Technology

Spotify is adding a weekly news show about League of Legends esports to its roster of Spotify Original podcasts. The show, Rift Reaction, is set to be a 40-episode series and will be hosted by esports content creator and journalist Travis Gafford and League of Legends Championship Series analyst Emily Rand. The first episode is out now, and new episodes will air every Wednesday, exclusively on Spotify. The podcast is the latest from Spotify and League of Legends developer Riot Games’ multiyear partnership that was announced in August, which so far also includes League of Legends-themed playlists and another Spotify Original series that led up to last year’s League of Legends esports world championship. Spotify has a dedicated hub for its League of Legends content, if you want to check out ...

Ford just announced the new F-150 Lightning, the company’s first all-electric pickup truck, and the second vehicle in its major push into EVs — the first, of course, was the Mustang Mach-E. That’s two of Ford’s most iconic brands now electrified, and CEO Jim Farley joined Decoder to talk about what it means to transition Ford into being an EV company, competing with Tesla, and how to build a charging network around the world that can support its efforts. Ford also just announced a major deal with Google to use Android as the operating system in its cars, and I wanted to know what pushed the company in that direction — and how Jim sees our relationship to cars changing as they turn into what are fundamentally rolling computers. His answers surprised me — he hinted at one day being able to u...

Google is testing a new feature for its Chrome browser on Android that lets users “follow” sites to create an updating list of new content they publish. The feature is based on RSS, an open web standard that’s been the backbone of many popular web aggregation tools in the past. That includes Google’s own, much beloved (and now defunct) Google Reader. The test is small-scale: following sites will only be an option for some US users of Chrome Canary (the bleeding-edge version of Chrome that lets enthusiasts access beta features). Users will be able to follow sites from the browser menu, and updates will be aggregated in a card-based feed that’s shown when users open a new tab. It’s not clear whether this feed is wholly dependent on sites providing RSS support, or if Google will fill in the g...

Sphero, a long-time maker of robotic toys, has announced a robotic toy car that’s designed to teach young children about the fundamentals of programming (via Gizmodo). It’s called the Sphero indi, and kids can use different-colored silicone tiles to give the car instructions, letting them create courses and mazes (and hopefully learn how to logically solve problems while doing so). The indi uses a color-sensor to check which tile it’s driving over, with green tiles telling it to speed up, pink tiles telling it to turn left, purple tiles telling it to stop and celebrate, and so on. To teach kids how to create instructions to get indi from point A to point B, the toy comes with challenge cards that include patterns with missing tiles, so they’ll have to figure out which color tile will help ...

Kobo has a new e-reader out, and its the company’s biggest yet: the Kobo Elipsa, which features a 10.3-inch, 1404 x 1872 resolution (227 ppi) E Ink display, a bundled stylus, and the ability to not just read books, but to annotate, underline, and mark them up just like a real paper book. Gigantic e-readers, like the 9.7-inch Kindle DX, once were more common, but recent devices have trended towards more pocketable formats — Amazon’s Kindle’s max out at 7-inches, and Kobo’s Forma (its previous largest size) offers an 8-inch display. But the Elipsa is one of the largest mainstream e-readers yet, offering a massive display that presumably isn’t just good for reading — it’ll also feature a bundled stylus, a first for the company. The new Kobo Stylus allows the tablet to be used to note-taking a...

ByteDance’s CEO has announced he’s stepping down from his role leading the company whose success with TikTok led it to become the world’s most valuable startup. Zhang Yiming, who co-founded ByteDance in 2012, will move to another position at the company, and fellow co-founder Liang Rubo will become the new CEO. Liang presently runs HR at ByteDance. In a lengthy internal letter that ByteDance later made public, Zhang ruminated on his position and how he feels he’d be more effective in another role. Zhang says “I worry I am still relying too much on the ideas I had before starting the company, and haven’t challenged myself by updating those concepts.” “I think someone else can better drive progress through areas like improved daily management,” he continues. “The truth is, I lack some of the...

Zagg has announced a new selection of iPad keyboards: the Pro Keys with Trackpad, a case with a detachable Bluetooth keyboard; the laptop-style Rugged Book with an adjustable magnetic hinge; and the trackpad-less Pro Keys case (via 9to5Mac). The accessories support several of Apple’s newest iPads, from the M1-enabled iPad Pro on the high-end to the entry level 10.2-inch iPad. Good alternative keyboard cases to Apple’s trackpad-equipped Magic Keyboard are mostly limited to Logitech’s Combo Mix or Brydge’s Pro Plus, so Zagg’s version is more than welcome, if a bit less sleek. Unlike the Magic Keyboard, the Pro Keys with Trackpad has a case that wraps around your entire iPad and a detachable backlit Bluetooth keyboard that also doubles as an adjustable stand when magnetically attached. Along ...

Google is one of the major companies behind the upcoming interconnected cross-platform smart home standard Matter, and today, the company has explained how it’ll work to support Matter with its Android devices and Nest smart home products. To start, the company is promising that all of its Nest displays and speakers will be updated to enable them to control Matter devices. That means once the update arrives (Google isn’t giving a timeframe yet), you’ll be able to use Google Assistant to control any Matter device, whether it was previously part of Google’s smart home platform or not. Additionally, newer Google smart home products with Thread built in, like the Nest Wi-Fi, Nest Hub Max, and second-gen Nest Hub, will also serve as Matter connection hubs. That will make it easier to set up and...

If you told me you’d found an OLED laptop for just $800, I’d have warned you against refurbished computers and deep-discount closeout sales. The inky blackness and gorgeous colors of OLED have not come cheap. Dell charges a $300 premium just for the screen. And yet Asus’s new affordable OLED laptop defies those expectations. The new machine is called the Asus ZenBook 13 OLED, and early reviews are already suggesting it could be a slam dunk for budget buyers. While there’s no headphone jack and some are complaining about a cramped keyboard, the 2.5-pound laptop doesn’t seem to skimp on the specs. In addition to that 13-inch 1080p OLED screen (one of the first 1080p OLEDs I can recall on a laptop) with its 100-percent DCI-P3 color gamut, you can configure it with up to Intel Core i7 or AMD R...

The most popular vehicle in the United States is going electric. Ford has revealed the F-150 Lightning, an all-electric version of its popular pickup truck due out in 2022, and it’s aggressively priced for an EV. The base model with 230 miles of range starts at $39,974, while the extended range version starts in the mid-$50,000s and can go about 300 miles. That puts it right on par, price-wise, with Tesla’s Cybertruck and far below more luxury-minded options like Rivian’s R1T or General Motors’ exorbitant GMC Hummer pickup. And since Ford’s vehicles are still eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit, that price tag can essentially come down even more for early buyers. It’s especially stunning, though, because all variants of the F-150 Lightning are built with Ford’s four-door “Super...

Ford just unveiled the F-150 Lightning, its first electric pickup truck. And as has become tradition in the EV world, a mere $100 deposit can get you in line for one when these rigs eventually begin to roll off the assembly line starting in 2022. The trucks are available for reservation at this website. The standard range model starts at $39,974, and will get around 250 miles of range. An extended range version starts at $52,974 and can travel up to 300 miles on a single charge. Deposits are fully refundable Deposits are fully refundable, but if you want to follow through on your purchase, orders can be completed starting in fall 2021. And deliveries are expected to start in the spring of 2022. Ford’s website features details about the base model, as well as the XLT, Lariat, and Platinum t...

Apple announced a variety of new and updated features for people with disabilities today. Beginning May 20th, customers can use the new SignTime sign language interpreter service to contact AppleCare and retail customer care through their web browsers. Software updates later this year to iOS, watchOS, and iPadOS will bring improved options for Assistive Touch, VoiceOver, hearing aid support, and background sounds. We believe everyone should have the tools they need to change the world. Accessibility is a fundamental right, and we’re always pushing the boundaries of innovation so that everyone can learn, create and connect in new ways. #GAAD https://t.co/oZwQNG7p5x — Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 19, 2021 The new SignTime service is launching first in the US, UK, and France, and offers remote in...