his current term expires on June 19th, 2019, Alphabet announced on Tuesday. Schmidt w...
If you're a New Yorker, you won't have to wait long to use Apple Pay for mass transit. As part of a call discussing Apple's latest earnings, Tim Cook revealed that New York City's transit system would support Apple Pay in early summer, narrowing down...
An annual transparency report published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence shows warrantless searches of Americans' data jumped 28 percent in 2018. According to the report, the National Security Agency (NSA) conducted 9,637 warran...
YouTube chief Susan Wojcicki has answered mounting concerns about how it handles content, including who gets the most coveted promotions. She acknowledged feedback that the "Trending" section tended to rehash content "again and again," and vowed tha...Diane Green is also leaving.
Christophe Morin via Getty Images
Just a day after Alphabet's Q1 2019 earnings call with investors, the company has issued a press release announcing that Eric Schmidt will not be seeking re-election to Alphabet's Board of Directors once his current term expires on June 19, 2019.
Per John Hennessy, the Chairman of the Board:
Eric has made an extraordinary contribution to Google and Alphabet as CEO, Chairman, and Board member. We are extremely grateful for his guidance and leadership over many years.
Eric Schmidt has been a member of the Board since March 2001, and in addition to that, he also served as Google's CEO between July 2001 and April 2011. Following that, he took on the role of Executive Chairman in April 2011 until January 2018.
In addition to Eric's departure, Alphabet announced that Diane Greene will be leaving the Board, too. Diane joined in January 2012 and was Google Cloud's CEO for just over three years from December 2015 to January 2019.
Last but not least, Robin L. Washington is joining the Board. Specifically, she'll work with the company's Leadership Development and Compensation Committee.
Per Robin:
I'm honored to join Alphabet's Board, and I look forward to the opportunity to help guide the company's important work. I'm excited to be part of a company that has such a tremendous opportunity to improve the lives of people around the world.
Eric Schmidt will stay involved with Alphabet as a "technical advisor", but after 18 years of serving the Board, we certainly think he's deserved this bit of rest.
Alphabet saw slowest revenue growth in three years during Q1 2019
Motorola has another budget phone in the works.
The Moto G7 series officially launched in the U.S. not too long ago, giving consumers three great options to choose from in the budget smartphone space. Now, there's already a report that Motorola's prepping yet another budget handset in the form of the Moto E6.
Per Mishaal Rahman, XDA's Editor-in-Chief, the Moto E6 is codenamed "surfna" and will be launching on U.S. carriers (though it's unclear which ones at this point). The display is expected to be 5.45-inches with a resolution of 720 x 1440, and at the heart of the phone, we can look forward to the Snapdragon 430.
In regards to the camera situation, the Moto E6 will apparently have a single 13MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, in addition to a 5MP f/2.0 front-facing camera. Other highlights include 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of internal storage, and Android 9 Pie out of the box.
Pricing and exact availability remain a mystery, but for what it's worth, the Moto E5 came to the U.S. in October 2018 while the Moto E5 Play and E5 Plus launched earlier in the year. As for how much it'll cost, I imagine Motorola will stick with the E5's pricing of $100.
Facebook hosted the opening keynote for its annual developer's conference today and announced several updates to its main social network as well as Instagram, Whatsapp and Messenger. Privacy seems to be the name of the game this year, as Facebook tri...
Usually, when Apple releases its quarterly earnings, you'll find a quote from CEO Tim Cook in the release at least mentions the iPhone -- after all, it accounts for the single biggest chunk of the company's quarterly takings. This time, though, the w...
The Sony A7 is the only full-frame camera on our affordable list. There's no doubt Sony changed the mirrorless-camera game when it introduced its A7 in 2013. Six years later, while it isn't the most powerful full-frame mirrorless anymore, the A7 is s...
Privacy advocates have long been concerned that US border agents may be overstepping their boundaries when searching devices, and the ACLU just obtained evidence appearing to support that theory. The civil rights group has motioned for summary judgm...
The Oculus Quest is a standalone headset that opens up new possibilities for untethered VR.
The Oculus Quest comes from the makers of the Oculus Rift, one of the world's most popular VR headsets. It shares many design cues with its PC-tethered sibling and supports many of the same titles. The Oculus Quest also takes some notes from the Oculus Go, Facebook's more portable VR headset. The result is a portable VR headset capable of playing games and media without requiring a PC.
Place your order for an Oculus Quest, the latest VR headset from Oculus. It's the most powerful standalone headset Oculus has made and has an impressive library of games already.
Revealed at Oculus Connect 5 in San Jose, the Oculus Quest is an untethered VR headset that doesn't require a PC or any external hardware to run. It features six degrees of freedom (6DoF) meaning it can track your movements up, down, left, right, forward, and backward. It doesn't require any external sensors like the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. Instead, it has sensors built into the headset. It also supports two updated Touch controllers, meaning it can be used to play popular gaming titles that require two hands such as Beat Saber.
The Oculus Quest is available for preorder now and will be released on May 21, 2019. There are 64GB and 128GB variants of the headset. The 128GB version of the Oculus Quest is listed at $499.99. The 64GB version of the Oculus Quest is listed at $399.99.
Spatial tracking from within the headset means you can move around an enormous room-scale setup — Oculus Connect 5 had an arena-sized play area — just like you can now in Rift, Vive, or Windows Mixed Reality. A camera in each corner of the headset (total of four) track space and motion controllers from the inside out. The Quest uses the same optics as the Go for a display resolution of 1,600 x 1,400 for each eye, but here you'll be able to make lens-spacing adjustments on the fly. Also, like the Go, Quest has a built-in audio system that delivers 3D sound without the need for bulky headphones. A headset jack is included if you'd like to use separate hardware, and charging is handled with a USB-C port.
All the necessary hardware — including the processor, RAM, storage, and rechargeable battery — is worn on your head. As for an operating system, Quest runs on the Oculus OS, a variation of Android.
The Oculus Quest looks a lot like the Rift. It's black, has a similar head strap (albeit with audio now built into the headband), and has a more rounded front with what looks like a bit more space for the internal hardware. A camera in each of the four corners of the front of the HMD makes up Oculus Insight, the new inside-out tracking system that removes the need for external sensors.
Oculus Insight, the new tracking technology from Oculus, is capable of scanning all items in your VR space, including floors, ceilings, walls, rugs, art, windows, and curtains, for a true representation of your place in the real world. It looks for edges and corners and other distinct features, then builds a 3D map of the playspace and combines that data with data from the gyroscope and accelerometer to give the headset's position once every millisecond.
The Guardian system is still here to keep you from bumping into walls and furniture, and you'll now be able to save multiple rooms for quick setup. For example, you'll be able to save your standard VR play space, and you'll also be able to save your friend's living room for when you visit with the Quest and want a quick setup.
Since there are no external sensors, the play space for Quest is potentially enormous, though features such as Arena-Scale tracking will come in future updates.
Along with a new headset, Quest is bringing new Touch motion controllers that are also tracked by sensors in the headset. Much like current Touch controllers, the new Quest controllers have a ring covered in IR lights that are tracked. Here, instead of facing down like on current Touch, the rings face up, making them more visible to the cameras in the headset.
There's less curve to these controllers, making them a bit easier to hold onto, and buttons have been repositioned. The same input and hand presence apply here, and new Touch controllers will be compatible with the older Oculus Rift.
Even though the Oculus Quest is not connected to a PC, it can still run many games that developers can port over from the Oculus Rift. Oculus Quest ports of Rift games can be both impressive and immersive, though discerning eyes will be able to tell the difference between the same game being played on the Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest.
The Oculus Quest became open to preorders on April 30, 2019, and will be released on May 21, 2019.
The Oculus Quest comes in two storage variants. The 64GB version of the Oculus Quest costs $399.99 and the 128GB version costs $499.99
Place your order for an Oculus Quest, the latest VR headset from Oculus. It's the most powerful standalone headset Oculus has made and has an impressive library of games already.
Updated April 30, 2019: This article has been updated with the Oculus Quest's preorder and pricing information, along with other released information.
Google employees will hold a sit-in tomorrow at 11am to protest what they call a "culture of retaliation." The group Google Walkout For Real Change announced the event on Twitter, saying they've encountered everything from being told to take sick lea...
More than a year ago, we were told Niantic, Inc. was working on an Ingress: The Animation streaming series. Today, the anime show, a sci-fi adventure thriller, is available on Netflix, and you can watch the trailer below.Be among the first to test the new multiplayer mode.
It's been almost a full year since I've written about GRID Autosport for Android, mostly because there hasn't been much to write about it other than more delays that have continued to push the release date back further and further. But finally I'm able to share a bit of good news surrounding this highly-anticipated racing game as it pertains to Android gamers.
Feral Interactive has taken to Twitter to recruit Android beta testers for a private beta specific to the game's multiplayer mode — a mode that's not even available for the iOS version of the game.
Android users, we’re looking for keen racers to help us road test GRID Autosport in a private Beta programme.
— Feral Interactive (@feralgames) April 29, 2019
Read the Google Form for entry requirements and to apply for the Beta: https://t.co/khpIuDEduX
Those accepted will be testing in 4-player multiplayer mode. pic.twitter.com/U7As88hkTm
This is your best opportunity to play GRID Autosport ahead of its full Android release.
All you need to do to sign up for the beta is click through the link in the tweet and fill out the Google form with a bit of personal information about yourself and the device you'd plan to test the game on. From there it's all in the luck of the draw, or it might come down to the specific devices that the developers are looking to test. Either way, this is your best opportunity to be among the first people to play test GRID on Android and that's pretty exciting.
Developed by Codemasters Racing and Feral Interactive, GRID has been in development for Android since 2017 and seems finally set to arrive on Android devices sometimes later in 2019. The game has already been released on iOS where it has garnered rave reviews even with a $10 cost of entry. By all accounts this is one of those mobile games that tries to offer the full experience of its genre without imposing gaming limitations or exploitive loot boxes or whatever else.
Did you just open up a new PS4? Here's where to start.
So you got a brand spanking new PlayStation 4 and you couldn't be more excited. You have your gorgeous new console all set up and ready to go but the only problem is you don't know where to start. That's OK! The sheer volume of things you can do with your PlayStation 4 can be a little overwhelming. Let's take a look at a few of the cool things you can do with your sparkling new PS4.
Make that baby yours! There are quite a few ways that you can make your PS4 unique to you. You could pick up some accessories, or you can set up a custom theme which will give your dashboard a special look that's different from the default. You can also set up a custom profile picture. The ways in which you can tweak your PS4 gaming experience is nearly endless so get in there and explore the options!
Just like any modern day console, Sony has aimed to make the PlayStation 4 a one-stop shop for living room entertainment. One of the ways they work toward that goal is in the wide, wide world of apps. From movies and TV to sports and music, if it can be streamed you can probably do it on PlayStation 4. Go to the PlayStation Store, select "Apps" and start downloading to your heart's content.
A great way to taste test the options available to you in the world of games is to download some free demos. There is a whole litany of free demos available to you on the PlayStation Store, just select "Demos". It's just like wandering around in Costco but with far fewer people standing in the way and the free samples are games instead of summer sausages.
One thing you might want to consider is signing up for a PlayStation Plus account, which is Sony's paid subscription service similar to Xbox Live Gold. There are a few reasons to go ahead and take the plunge but one of the best is that nothing else will help you build a kick-butt game library like a Plus account. As a PlayStation Plus member, you will have exclusive access to great discounts and free games. What a beautiful modern world we live in!
Speaking of beautiful modern worlds, there is no longer any reason to game in a vacuum. The ability to stream your gaming sessions is built right into the PS4. Streaming is no longer relegated to those that bought all sorts of specialized hardware and software. All you have to do is press a button! Simply press the share button on your controller, select Broadcast Gameplay, and then select the service of your choice. Once you're connected, you are ready to share your epic victories and crushing defeats with the viewing public.
There's no reason to leave the PlayStation experience when you're away from the house. Thanks to Sony's PlayStation app you can stay connected to the action from your Android or iOS device. It's actually a pretty well designed little app.
You can get notifications, status updates, and message friends but the best functionality is that while you sit at your desk at work you can use the app to purchase a game and have it download directly to your PS4. That way when you finally get home from a long day at the factory you can kick back and start a brand new game without any waiting involved.
There are all sorts of things you can do on your new PlayStation 4 but the most important thing of all is to have fun. Dive in and explore all that is possible, but don't forget to play a few games every now and then!
Not all themes are free, maybe your favorite costs a buck or two. The easiest way to pick up those paid themes and make this PS4 yours is with a PSN card. Add a little money to your account and feel the customization in your hands.
Got that hunger for more games? Pick up PlayStation Plus and get free games each month as well as well as access to demos and early access to new titles. On top of that PlayStation gives extra space for saves online for all those free games!
If think you might want to stream on that new PS4 but you aren't ready to jump in with a Yeti the FIFINE USB mic is a good place to start. It is a plug and play microphone so it is easy to use but has better sound quality than most headset mics.
The production company from President and Mrs. Obama, Higher Ground, has unveiled its first lineup of Netflix shows roughly a year after forging a deal with the streaming giant. The initial seven-show catalog will take "several years" to arrive, but...SOUL Electronics' latest addition to its true wireless headphone lineup has been unveiled: the Soul ST-XS2 High-Performance True Wireless Earphones. As a follow-up to last year's ST-XS headphones, version 2 is greatly enhanced and better prepared for your life on-the-go.
The new ST-XS2 true wireless earphones feature a built-in microphone, Bluetooth 5.0, and IPX7 waterproof protection that could make them your new workout buddy.
The ST-XS2 true wireless headphones were designed as a hybrid sports and lifestyle product that are just as suitable for use during a workout as they are for relaxing at home. They feature IPX7 advanced waterproof protection that will keep them safe in up to three feet of water, and that keeps them sweatproof too so you can take them for a run in the rain or to the gym safely. With Bluetooth 5.0, they connect to your device right as you take them out of the case so you can begin listening instantly. There's a built-in microphone as well so you can take calls hands-free.
SOUL's previous model, the ST-XS true wireless headphones, could last for up to ten hours with their included charging case. Thankfully, battery life is one of the major enhancements between the two versions, as the ST-XS2 feature a five-hour battery life that is extended up to 25 hours with the included case. They also now have integrated, C-shaped ear hooks which help them stay secure in your ears while you workout or go about your day. Various sizes of eartips are included with the headphones as well.
The ST-XS2's features are rounded out by a Transparent Audio Mode that lets you hear ambient noise around you more easily and a built-in button that lets you answer calls or control your music. Available in your choice of Matte Black, Navy Blue, Pure White, or Sakura Pink, the ST-XS2 earphones can now be purchased at SOUL's website for $99.99. There's also a Mother's Day sale going on currently which could save you 20% off your purchase of two pairs. If mom's a music lover, it could be the perfect gift, but you'll need to use code mothersday20 at checkout to snag that offer.
Where do you go when you want to escape surveillance? When you want to stop feeling like you might be being listened to by microphones, or watched through surveillance cameras, or tracked by invisible tech gremlins burrowed within devices. Certainly...
Facebook has revealed a bunch of upcoming updates for its Portal devices. It's adding multiplayer augmented reality games and Instant Games this summer. You can play the likes of Words with Friends, Battleship and Yahtzee on the smart display. New AR...Motorola's latest flagship is the G7, which comes with 64GB of internal storage — unless you pick up the G7 Play or Power which both ship with just 32GB. The good news is you can take some of the extra money you saved buying the phone to upgrade your storage via a microSD card. Motorola phones support microSD up to 512GB so you can go all-out if you want to.
Staff pick
SanDisk Extreme cards are a popular choice for recording 4K video in professional filming shoots so it will absolutely deliver for your Moto G7. You also have the option of bundling a USB card reader with the card for easy offloading
Kingston offers top-rated Class 10, UHS-I microSDXC card from Kingston features a 32GB capacity and advertises read speeds up to 80MB/s and write speeds up to 40MB/s. It's not quite as fast as others on this list, but with the SD adapter, you'll be able to easily load up all your favorite media for your phone on a computer.
The Samsung EVO Select is also available in 256GB and 512GB options, but we'll recommend the 128GB card here because it's a great price for an ample amount of storage for most people. It also comes with an SD card adapter.
Samsung offers card sizes of all sorts for your Moto G7, one of the best deals currently offered is for this 256GB microSD. This is a great option if you've got a large media library you want to transfer over to your phone, and the price is quite reasonable.
With read speeds up to 100MB/s and write speeds up to 90MB/s, this 400GB card from SanDisk will let you record HD video to your heart's content. This is a ton of space and SanDisk has sort of undercut the competition with the pricing for this card.
PNY's 512GB microSD is the most expensive on our list but it's well-reviewed and was one of the first cards of this size made available. You'll be able to shoot over 80 hours of full HD video on this card or transfer an equal amount of media onto the card from your computer.
The prices for microSD just keep on coming down, which is great news for anyone who owns a Moto G7! If you were looking to max out the storage on your phone you can get a 512GB card for just over $100. Don't need that much storage? There are even better deals for smaller cards. Love a brand but want the card in a different size? You're likely to find just right size from the brand you trust most.
For those who love to go all-in on storage, you can get the 512GB PNY Elite right now for probably the best price we've seen for that amount of storage. The best budget pick is also our staff recommendation, SanDisk Extreme 64GB — plenty of storage for a crazy good price. And if you bought a budget phone because you're always down for a good deal, the 128GB Samsung EVO Select offers a substantial upgrade for your G7 at a wallet-friendly price.
