Nintendo’s got an unusual new project on the way. Nintendo promised news on a new “experience” for Switch, and it has indeed delivered–albeit with a look at a strange new project called Nintendo Labo. It appears to be a sort of mini-game collection that involves creating real-life cardboard accessories that come with the game. Details […]
Category: Technology
Google’s Project Fi offers a sort of unlimited plan
“Bill protection” will help heavy data users cap what they spend. Google’s cell phone service, called Project Fi, is changing how its billing works. Previously offering a simple model of paying for whatever data you use, the plan now caps how high your bill can go if you tend to use a lot of data. […]
Taking a page from Kindle, Amazon’s Alexa is everywhere—can Google’s Assistant catch up?
When Amazon upended the publishing industry with the advent of the Kindle, it also paved the way for an approach to luring consumers into a larger sphere of influence, a strategy that is now being successfully adapted for the new age of smart speakers and digital assistants. Both the Kindle and the Echo provide consumers […]
Why Microsoft knows it needs to beef up its Xbox leadership
Microsoft announced today that Phil Spencer has appointed a new boss of games to handle the role that the executive had previously handled as head of the company’s games business. Spencer will serve as executive vice president in charge of all things games at Microsoft — including hardware, games, and platforms. But Matt Booty, the former […]
A weird glitch is making Google hardware devices get stuck in sleep mode and then overload WiFi networks with data
Google casting devices like the Chromecast and Google Home smart speakers have been causing problems with home WiFi networks since October 2017. A malfunction in Google’s devices could cause WiFi routers to become overwhelmed and temporarily shut down. TP-Link has confirmed the issue, and WiFi routers from other companies are also reportedly affected. Several of […]
Alexa, Google Assistant want to be everywhere in 2018
These voice assistants want to be on the go with you, plugging into smart glasses, smart earbuds and even smart toilets. At one section of Google’s giant outdoor booth at CES was an impromptu, carney-style one-man show, with a guy wearing dark sunglasses and a white Google Assistant jumpsuit loudly and enthusiastically giving away free […]
At Detroit Auto Show, 3 New Pickups Could Hit 30 MPG
DETROIT — You could smell the big-truck testosterone wafting in the air early and often, as the traditional “Big Three” US automakers launched new pickup trucks at the this year’s heartland auto show: full-size pickups from Chevrolet (Silverado) and Ram (Ram 1500), plus a revived midsize pickup from Ford (Ranger). Each may be able to […]
Insider reveals Samsung’s exact Galaxy S9 release date
A few days ago, Samsung confirmed that it will unveil the Galaxy S9 at MWC 2018 next month. Which is exactly when what expected. Early rumors did say the phone could be unveiled in early January at CES, as Samsung wanted to counter the iPhone X with a brand new phone as soon as possible. As […]
Google’s art selfies are the talk of Twitter
LOS ANGELES — The Google Arts and Culture app is over two years old, but it’s suddenly taken the smartphone world by storm, thanks to the discovery of a quietly added update — a selfie feature. Google’s app, one of many from the internet giant, is designed to introduce the world to fine art, but a […]
Here’s what CarPlay and Android Auto look like on the new Ram’s 12-inch touchscreen
The new 2019 Ram 1500 has many things you’d expect from a truck: vast towing capacity, a bountiful maximum payload, and loads of horsepower. But it also has something you might not expect: a massive 12-inch touchscreen display embedded in the dashboard that supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The display is just shy […]
Microsoft is shutting down its free upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 January 16
Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 has moved out of mainstream support, meaning that users are essentially running a dead OS. But there’s still one more way to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. If you’re still running Windows 8.1, be advised that Microsoft shut down mainstream support a week ago. But there’s still a last-ditch upgrade path […]
Google Chromecast and Home devices are causing problems with some Wi-Fi networks
Google has confirmed an issue with its Google Home and Chromecast products that can cause your home Wi-Fi network to crash. According to a TP-Link engineer who investigated the problem, the crash is caused by Google’s device sending hundreds of thousands of data packets in a short amount of time, a traffic spike that can […]