Technology

HBO Max is offering free episodes to potential new subscribers in-app and free of charge so they can take its more popular series for a test drive before committing to yet another streaming service. The company announced that, starting today, new viewers mulling a subscription can watch a selection of 13 pilots from HBO and HBO Max without having to sign up for the service. Normally, subscribers would pay $10 per month for HBO Max’s ad-supported tier or $15 per month to go ad-free and get special perks like 4K streaming and day-and-date releases for Warner Bros films. (HBO Max does not currently offer a free trial.) The full list of series whose pilots can be streaming for free is as follows: Batwoman Euphoria Game of Thrones Harley Quinn Lovecraft Country Love Life Perry Mason Raised By W...

Google has apparently leaked some unannounced Nest security cameras right on its own online store (thanks for the tip, Eric!). Google confirmed in January that it would be releasing a new lineup of security cameras this year, and it seems like the company’s store may have just revealed what’s on the way. As far as we can tell, the new devices include a combined outdoor / indoor battery-powered Nest Cam, a Nest Cam with floodlight, an indoor wired Nest Cam, and a battery-powered Nest Doorbell. When we tried to click on the “Learn More” and “Buy” links for those devices, the site sent us back to the main Google Store homepage, so it seems that they might be live earlier than they are supposed to be. The only links that worked correctly on this page were the Nest Cam Indoor and the Nest Cam O...

SpaceX’s Starlink mobile app got a refreshing upgrade this week that makes it easier to find clear patches of sky and monitor connection outages — and adds a new dark mode for its user interface. The app improvements came out yesterday as SpaceX reported 90,000 active users in its open “better than nothing” beta phase, which spans rural regions across 12 different countries so far. The “completely updated and renovated” version, as SpaceX describes in its Apple’s App Store changelog, includes a new way to scan your surroundings for obstructions before installing a Starlink terminal. Like its previous method, the app directs users to scan their surroundings using their phone cameras, but the new version generates a tiny dome around your Starlink dish that overlays potential obstructions, ma...

Oppo has announced the latest iteration of its under-screen camera technology, claiming it allows for a selfie camera to be placed under the display “without compromising the integrity of the screen.” Unlike earlier approaches that reduce pixel density in the portion of the screen that covers the camera in order to let more light pass through, Oppo is using smaller pixels to maintain the same 400-ppi sharpness as the rest of the OLED panel. The result, according to Oppo, is that users should notice “almost no visual difference between the [under-screen camera] area and the rest of the screen during everyday use, creating a much more immersive visual experience.” The company has shown off an image of a prototype phone running an e-reader app, which would be pretty much the worst-case scenar...

Citizen, an app used to alert users about emergencies unfolding in their area, is rolling out a monthly subscription service that gives paid users 24/7 access to remote safety experts. The app, launched in 2016, gives its uses hyper-local, real-time alerts that affect public safety. The alerts are generated by Citizen analysts who monitor 911 activity and include verified user-generated live video. The subscription program, titled Citizen Protect, has been billed as an “on-demand, personalized, mobile protection subscription” backed by the company’s team of trained safety experts, known as Protect Agents. These virtual agents can analyze a dangerous situation remotely and monitor a user’s location, send emergency responders, notify loved ones, provide navigation to a safe place and alert n...

Elon Musks‘s company, SpaceX has reported that it now has over 90,000 users around the world for its Starlink satellite internet service. SpaceX Starlink is steadily showing growth having recently noted that it has users in 12 countries. Starlink’s new user total is determined by the number of households that have a satellite dish. In just the past month, the company seems to have added about 20,000 more users. In June, Musk said, “We are on our way to having a few hundred thousand users, possibly over 500,000 users within 12 months.” It appears that Starlink has kept its word, continually growing its usage platform and on track to fulfilling its promise to deliver high-speed internet to consumers across the globe. Musk originally said that he expects Starlink to have “over half a million ...

AT&T announced earlier this year that it would spin its video properties DirecTV, AT&T TV, and U-verse into a new company it would co-manage with private equity firm TPG Capital. That transaction is finally complete, and the services will now operate as a single company under the name DirecTV. As outlined earlier this year when the company initially announced plans to off-load its struggling DirecTV business, AT&T will retain a 70 percent stake in the company, while TPG will take a 30 percent stake. The telecom giant said the deal for which it received $7.1 billion in cash would help pay off its massive debt, with the company projecting it can put a stop to the bleeding by the end of 2023. Part of that debt is owed because of AT&T’s acquisition of the original DirecTV in 20...

As reported by Light Reading and confirmed to The Verge, T-Mobile has committed to a June 30, 2022 shutdown date for Sprint’s LTE network. It’s an expected move as T-Mobile continues to absorb Sprint’s network and customers into its own base, and comes six months after its contentious planned January 1, 2022 shutdown of Sprint’s 3G CDMA network. A third of Sprint customers have already been moved onto the T-Mobile network, according to T-Mobile. The company expects to be able to migrate the remaining two thirds by that mid-2022 deadline, according to CFO Peter Osvaldik’s remarks at an investor conference last month. Some of those customers will likely need new devices that are compatible with T-Mobile LTE and VoLTE, though the company has had no shortage of enticing 5G phone offers lately....

The Apple Store was mysteriously down on Tuesday for just about an hour, but it has emerged from the downtime with a brand new look and a dedicated tab on Apple’s top-level navigation. At the top of the store, there are images and links to many of Apple’s product lines (Mac, iPhone, AirPods, etc.). Some of those links take you to new dedicated Store pages for the products, which show you what models are available and point to resources like shopping guides, accessories, and support. On the main Store page, there are also sections for what’s new, links to support pages, and more. The iPad category in the new Apple Store. The new design is filled with cards — it’s somewhat reminiscent of Apple’s Store app for iOS. It feels mobile-first, with smooth horizontal scrolling between cards on phone...

Epic Games is adding two more Street Fighter icons to Fortnite. Playable Chun-Li and Ryu skins were added to the game in February, but soon, Guile and Cammy skins will make their debut in the game’s item shop. You’ll be able to buy them starting August 7th at 8PM ET. I think both skins look great — I’m personally a huge fan of Guile’s ridiculous-looking flat top hair. Each skin will have two different variants, which you can see below: Guile’s cosmetics in Fortnite. Image: Epic Games And here are Cammy’s cosmetics.Image: Epic Games And if you want a chance of getting to play as Cammy early, you can compete in the Cammy Cup on August 5th. The skins arrive at a busy time for Fortnite — Tuesday evening, Epic added a skin based on the DC Comics character Bloodsport ahead of the release of The ...

Today, NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio announced details of the “Key to NYC Pass,” a plan to require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 before entering locations like fitness centers, restaurants, or entertainment venues. New Yorkers can meet those requirements by carrying their vaccination card or scanning and storing it in one of two authorized mobile apps. While some businesses and events have already begun to require proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID test for entry by workers and customers, government-mandated “vaccine passports” have been a controversial topic. Soon you will not be able to go inside a restaurant, inside a gym, or inside a concert or performance in New York City without proof of a #COVID19 vaccine. Join us now for more info. https://t.co/oVKhBC3Ptr — NYC Mayo...