Today’s Inno Day 2020 event unveiled the Oppo X 2021 concept smartphone, which is all about its “continuously variable OLED display.” With a simple swipe on a button, the phone is able to transform between a regular 6.7-inch size and a tablet-like 7.4-inch size, and the software interface adapts accordingly for optimal experience — be Read more about Oppo’s X 2021 rollable concept phone expands in your hand[…]
In a year where it seems everything is both literally and figuratively on fire, it’s not surprising that we can now add Amazon’s Ring Video Doorbell to the list. Yes, it turns out that the device you purchased and installed for the purpose of making your home safer is itself a safety hazard. As a Read more about There’s a Massive Recall of Amazon Neighbourhood Spy Ring Doorbells – might explode in flames[…]
A team of researchers has demonstrated for the first time a single-molecule electret – a device that could be one of the keys to molecular computers. Smaller electronics are crucial to developing more advanced computers and other devices. This has led to a push in the field toward finding a way to replace silicon chips Read more about Researchers Create a Single-Molecule Switch – a Step Toward Ever-Smaller Electronics[…]
The UK’s Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) says Apple is still not answering questions relating to its record on the environmental sustainability and repairability of its iStuff. The EAC – a sounder of Members of Parliament that sit on the select committee in the House of Commons – asked the American company to get involved in Read more about Brit MPs to Apple CEO: Please stop ignoring our questions about repairability and the environment[…]
A new study using lasers suggests that face shields and masks outfitted with an exhaust valve aren’t particularly great at protecting others from tiny respiratory droplets containing contagious germs like the coronavirus that causes covid-19. These aerosols can spill through and around these types of face equipment, the study found, weakening their potential to keep Read more about How Face Shields and Valve Masks Fail to Stop Infectious Droplets, as Shown by Lasers[…]
Engineers at Purdue University have created a printing process by which you can coat paper or cardboard with “highly fluorinated molecules.” This then makes the coated paper dust, oil, and water-repellent, meaning you can then print multiple circuit layers onto the paper without smudging the ink. According to a paper the engineers published in Nano Read more about Engineers Have Figured Out How to Make Interactive Paper[…]
Wow, I really really hate that this is a possibility. You spent money on hardware – not some monthly subscription service – where it’s really nice that they add more than just security updates but then: BANG! They kill the hardware, rendering it little more than scrappable junk. Suddenly, it won’t do any of the Read more about Philips Hue Bridge updates actually kills your old Bridge[…]
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has invested in the development of technologies that allow the human brain to communicate directly with machines, including the development of implantable neural interfaces able to transfer data between the human brain and the digital world. This technology, known as brain-computer interface (BCI), may eventually be used to monitor Read more about Brain-Computer Interfaces: U.S. Military Applications and Implications, An Initial Assessment[…]
Widespread internet outages knocked down Cloudflare, the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Amazon, Hulu, and a slew of other sites on Sunday morning, and it’s apparently all because of a single internet service provider: CenturyLink. Given that Cloudflare’s online security services are designed to keep websites up and running, when it went down, so did dozens Read more about Cloudflare Blames CenturyLink for Sunday’s Internet Blackout – again[…]
Under-display cameras do a neat trick, allowing manufacturers to build all-screen phones without complex pop-up selfie cameras. Now, Xiaomi has unveiled its third-generation of under-display cameras and promised that the technology will be coming to the mass market “next year.” Cameras that live under the screen present two problems: creating a dark “hole” on the Read more about Xiaomi’s under display camera tech is coming to phones next year[…]
A review at the Android Police site calls Pine64’s new Linux-based PinePhone “the most interesting smartphone I’ve tried in years,” with 17 different operating systems available (including Fedora, Ubuntu Touch, SailfishOS, openSUSE, and Arch Linux ARM): There’s a replaceable battery, which is compatible with batteries designed for older Samsung Galaxy J7 phones. It’s good to Read more about Reviewer Calls Linux-based PinePhone ‘the Most Interesting Smartphone I’ve Tried in Years’ – only $150![…]
a researcher from Meiji University in Japan who’s invented what’s being described as a taste display that can artificially recreate any flavor by triggering the five different tastes on a user’s tongue. Years ago it was thought that the tongue had different regions for tasting sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors, where higher concentrations of Read more about ‘Taste Display’ Brings Fake Flavors to Your Tongue[…]
ThinkPad’s keyboards have a fiercely loyal following, and for $100 you can keep using the design that time forgot with this detached wireless version that will work any other laptop or computer. The ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II is now available on Lenovo’s website, and it looks like a piece of hardware that dates back over Read more about ThinkPad’s Iconic Nub and Keyboard Comes to Your Desktop – but not mechanical[…]
It seemed like a bit of a risk when Mazda decided to not offer a touchscreen in the new Mazda 3. But Mazda may have just been ahead of the trend, as Honda has also abandoned some reliance on the new Honda Jazz’s touch controls because they just aren’t “intuitive.” Despite nearly a decade of Read more about Yes! Honda Follows Mazda By Ditching Some Touchscreen Controls For Not Being ‘Intuitive’[…]
Scientists have crafted a tiny flexible electrical device capable of generating terahertz waves that can penetrate walls and microscopic cells, potentially paving the way for new imaging techniques – and fast switching in chips. Terahertz radiation lies in the electromagnetic spectrum where microwaves and infrared meet. These so-called T-waves, ranging from 0.3 to 3THz according Read more about cheap High-frequency, high-power and nanoscale semiconductors that can see through walls[…]
Ireader C6 is a full color e-reader and will be released soon the company has just announced they are working on a new color e-reader that is capable of displaying 4,096 colors and will be released on March 26th. The iReader C6 will feature a six inch capacitive touchscreen display with 300 PPI and it Read more about Finally! Two colour e-readers about to hit the market![…]
NFC is usually only used to for quick text transfers, like a tap-and-pay transaction at a register or a quick data transfer from an NFC sticker. A company called “Waveshare” is really pushing the limits of NFC, though, with a 7.5-inch e-ink display that gets its data, and its power, from an NFC transfer. The Read more about 7.5-Inch E-Ink Display Is Powered Completely By NFC[…]
Researchers at the University of California San Diego developed a wearable technology that can hide its wearer from heat-detecting sensors such as night vision goggles, even when the ambient temperature changes–a feat that current state of the art technology cannot match. The technology can adapt to temperature changes in just a few minutes, while Read more about This wearable device camouflages its wearer from thermal cameras no matter the weather[…]
Thanks to recent software updates, the most sophisticated systems—Cadillac‘s Super Cruise and Tesla‘s Autopilot—are more capable today than they were initially. This report on those systems includes a lesser known third player. For $998, upstart Comma.ai sells an aftermarket dash cam and wiring harness that taps into and overrides the factory-installed assistance systems in many Read more about Aftermarket $998,- Self-Driving Tech vs. Tesla Autopilot, Cadillac Super Cruise[…]
Residents donning surgical face masks while venturing outside their homes or meeting strangers have found themselves in an unfamiliar conundrum. With their faces half-covered, some are unable to unlock their phones or use mobile payments with their faces. People wearing protective masks to help stop the spread of a deadly virus, which began in Wuhan, Read more about Facial recognition fails in China as people wear masks to avoid coronavirus – Face ID fails users as the China coronavirus outbreak sparks widespread adoption of surgical masks[…]
Last August, in what was widely hailed a victory for the right-to-repair movement, Apple announced it would begin selling parts, tools, and diagnostic services to independent repair shops in addition to its “authorized” repair partners. Apple’s so-called Independent Repair Provider (IRP) program had its limitations, but was still seen as a step forward for a Read more about Apple’s Independent Repair Program Is Invasive to Shops and Their Customers, Contract Shows[…]
Google is making it easier for developers to purchase the latest version of its smart glasses, with the company saying on Tuesday that the Glass Enterprise Edition 2 is now available from some hardware resellers. “We’ve seen strong demand from developers and businesses who are interested in building new, helpful enterprise solutions for Glass,“ Google Read more about Google Says Developers Can Now Purchase Latest Smart Glasses, still look stupid[…]
Alias is a teachable “parasite” that gives you more control over your smart assistant’s customization and privacy. Through a simple app, you can train Alias to react to a self-chosen wake-word; once trained, Alias takes control over your home assistant by activating it for you. When you’re not using it, Alias makes sure the assistant Read more about Alias Privacy “Parasite” 2.0 Adds a Layer of Security to Your Home Assistant[…]
About 35 years after the MIDI 1.0 Detailed Specification was established, instrument manufacturers voted unanimously on January 18th to adopt the new MIDI 2.0 spec. So what’s changing for audio interfaces? The “biggest advance in music technology in decades” brings two-way communication, among many other new features while remaining backwards compatible with the old spec. Read more about MIDI 2.0 overhauls the music interface for the first time in 35 years[…]
PC hardware maker NZXT has just announced the latest additions to its line of liquid CPU coolers, the Kraken X-3 and Z-3. The X-3 has a bright LED ring and rotates so the logo can be repositioned. The Z-3 comes with a 2.36-inch, 24-bit color LCD screen capable of displaying images, computer data, or animated Read more about New NZXT Liquid CPU Cooler Plays Animated GIFs, Because Awesome![…]