Technology

Google is telling users of the Android Auto for Phone Screens app that it’ll no longer work soon via an in-app pop-up message (via 9to5Google). The app enables a simplified in-car interface of Android that is safer to use while mounting the phone on a car dashboard, a great feature for those who don’t own newer cars with the version of Android Auto that runs on the infotainment screen. This is actually not Google’s first warning that it was putting Android Auto for Phone Screens in exile. It was already deprecated last year when the company disabled Android Auto for Phone Screens on newer Android 12 devices. People with older devices could still access the app, but Google didn’t give a timeline on how long it would last, stating it has “no further details to share at this time.” Google reg...

In a blog post on Thursday, Meta said that it’s globally rolling out new creator tools for its TikTok competitor, Reels, on both Instagram and Facebook. The handful of new tools will make it easier for creators to skip using TikTok to edit short clips and help encourage people to create original content using Reels, which is something the team at Instagram really wants to happen. Instagram Reels will now let users import their own audio (that’s at least five seconds long) from their camera roll to their reel video. Reels also now supports 90-second videos, and it is adding interactive “stickers” that support polls, quizzes, and emoji — much like Instagram Stories. Instagram is also widely releasing templates that let users easily replicate the same pattern of another reel they’ve seen, whi...

According to the US carriers, 5G has well and truly arrived. We did it! We won the race to 5G. But there’s one piece of the puzzle that’s still largely missing: voice. Phone calls still mainly rely on LTE networks, even where 5G data coverage is robust. Today, T-Mobile announced that it has taken a small step forward in making voice over 5G a reality. In Portland, Oregon, and Salt Lake City, Utah, some commercial calls will be routed via T-Mobile’s standalone 5G network. Voice over 5G (referred to as Voice over New Radio, or VoNR) is a major challenge for the whole wireless industry, though all US carriers will likely want to move voice calling over to 5G sometime in the future to free up LTE spectrum for 5G. Voice calls over 5G are also subject to lower latency, so there are real benefits...

Yesterday, Sony and Square Enix blessed us with the biggest chunk of Final Fantasy XVI news yet during the State of Play event. Square Enix released not only a new trailer but also a new blog and updates to the official Final Fantasy XVI website that has established a nice foundation upon which we can start building an idea of what this game is about and what we can expect. Despite the number, Final Fantasy XVI is not the 16th entry in the series; it’s not even the 16th single-player mainline entry, either (thanks to FFXIII’s sequels and the FFVII Remake). There are a million and a half Final Fantasy games, far too many to count. This is simply the one that comes after the one with Noctis and his bro-dtrip. Final Fantasy XVI takes place in the realm of Valisthea. Valisthea is home to these...

When I first got a sneak peek of the Tempo Move last year, I was stoked. Here was a $495 smart gym that would not only fit into my tiny apartment but also wouldn’t look out of place. It used the iPhone’s TrueDepth camera tech to track your movements, the classes were great, and the design was so clever I was gobsmacked. And, if it weren’t for annoying connectivity issues, the Tempo Move might’ve been my favorite connected fitness gadget that I’ve tested in the past year. When it comes to at-home gyms, most players in this space struggle with price and size. The most recognizable gadgets — like the Peloton Bike Plus or Tonal — will set you back thousands of dollars and they’re impossible to disguise in your home. That’s not the case with the Tempo Move. It looks like an end table straight o...

Years of alarm bells from cybersecurity experts about the vulnerabilities of medical devices are finally being heard by Congress. Senators proposed a new bill this week that would require the Food and Drug Administration to issue cybersecurity guidelines more regularly, and share information about vulnerable devices on its website. The legislation, first reported by CyberScoop, comes from Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.). The bill comes a few weeks after cybersecurity expert Joshua Corman testified before a Senate committee on the vulnerabilities of medical devices to cyberattacks, and a few months after FDA leaders asked Congress in April to dedicate more funding and authority to the agency around device cybersecurity. Experts have warned for years that medical devices c...

Planning on flying out for a holiday this summer? Trying to unwind on a packed flight while a baby screams like a banshee isn’t the most relaxing start to a vacation — and is exactly when a pair of noise-canceling earbuds could come in handy. Unfortunately, many tend to be over $100, but today you can buy 1More’s ComfoBuds Pro on Amazon in white for $55 instead of $94.99 or in black for $59.99 as opposed to $99.99, both of which require you to clip the on-page coupon. True to their name, we found 1More’s ComfoBuds Pro to be very comfortable, even over long stretches of time. The budget-friendly true wireless earbuds boast good sound quality for the price as well, along with decent noise cancellation with various levels of intensity. They also come with other useful features like the abilit...

When last we checked in with Tesla’s “phantom braking” problem, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it had received 350 complaints from owners who said their vehicles were braking for no reason. Now that number stands at 758, and the US government has some questions. On May 4th, NHTSA fired off a 14-page “request for information” letter to Tesla about these incidents, including a request for all consumer and field reports it has received about false braking, as well as reports of crashes, injuries, deaths, and property damage claims. A request for all consumer and field reports it has received about false braking NHTSA also wants to know whether Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system was active during any of these incidents. Tesla has until June 20, 2022, to comply with the r...

Virgil Abloh was an absolute creative force. He always had his hand in multiple projects at the same time whether it be tied to fashion, footwear or any other forms of products and experiences. And while he’s no longer with us, his various imprints are starting to gradually roll out his remaining designs, the latest to be unveiled being this Canary Yellow x Syng Cell Alpha speaker collaboration. The high-powered music boomer is equipped with Triphonic audio — a technology that creates the world’s first true spatial sound experience. It comes styled in its signature black hue and see-through case, and “FOR LISTENING” hits are applied to the stand in Abloh’s signature Helvetica font style. Inside are a duo of woofers as well as a trio of microphones that can be utilized for automatic room eq...