Posts Tagged: about

MWC 2024 was weird, and I couldn’t be happier about it

MWC 2024 was full of weird and wonderful concepts and production-ready products, showing the trends for mobile this year are going to be anything but boring.
Digital Trends

I saw the Samsung Galaxy Ring. Here’s what I love (and what I’m worried about)

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is coming soon, and I got a chance to see it in-person. There are a few things I quite like, plus some things I’m a bit worried about.
Digital Trends

Defense Department alerts over 20,000 employees about email data breach

The Department of Defense sent a data breach notification letter to thousands of current and former employees alerting that their personal information had been leaked, DefenseScoop reported on Tuesday. While the department first detected the incident in early 2023, the notifications didn’t begin to go out until earlier this month. More than 20,000 individuals appear to be affected by the breach. 

The letter explains that emails messages were “inadvertently exposed to the internet” by a Defense Department “service provider.” The emails contained personally identifiable information. While the agency doesn’t clarify what type of information, PII generally ranges from information like social security numbers, home address or other sensitive details. “While there is no evidence to suggest that your PII was misused, the department is notifying those individuals whose PII may have been breached as a result of this unfortunate situation,” the letter says. It urges affected parties to sign up for identity theft protection.

According to TechCrunch, the breach stems from an unsecured cloud email server that leaked sensitive emails onto the web. The Microsoft server, which was likely misconfigured, could be accessed from the internet without so much as a password. 

“As a matter of practice and operations security, we do not comment on the status of our networks and systems. The affected server was identified and removed from public access on February 20, 2023, and the vendor has resolved the issues that resulted in the exposure,” the Department of Defense said in a statement. “DOD continues to engage with the service provider on improving cyber event prevention and detection. Notification to affected individuals is ongoing.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/defense-department-alerts-over-20000-employees-about-email-data-breach-164528056.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Apple is about to change iPhone web browsing forever

The EU has forced Apple to change a fundamental browser rule on iOS. Soon, iPhone users could get reimagined Chrome or Firefox browsers on their iPhone.
Digital Trends

I have the OnePlus 12. Here’s why you should be excited about it

The OnePlus 12 is releasing soon, but I already have the phone. Here are my first thoughts — and why you should start getting excited about it.
Digital Trends

A Volkswagen with ChatGPT told me a story about dinosaurs at CES 2024

Earlier this week, Volkswagen announced plans to augment its in-car voice assistant IDA with ChatGPT. I’ll admit that I initially didn’t quite understand the point, but I got a chance here at CES 2024 in Las Vegas to hear about the vision for this integration from Cerence, the company that already powers the back-end of VW’s voice assistant. As usual, it’s a bit of a rough demo, because it’s hard to exactly see how ChatGPT will help you out when you’re on the road when you’re instead sitting in a stationary car inside of a convention center. 

But conceptually, the idea behind bringing ChatGPT into a car is all about avoiding a “dead end” when you as IDA something, Cerence told us. Drivers don’t need to do anything different — you just say “Hello IDA” or press the voice assistant button on the driver’s wheel and start talking. And if there’s something that IDA doesn’t know, it’ll check with ChatGPT. When the voice assistant hits ChatGPT, you’ll only know because the response says “According to ChatGPT” at the beginning of it.

I wasn’t able to get a great sense yet of what things ChatGPT is good for. One of the demos we saw involved asking the car to tell us a story about dinosaurs, as a theoretical way to entertain kids in the back seat. ChatGPT quickly came back and started spinning a cute yarn — a good proof of concept but probably not something you’ll need to do in the car a lot. I asked the car to tell me about Sphere, the massive new concert / entertainment venue in Las Vegas, and it started responding with details about it “opening soon.” That’s because the version of ChatGPT in the car didn’t have the absolute latest details about it. I was expecting more of a Google-like experience, where I could ask things like “who won the Celtics game last night?” but that’s not really what ChatGPT is for.

Given how capable the IDA voice assistant already seems to be, I’m not yet sure how much ChatGPT will add to the equation. But, the usual caveats apply — this was just a quick demo, not on the road, and it’s not fully ready for release yet. But VW is not alone in seeing benefits for adding LLMs to its cars. BMW is working with Amazon to bring AI-powered vehicle info to its cars, and Mercedes-Benz started testing a ChatGPT integration last year. I wager we’ll hear more about this from other manufacturers in the year ahead.

We’re reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-volkswagen-with-chatgpt-told-me-a-story-about-dinosaurs-at-ces-2024-185239472.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

I’m worried about the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

A specific rumor about the Galaxy S24 Ultra is making me worry that 2023 may be the last year we see one of the best smartphone camera features.
Digital Trends

Here’s what you need to know about the OnePlus 12 now that its officially launched (in China)

The topic of many rumors and official leaks, the OnePlus 12 has launched during an event in China with a heady collection of specifications which includes Qualcomm’s new flagship processor – the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Besides the powerful SoC and the repositioning of the alert-slider, an old favorite returns with wireless charging making its […]

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How a tiny, fun phone changed my mind about foldables

I returned to the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and feared it may make me yearn for the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but it did not. Here’s why it has changed my mind about foldables.
Digital Trends

There’s something about the Google Pixel 8 that worries me

I’ve had the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro for a couple of weeks, and I quite like them. But there’s something about them that worries me.
Digital Trends

OnePlus is about to put the Google Pixel 8 Pro to shame

The Google Pixel 8 Pro has one of the brightest displays available on a smartphone. However, that won’t be the case for long.
Digital Trends

Rode’s Wireless Pro mic kit lets you forget about ‘clipped’ audio

It might not be an overstatement to say Rode's original Wireless GO microphone system changed how a lot of YouTubers work. It wasn't the first wireless mic system, not by a long long shot, but its focus on creators made it incredibly popular. That success would inspire a lot of competing products — such as DJI's — which have since won over fans in a category that Rode arguably defined. Today, Rode fights back with the Wireless Pro — its new flagship wireless microphone system for creators.

The headline feature is the inclusion of onboard 32-bit float recording which means you should no longer have to worry about setting mic gain levels (though it's probably best that you do). This feature means the onboard recording will be almost impossible to "clip" or distort through being too loud. Effectively you should always have a useable recording if things went a bit too loud on the audio in your camera, which will be a great anxiety reducer to anyone who's ever had a production ruined thanks to bad audio.

The Wireless Pro could arguably help bring 32-bit float into the mainstream. There are specialist audio recorders out there that already offer this feature. And Rode already included it on its NT1 hybrid studio microphone, but given that you can plug a lot of different microphones into the Wireless Pro transmitters, this opens the door for recording a wide variety of audio content in 32-bit float — as long as you can feed it into a 3.5mm jack.

In a further attempt at streamlining the creatory process, the Wireless Pro also has advanced timecode capability so you won't need an external device for this. Though you will need to set this up via Rode Central, the companion app for the mic (there's no option on-device for this setting).

A press shot of the Wireless Pro vlog microphone kit.
Photo by James Trew / Engadget

The Wireless Pro borrows a few features from alternatives or aftermarket accessories by including a charging case as standard (Rode currently offers one as a standalone purchase). That case is good for two total charges of the entire system according to the company and comes as standard with the new model. The stated battery life for the transmitters and receiver is around severn hours, meaning the Wireless Pro should be good for at least 20 hours total recording onto the 32gb storage (good for 40 hours of material apparently).

Another key upgrade is the improved range. The Wireless GO II, for example, has an approximate range of 656 feet (200 meters). The new Pro models expands that to 850 feet (260 meters) which is, coincidentally, a shade more than DJI's stated 820 feet (250 meters).

When Rode unveiled its more affordale Wireless ME kit, it introduced the idea of the receiver doubling as a "narrator" mic via a TRRS headset in the headphones/monitoring port. That's a feature that carries over to the Pro meaning you can record up to three different speakers albeit one of them will be wired, rather than cable free.

There are a couple of minor, but welcome quality of life updates, too, such as locking 3.5mm jacks so you won't rip your lav mic out and plugin power detection so the system can detect when the camera its plugged into is active, using that info to optimize power usage.

At time of publication, DJI's dual-mic product retails for $ 330. The Rode Wireless Pro will cost $ 399. That's obviously a slice more, but the company decided to include two Lavalier II mics as part of the bundle. The Lavalier II costs $ 99 on its own, so from that perspective the entire bundle represents a decent value if you're looking for complete solution. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rodes-wireless-pro-mic-kit-lets-you-forget-about-clipped-audio-000028417.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Everything you need to know about Samsung’s One UI 6 Beta for the Galaxy S23

After a delay the One UI 6 Beta is ready to download for the Galaxy S23 series, bringing with it a range of new features and enhancements. Those with the relevant device in the US, South Korea, and Germany can now sign up for the Android 14-based One UI 6 Beta program. New Features and […]

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Your Fitbit app is about to get a major update. Here’s what it looks like

The Fitbit app has received a much needed overhaul that makes it easier to accomplish everything from finding workouts to customizing your health routine.
Digital Trends

We already had a Pixel Tablet 12 years ago — you just forgot about it

We’ve tried the whole tablet-and-speaker dock thing before, going all the way back to 2011. The experience hasn’t gotten any better — not even with the Google Pixel Tablet.
Digital Trends

These AR glasses answer a big question about the Apple Vision Pro headest

The way TCL’s NXTWEAR S smartglasses deal with corrective lenses for spectacle wearers helps answer one of the big questions about the Apple Vision Pro.
Digital Trends

Leaked Amazon listing reveals even more about Google’s Pixel Tablet

Tomorrow is Google I/O day but if you are wanting more details on the Pixel Tablet ahead of its launch then there’s no need to wait. Thanks to a premature Amazon listing in Japan, we know a few more things about the Pixel Tablet. Join us after the break for more. As reported by the […]

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Here’s what you need to know about T-Mobile’s new Go5G and Go5G Plus plans

T-Mobile held an Uncarrier event today where it proceeded to mock its rivals for offering 36-month contracts and announce a pair of new data plans called Go5G and Go5G Plus which are aimed at those wanting to switch. While they are similar to the Magenta Max plans, the Go5G offerings do differ in terms of […]

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I’m excited (and nervous) about this iPhone 15 Pro rumor

Rumor has it that the iPhone 15 Pro is going to get a multi-use Action Button instead of a mute switch. Here’s why that would be a good (and bad) thing.
Digital Trends

12 iOS 16.4 features that are about to make your iPhone even better

Apple has released iOS 16.4! Here are some of the best new features that are coming to make your iPhone even better.
Digital Trends

12 iOS 16.4 features that are about to make your iPhone even better

Apple is set to release iOS 16.4 any day now. Here are some of the best new features that are coming to make your iPhone even better.
Digital Trends

You may want to think twice about buying a Samsung or Pixel phone

A recent report says that a laundry list of Samsung and Google devices are vulnerable to hacking. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe.
Digital Trends

The JWST captures a rare star about to go nova

NASA has shared an image from the James Webb Space Telescope that could help astronomers one day answer longstanding questions about our universe. The capture you see above shows WR 124, a star located in the constellation Sagittarius, approximately 15,000 light years away from Earth. When the JWST first sighted WR 124 in June 2022, it captured the star undergoing a Wolf-Rayet phase. According to NASA, only some massive stars go through such a transition before they eventually explode. Those that do are among the largest and most luminous celestial bodies in the night sky. In the case of WR 124, NASA estimates the star is 30 times the mass of the Sun and has so far shed about 10 Suns worth of material. Over time, the gas Wolf-Rayet stars expel will cool and form cosmic dust.

Cosmic dust is something astronomers are keen to study for a few reasons. The material is an essential building block of the universe. As NASA notes, it shelters coalescing stars and can even come together to form planets. At the moment, however, there’s no theory that explains the amount of cosmic dust there is in the universe. The JWST could help astronomers tackle that mystery. “Before Webb, dust-loving astronomers simply did not have enough detailed information to explore questions of dust production in environments like WR 124, and whether the dust grains were large and bountiful enough to survive the supernova and become a significant contribution to the overall dust budget,” NASA said. “Now those questions can be investigated with real data.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-jwst-captures-a-rare-star-about-to-go-nova-220013676.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Your Pixel 7 is about to get a whole lot less buggy — here’s why

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have seen their fair share of bugs since launch. A new Android 13 update aims to remedy things — a lot.
Digital Trends

What’s so special about the Galaxy S23-exclusive Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy SoC?

If you are a cynic like myself, you may be thinking that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, which is exclusively for the Galaxy S23 series, is pure marketing and unlikely to offer any real-world benefits. Qualcomm would have you believe differently, though, and so down the rabbit hole we go to see […]

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Using the OnePlus 10 Pro again made me worried about the OnePlus 11

With less than a month to go before the OnePlus 11 launch, I decided to revisit the OnePlus 10 Pro. And now I’m really worried.
Digital Trends

What is NFC? Everything you need to know about how it works

NFC has become more popular largely through mobile payment systems like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. Our guide explains what NFC stands for and how it works.
Digital Trends

NLRB says Tesla violated the law by telling employees not to talk about pay

The National Labor Relations Board has accused Tesla of violating labor law by prohibiting employees in Orlando, Florida from talking about workplace matters. According to Bloomberg, NLRB's Tampa regional director filed a complaint against the automaker in September for breaking the law when it told employees not to discuss their pay with other people and not to talk about the termination of another employee. In addition, based on the filing the news organization obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, Tesla management reportedly told employees "not to complain to higher level managers" about their working conditions. 

Tesla has had to face several complaints by the NLRB over the past years. In 2021, the agency found that the automaker had violated US labor laws by firing a union activist and threatening workers' benefits. The NLRB ordered the company to rehire union activist Richard Ortiz and to remove all mentions of disciplinary action from his files. It also ordered Tesla chief Elon Musk to delete a tweet that the court had deemed a threat that employees would be giving up company-paid stock options if they join a union. The tweet in question is still live, and Tesla is appealing the NLRB's ruling in court. 

An agency spokesperson told Bloomberg that a judge will hear the complaint filed by the Tampa regional director in February. As the publication notes, companies can still appeal the agency judges' decision to NLRB members in Washington and then to federal court, so any corrective action may take years to happen.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

A sneaky iOS update got me excited about the iPhone 14 Pro again

The iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island has become rather dull very quickly. But one iOS 16.2 feature is quickly turning things around.
Digital Trends

The Apple Watch SE 2 is making me think twice about the Watch Series 8

Using the Apple Watch SE 2 made me realize you should consider it the default Apple Watch to buy, and then look at the Series 8 — not the other way around.
Wearables | Digital Trends

Everything you need to know about Google killing off Stadia on January 18, 2023

Most of us have expected this headline ever since its dedicated game studio was closed, so it’s no real surprise that Google’s Stadia is shutting down on January 18, 2023. Stadia will then join the likes of Google+, Hangouts, and a myriad of other products killed by Google whether they deserved it or not. The […]

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I have a confession — I may have been wrong about the Apple Watch Ultra

I questioned whether the Apple Watch Ultra could be worn as an everyday smartwatch without looking a bit silly. Now I’ve worn it myself, I have the answer.
Wearables | Digital Trends

Google Pixel Tablet leak reveals key specs about the mysterious device

We still don’t know much about the Google Pixel Tablet, but a new leak has now shed light on some of its key specs.
Android | Digital Trends

Apple’s Ceramic Shield may change your mind about an iPhone 14 screen protector

Do you want a screen protector for your iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro? This is how Apple’s Ceramic Shield glass looks after a year of not using one.
Mobile | Digital Trends

PSA: Everything you need to know about Samsung’s Security Breach in July 2022

The latest big brand to suffer a security breach is Samsung which determined on August 4th that an unauthorized third party accessed its systems in the US towards the end of July 2022. Naturally, Samsung has taken actions to secure the affected systems in an effort to rebuff any further attempts at customer information, as […]

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The best thing about Android 13 isn’t a new feature or setting — it’s something else

Android 13 is finally here, and there’s not much to talk about. As the operating system matures, new and exciting features are few and far between.
Android | Digital Trends

These are the Android 13 features you need to know about

Pixel owners wondering where their August update disappeared now have the gift of the official release of Android 13 rolling out to their handsets. This year’s major release is arriving a little earlier than Android 12 did in 2021 but it’s unlikely that Pixel owners are complaining. Android 13 comes with customizable third-party app icons […]

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RTX 4090: everything we know about Nvidia’s next flagship GPU

From prices to performance to cooling rumoured release dates, we’ve got this chip covered.
Emerging Tech | Digital Trends

Razr 2022: everything we know about Motorola’s next foldable

The Razr 2022 is shaping up to be one of the most interesting foldable phones of the year. Here’s every detail we know ahead of its upcoming debut.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: Everything we know about the 2022 smartwatch

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 series will reportedly ditch a hot-favorite design element in favor of a cool health upgrade. Here’s everything we know so far.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Apple Watch Pro: Everything we know about Apple’s rugged smartwatch

Alongside the Apple Watch Series 8 this year, Apple’s also rumored to launch the Apple Watch Pro. Here’s everything we know!
Wearables | Digital Trends

Oura Ring gets serious about fitness, now syncs with Strava

Oura has announced a partnership with fitness social network Strava, and owners of the smart ring will soon be able to share data between both platforms.
Wearables | Digital Trends

With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple is about to make the ‘normal’ iPhone boring

Apple’s iPhone variants are drifting further and further apart. The iPhone 14 is set to expand that gap massively, and the effect could be huge.
Android | Digital Trends

Android 12L and Wear OS 3 show Google still isn’t serious about tablets and smartwatches

Android 12L and Wear OS 3 are supposed to be Google’s big revolutions for tablets and smartwatches. But it sure doesn’t feel like it.
Android | Digital Trends

Samsung One UI 5: Everything we know about the software update

Looking forward to Samsung’s One UI 5 software for your Galaxy phone? Here’s what to expect from it!
Android | Digital Trends

Pixel 7: Everything we know about Google’s 2022 flagship

Google is preparing the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro for launch later this year. Here’s everything we know so far.
Android | Digital Trends

What is RCS messaging? Everything you need to know about the SMS successor

What is RCS? Rich Communication Services messaging is the next-generation SMS with group chats, video, audio, and images. Here’s what you need to know.
Android | Digital Trends

Fitbit’s excellent sleep tracking is about to get even better

Fitbit has long offered sleep tracking, but with its new Sleep Profiles feature, it’s getting even better.
Wearables | Digital Trends

Android 13: Everything we know so far about the upcoming OS

Google has announced Android 13, its next major software release. Here’s what it’s expected to bring.
Android | Digital Trends