More rumors point to Google entering the video game market

If you’ve been keeping up, there have been several rumors that Google is getting into the gaming console market, at least indirectly. The Yeti streaming service, for example, was suggested to compete with GeForce Now and PlayStation Now, and recently some new interactions were tipped off for the Chromecast that would most likely be used […]

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Sling TV reorganizes, will offer a new free tier and more on-demand content

The market of internet streaming TV is getting more and more competitive every day, but it’s pretty safe to say Sling TV kickstarted the entire concept. There’s a few more services to choose from today, whether we’re talking about PlayStation Vue, DirecTV Now, or any of the other smaller, more specific bundles, but Sling TV […]

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Amazon’s Echo Dot Kids Edition adds support for Spotify

Amazon is addressing one of the larger issues with its Echo Dot Kids Edition — support for Spotify’s streaming music service, with the option to filter out explicit lyrics. The news was announced on Friday alongside new content from Disney for the Kids Edition device. However, Amazon says the Spotify support would not be available until next week.

Lack of access to one of the most popular streaming services was one of my personal critiques with the Kids Edition. As a Spotify household, it was hard to use the device here because of its limited support for music services outside Amazon and iHeartRadio Family. Our favorite playlists and music was not available, because we don’t pay for Amazon’s on-demand music service. This will be a welcome change.

When Spotify is enabled, Amazon says the explicit filter will also be turned on by default — but parents can turn it off on their FreeTime dashboard.

Along with the support on the Kids Edition device, the update will also now allow Spotify customers who don’t subscribe to FreeTime the option to turn off explicit lyrics, as they already can do with Amazon Music and Pandora.

In addition, Amazon says the Echo Dot Kids Edition is gaining a host of new content from Disney this week and next.

It has already added a new kids skill called Disney Dailies that includes jokes and sketches taking place in the “Zootopia” world, which are updated every day.

Next week, there also will be new character alarms featuring characters from Pixar’s “Coco,” Disney’s “Moana” and others. And Disney has updated its Daily Stories with stories from “Incredibles 2,” “Doc McStuffins,” “Wall-E,” “Moana” and more.

The Kids Edition is a combo package of an Echo Dot with a protective case and a year of FreeTime Unlimited, which includes exclusive Alexa skills for Kids Edition owners, as well as other content, like games, apps, books and videos. It’s $79.99 on Amazon.

Amazon’s Echo Dot Kids Edition adds support for Spotify was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

Appy Pie wants to help you build an automated and coordinated app without coding experience

Appy Pie is known for helping customers and clients build applications without actually knowing how to code. While that’s not great for something incredibly specific and complex, for tons of businesses and users something simple without a ton of effort involved is perfect. But now they’re expanding that app building mojo even further with a […]

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[TA Deals] Pay what you want for the Total Python Machine Learning Bundle

Machine learning is one of the biggest trends in current development and tech circles, and you’re going to want to stay in the loop with something this big. Right now we’re offering a comprehensive machine learning bundle that includes several ebooks and educational courses, and it won’t break the bank. The bundle includes six ebooks […]

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Bird has officially raised a whopping $300M as the scooter wars heat up

And there we have it: Bird, one of the emerging massively-hyped Scooter startups, has roped in its next pile of funding by picking up another $300 million in a round led by Sequoia Capital.

The company announced the long-anticipated round this morning, with Sequoia’s Roelof Botha joining the company’s board of directors. This is the second round of funding that Bird has raised over just the span of a few months, sending it from a reported $1 billion valuation in May to a $2 billion valuation by the end of June. In March, the company had a $300 million valuation, but the Scooter hype train has officially hit a pretty impressive inflection point as investors pile on to get money into what many consider to be the next iteration of resolving transportation at an even more granular level than cars or bikes. New investors in the round include Accel, B Capital, CRV, Sound Ventures, Greycroft and e.ventures, and previous investors Craft Ventures, Index Ventures, Valor, Goldcrest, Tusk Ventures, and Upfront Ventures are also in the round. (So, basically everyone else who isn’t in competitor Lime.)

Scooter mania has captured the hearts of Silicon Valley and investors in general — including Paige Craig, who actually jumped from VC to join Bird as its VP of business —with a large amount of capital flowing into the area about as quickly as it possibly can. These sort of revolving-door fundraising processes are not entirely uncommon, especially for very hot areas of investment, though the scooter scene has exploded considerably faster than most. Bird’s round comes amid reports of a mega-round for Lime, one of its competitors, with the company reportedly raising another $250 million led by GV, and Skip also raising $25 million.

“We have met with over 20 companies focused on the last mile problem over the years and feel this is a multi-billion dollar opportunity that can have a big impact in the world,” CRV’s Saar Gur, who did the deal for the firm, said. “We have a ton of conviction that this team has original product thought (they created the space) and the execution chops to build something extremely valuable here. And we have been long term focused, not short term focused, in making the investment. The “hype” in our decision (the non-zero answer) is that Bird has built the best product in the market and while we kept meeting with more startups wanting to invest in the space – we kept coming back to Bird as the best company.  So in that sense, the hype from consumers is real and was a part of the decision. On unit economics: We view the first product as an MVP (as the company is less than a year old) – and while the unit economics are encouraging, they played a part of the investment decision but we know it is not even the first inning in this market.”

There’s certainly an argument to be made for Bird, whose scooters you’ll see pretty much all over the place in cities like Los Angeles. For trips that are just a few miles down wide roads or sidewalks, where you aren’t likely to run into anyone, a quick scan of a code and a hop on a Bird may be worth the few bucks in order to save a few minutes crossing those considerably long blocks. Users can grab a bird that they see and starting going right away if they are running late, and it does potentially alleviate the pressure of calling a car for short distances in traffic, where a scooter may actually make more sense physically to get from point A to point B than a car.

There are some considerable hurdles going forward, both theoretical and in effect. In San Francisco, though just a small slice of the United States metropolitan area population, the company is facing significant pushback from the government and scooters for the time being have been kicked off the sidewalks. There’s also the looming shadow of what may happen regarding changes in tariffs, though Gur said that it likely wouldn’t be an issue and “the unit economics appear to be viable even if tariffs were to be added to the cost of the scooters.” (Xiaomi is one of the suppliers for Bird, for example.)

Bird has officially raised a whopping $300M as the scooter wars heat up was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

Sony may be closing mobile operations in several regions by October

Sony’s mobile division is hardly at the top of the extremely competitive Android market, so it shouldn’t be a huge surprise to learn that they’ll likely be cutting out some operations in certain countries by the end of the year. It’s bad news if you live in an affected country, sure, but I don’t think […]

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Apple buries the hatchet with Samsung but could tap LG displays

After years of legal procedures, Apple and Samsung have reached an agreement in the infamous patent case. Terms of the settlement were undisclosed. So is everything clear between Samsung and Apple? Not so fast, as Bloomberg reports that Apple wants to use OLED displays from LG to reduce its dependence on Samsung.

You might remember that Apple first sued Samsung for copying the design of the iPhone with early Samsung Galaxy phones. The first trial led to an Apple victory. Samsung had to pay $1 billion.

But the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office later invalidated one of Apple’s patents. It led to multiple retrials and appeals, and the Supreme Court even had to rule at some point.

After many years, Samsung ended up owing $539 million to Apple. According to Reuters, Samsung has already paid $399 million.

If you look closely at the original case, it feels like it happened many decades ago. At some point, the Samsung Galaxy S 4G, the Nexus S and a few other devices looked a lot like the iPhone 3G.

But now, it’s hard to say that Samsung is copying Apple. For instance, Samsung is one of the only phone manufacturers that hasn’t switched to a notch design. The Samsung Galaxy S9 and the rest of the product lineup still features a rectangular display . Huawei, LG, OnePlus, Asus and countless of others sell devices with a notch.

That could be the reason why it seems weird to spend all this money on legal fees for things that are no longer true.

And yet, the irony is that Apple and Samsung are the perfect example of asymmetric competition. They both sell smartphones, laptops and other electronics devices. But they also work together on various projects.

In particular, the iPhone X is the first iPhone with an OLED display. It’s a better display technology compared to traditional LCD displays. It’s also one of the most expensive components of the iPhone X.

According to Bloomberg, Apple wants to find a second supplier to drive component prices down. And that second supplier is LG.

LG already manufactures OLED displays. But it’s difficult to meet Apple’s demands when it comes to the iPhone. Apple sells tens of millions of smartphones every year. So you need to have a great supply chain to be able to become an Apple supplier. LG could be ramping up its production capacity for future iPhone models.

According to multiple rumors, Apple plans to ship an updated iPhone X with an OLED display as well as a bigger iPhone. The company could also introduce another phone with an edge-to-edge LCD display with a notch and a cheaper price.

There’s one thing for sure, it’ll take time to switch the entire iPhone lineup to OLED displays.

Apple buries the hatchet with Samsung but could tap LG displays was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

Unannounced Instagram Lite app slips on to the Play Store

We often hear about companies looking for the ‘next billion’ smartphone users in their efforts to maintain growth and profits. The problem is that the so-called ‘next billion’ users live in developing countries that perhaps don’t have the same resources and infrastructure that is available elsewhere. To combat this, Facebook launched a ‘Lite‘ version of […]

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[TA Deals] Simplify your life with a discounted Mindbliss subscription

If you’re constantly busy, you could almost definitely benefit from some guided meditation and controlled breathing exercises. It can be hard to fit that into a schedule, though, and that’s where the AI-powered Mindbliss comes in. Instead of practicing meditation on your own, Mindbliss uses AI to figure out if you’re trying to sleep better, […]

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Upcoming Nokia “A1 Plus” could launch with under-display fingerprint reader and “high-risk” camera

Latest reports show that HMD Global is developing a new, high-end smartphone that will likely launch with Nokia branding in the near future. It’s thought that this new handset, with the codename “A1 Plus” will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor as well as a fingerprint reader under the display. According to documents obtained by WinFuture, the […]

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New renders of the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

Earlier today, several new renders including both still shots and videos of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL were revealed. The new images were created using factory CAD files to get dimensions and placement of different pieces in the correct locations. The renders do not really reveal any new information but they do align […]

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Samsung sends out invitations to see the Galaxy Note 9 at Unpacked 2018

Samsung has officially set a date for the Galaxy Note 9 unveiling, so mark your calendars for August 9th. We’re a little over a month away from that, so there’s still plenty of time for a few more leaks and rumors to detail the device before its actually launched. As always, Samsung will be live […]

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LG jumps the shark, might stick five cameras in the V40

We’ve seen some pretty crazy rumors about phones with tons of cameras before, and now it looks like LG might be getting mixed up in the arms race. A new leak suggests that we’ll see as many as five cameras on the successor to the V30, which as of right now is being referred to […]

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[TA Deals] Learn a new language with a discounted Mondly lifetime subscription!

Learning a new language is tough, but every once in awhile a new app or service comes along to make it significantly easier. Mondly is one of those services, and right now you can pick up a subscription and start learning new languages without breaking the bank. The app offers positive reinforcement when you speak […]

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Gadgets and small appliances that will keep you in the kitchen

Makula Dunbar Contributor

Makula Dunbar is a writer with Wirecutter.

More posts by this contributor

• The best home Wi-Fi and networking gear
• Durable speakers you can buy without overspending

Editor’s note: This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter’s independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and TechCrunch earn affiliate commissions.                                                             

When life gets busy, cooking is one of the first activities that many forego to get a bit more free time. However, after a while, ordering out and eating sub-par meals gets old. Kitchen gadgets that assist in quickly preparing meals and drinks are not only helpful but essential in creating balance — and time — to conquer the day.

Whether it’s a cold brew coffee maker that saves you money or sous vide gear that’ll upgrade your chef skills, we’ve gathered some of our favorite appliances that are enjoyable to use — and that give you another reason to spend more time in the kitchen.

The OXO Good Grips Spiralizer comes with three blade attachments (from left to right): a ⅛-inch spaghetti blade, a ribbon blade, and a ¼-inch fettuccine blade. Photo: Michael Hession

Spiralizer: OXO Good Grips Spiralizer

Thinking about the steps that go into making a really good salad or vegetable dish is enough to make some grab a take-out menu. If you always jump at the opportunity to cross chopping and dicing fresh vegetables off of your agenda, a spiralizer is a simpler alternative to use when prepping food. The OXO Good Grips Spiralizer is our top recommendation; it creates noodles, ribbons and chips that can be used as garnish or a full meal. After you secure it to your countertop, choose a blade and select your vegetable (or fruit) of choice, this gadget does the majority of the work. Pile your zucchini noodles or butternut squash ribbons high and freeze them to be eaten later in the week.

Personal Blender: NutriBullet Pro 900 Series

Most would agree that the effort it takes to make a smoothie is usually more than worth it. After researching more than 24 models, we tested 10 personal blenders and chose the NutriBullet Pro 900 Series as our top pick. Compared to other blenders we put to the test, it performed best powering through kale, frozen fruit, fresh ginger fiber and dates, as well as a mid-range full-size blender. It’s a great device to have on hand, it pays for itself and quickly produces whatever puree or smoothie you’re in the mood for. Consider an immersion blender for soups and purees that you want to cook in a pot or that call for ingredients that won’t fit in a personal blender.

Photo: Michael Hession

Electric Pressure Cooker: Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart

Aside from being able cook a meal — or the most time-consuming components of a meal — in one pot, the biggest perk of using an electric pressure cooker is finishing the task in a fraction of the time. The Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart has three temperature settings and can be used for slow-cooking and sautéing. New cooks or those intimidated by stove-top pressure cookers can rest assured knowing that electric pressure cookers are safe, durable and easy to use. It’ll come in handy more often than not, as you can make almost anything, including stews, sushi rice, braised meat and even cake.

Photo: Tim Barribeau

Sous Vide Cooker: Anova Precision Cooker Wi-Fi

When it’s time to impress your friends or do something in the kitchen that’s cooler than the norm, breaking out a sous vide cooker will do the trick. The Anova Precision Cooker Wi-Fi is an immersion circulator, which means it simultaneously circulates and heats water in which vegetables, eggs, steak, salmon, Greek yogurt and a list of other foods can be cooked. It clips to the side of a variety of containers and pots, and although it doesn’t require Wi-Fi to work, it enables its timer and temperature to be controlled from anywhere. You’ll need to vacuum seal your food before it’s cooked — and for a finishing sear we recommend using the Bernzomatic TS8000 searing torch.

The OXO brewer makes flavorful, money-saving concentrate, looks good on a counter and is easier to use and store than any other pick. Photo: Michael Hession

Cold Brew Coffee Maker: OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker

If grabbing coffee at your local café has become a routine, making it at home can be a thing, too. There’s no better time than the summer to invest in a cold brew coffee maker if waking up, getting out the door or surviving the day requires a caffeine boost. We like the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker because it’s compact and has a great design. More importantly, it produced the boldest, most flavorful cup of coffee during testing — plus, its features make brewing and storing coffee easy. Cold brew machines are the best option for iced coffee that’s otherwise diluted and weaker-tasting when it’s made from refrigerated hot-brewed coffee.

This guide may have been updated by Wirecutter. Note from Wirecutter: When readers choose to buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn affiliate commissions that support our work.

Gadgets and small appliances that will keep you in the kitchen was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

The Sonos Beam is the soundbar evolved

Sonos has always gone its own way. The speaker manufacturer dedicated itself to network-connected speakers before there were home networks and they sold a tablet-like remote control before there were tablets. Their surround sound systems install quickly and run seamlessly. You can buy a few speakers, tap a few buttons, and have 5.1 sound in less time than it takes to pull a traditional home audio system out of its shipping box.

This latest model is an update to the Playbase – a lumpen soundbar designed to sit directly underneath TVs not attached to the wall – and the Playbar, a traditionally-styled soundbar that preceded the Beam. Both products had all of the Sonos highlights – great sound, amazing interfaces, and easy setup – but the Base had too much surface area for more elegant installations and the Bar was too long while still sporting an aesthetic that harkened back to 2008 Crutchfield catalogs.

The $399 Beam is Sonos’ answer to that and it is more than just a pretty box. The speaker includes Alexa – and promised Google Assistant support – and it improves your TV sound immensely. Designed as an add-on to your current TV, it can stand alone or connect with the Sonos subwoofer and a few satellite surround speakers for a true surround sound experience. It truly shines alone, however, thanks to its small size and more than acceptable audio range.

To use the Beam you bring up an iOS or Android app to display your Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and Pandora accounts (this is a small sampling. Sonos supports more.) You select a song or playlist and start listening. Then, when you want to watch TV, the speaker automatically flips to TV mode – including speech enhancement features that actually work – when the TV is turned on. An included tuning system turns your phone into a scanner that improves the room audio automatically.

The range is limited by the Beam’s size and shape and there is very little natural bass coming out of this thing. However, in terms of range the Beam is just fine. It can play an action movie with a bit of thump and then go on to play some light jazz or pop. I’ve had some surprisingly revelatory sessions with the Beam when listening to classic rock and more modern fare and it’s very usable as a home audio center.

The Beam is two feet long and 3 inches tall. It comes in black or white and is very unobtrusive in aly home theatre setup. Interestingly, the product supports HDMI-ARC aka HDMI Audio Return Channel. This standard, introduced in TVs made in the past five years, allows the TV to automatically output audio and manage volume controls via a single HDMI cable. What this means, however, is you’re going to have a bad time if you don’t have HDMI-ARC.

Sonos includes an adapter that can also accept optical audio output but setup requires you to turn off your TV speakers and route all the sound to the optical out. This is a bit of a mess and if you don’t have either of those outputs – HDMI-ARC or optical – then you’re probably in need of a new TV. That said, HDMI-ARC is a bit jarring for first timers but Sonos is sure that enough TVs support it that they can use it instead of optical-only.

The Base doesn’t compete directly with other “smart” speakers like the HomePod. It is very specifically a consumer electronics device, even though it supports AirPlay 2 and Alexa. Sonos makes speakers and good ones at that and that goal has always been front and center. While other speakers may offer a more fully-featured sound in a much smaller package, the Base offers both great TV audio and great music playback for less than any other higher end soundbar. Whole room audio does get expensive – about $1,200 for a Sub and two satellites – but you can simply add on pieces as you go. One thing, however, is clear: Sonos has always been the best wireless speaker for the money and the Base is another win for the scrappy and innovative speaker company.

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The Sonos Beam is the soundbar evolved was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

BlackBerry KEY2 review: Perfecting a niche formula

BlackBerry has released their follow up to the strangely lovable BlackBerry KEYOne with the appropriately titled KEY2. It’s stuck to the same general idea that made the KEYOne stand out from the crowd with a few changes and polished edges. At the end of the day, though, it’s still an Android phone with a small […]

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Galaxy Note 9 drops by the FCC before its official debut

Samsung is due to announce the Galaxy Note 9 very soon, but it’ll need to stop by the FCC for some official documentation before that can happen. This particular device dropped by for registration with the model number SM-960F, which would continue the naming schemes of the SM-G950 Galaxy Note 8. LTE bands, radios, and […]

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[TA Deals] Take 98% off the Complete 2018 CompTIA Certification Training Bundle

If you’re looking to start an IT career or just negotiate a better job or pay, having more training and certifications under your belt is a great way to go about it. Right now we’re offering a highly discounted bundle on several IT certification courses to help you out. The Complete 2018 CompTIA Certification Training Bundle […]

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Google’s Files Go app takes on AirDrop with faster offline sharing

Google’s lightweight file manager app, Files Go, launched back in November 2017 and underwent some design changes in April that tweaked the user interface a little to make the user experience a little more fluid. Google says that a major upgrade to the Files Go app is rolling out, and this is what you can expect […]

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August can now generate smart entry codes for Airbnb guests

August Lock is getting into the homesharing industry, making the process of checking in an Airbnb guest a bit easier.

Airbnb has done what it can over the past few months to make checking in plain and simple. For example, the company built out a new tool that lets hosts spell out check-in instructions within the app, all in a simple flow, to make sure guests have all the info they need at their fingertips.

But that hasn’t solved the biggest problem of all: the key.

For one, people don’t often have a lot of interest in meeting strangers, especially when they’re fresh off a plane or road trip. Secondly, it’s annoying to block out that time (sometimes getting off work) to go hand off a key to an Airbnb guest. And then there’s the matter of getting keys copied or re-tooling your smart lock to temporarily offer a stranger access.

That’s where August comes in to play.

August now let’s Airbnb and Homeaway hosts link their accounts to August. When a guest books at their home, August will generate a smart code that lasts for the duration of the stay and no longer, letting the guest easily check-in and come and go without the host having to babysit the process.

Guests will receive their pin code and instructions via email.

Hosts simply need an August Smart Lock and Smart Keypad to start letting technology do the heavy lifting. And, in fact, August is running a deal right now for 25 percent off the Smarter Hosting Bundle, which includes an August Smart Lock, August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge and August Smart Keypad.

This, coupled with other startup services like Handy, should make becoming an Airbnb host as simple as tapping a few buttons.

August can now generate smart entry codes for Airbnb guests was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

[Deal] Save up to $15 on Anker’s Car Charger, Earphones, and USB Cables

It’s never a good feeling when you notice that your phone’s battery is almost on zero and you find that you forgot to pack a power cable in your travel bag. Which is why it’s safe to say that you can never have enough power cables at your disposal in the car, home, or even […]

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YouTube adds new merchandise sales and subscription options for creators

Google has taken some heat lately for cracking down on YouTube content lately to keep things “advertiser friendly,” including demonetizing videos and channels and even shrinking some of their payout programs. It’s one thing to try that when you’re the only name in town, but with other avenues of on-demand video content, including Twitch and […]

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Anker Mars II projector promises solid summer fun

Anker, a popular if battery and cable company, recently announced the Mars II projector under its Nebula brand. The company, which primarily sells via Amazon, is expanding out of batteries and cables and is now creating audio and other portable AV gear. This compact, battery-powered DLP projector is their latest creation and it has found a place of honor at our family barbecues.

The projector is actually an Android 7.1 device stuffed into a case about as big as a Bluetooth speaker. A physical lens cap slides down and turns on the system and you control everything from he included remote or the buttons on the top of the device. You can also download an app that mimics a mouse and keyboard for choosing videos and information entry. It projects at a maximum of 300 lumens and projects at 720p. You can also connect an HDMI device like a game console or stick in a USB drive full of videos to view on the fly.

Again, the real benefit here is the ability to stream from various apps. I have YouTube, Netflix, Plex, and other apps installed and you can install almost any other Android app you can imagine. It has speakers built in and you can cast to it via Miracast but you cannot insert a Chromecast.

If all you want to do is throw up a little Santa Clarita Diet or Ice Age on a sheet in the back yard, this thing is perfect. Because the brightness is fairly low you need solid twilight or a partially dark room to get a good picture. However, the picture is good enough and it would also make a great presentation device for a closed, dark conference room. Because of its small size and battery life – four hours on a charge – it makes for a great alternative to a full-sized projector or even a standard TV.

At $539 the Mars II is priced on par with other 720p projectors. The primary use case – connecting a computer or console via HDMI – works quite well but streaming user experience is a bit of a mixed bag. Because Anker didn’t modify the Android installation much further than adding a few default apps, some apps require a mouse to use and others can be controlled via the arrow keys on the remote or body of the device. This means that some apps – like Plex, for example – let you pick a video via the arrow keys but require you to press the “mouse” button to begin simulating a mouse cursor on the screen. It’s a bit frustrating, especially in poor lighting conditions.

One of the interesting features is the automatic focus system. Instead of fiddling with a knob or slider, you simply point this at a surface and the system projects a bullseye focus ring until the picture is in focus. The focus changes any time you move the device and sometimes it gets caught up if the screen or projector are moving. However in most cases it works perfectly fine.

Like most portable projectors you aren’t buying the Mars II to watch 4K video in 5.1 surround sound. You buy it to offer an alternative to sitting on the couch and watching a movie. That means this is great for on-the-road business presentations, campouts, outdoor movie viewing, and sleepovers. It is cheap and portable enough to be almost disposable and it’s not as heavy and hot as other, larger devices. In short, it can go anywhere, show anything, and works really well. Anker also makes the Mars, a more expensive 1080p device, but this one works just fine for about $400 less – a big drop in just about a year of brisk sales. It’s nice to see a good, low-cost manufacturer dabble in the world of complex consumer electronics and come up with a product that is truly useful and fun.

[gallery ids="1662668,1662666,1662665,1662662,1662661"]
Anker Mars II projector promises solid summer fun was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

Instagram is taking on video content with IGTV, but only in portrait mode

Long form video content is growing in popularity, especially on mobile devices, so it only makes sense for Instagram to try their hand at it with their massive community of over 1 billion users. And yeah, it’s going to be the most Instagram thing you can possibly imagine. First up, the good news is that […]

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[TA Deals] Save 83% on the Air Bud truly wireless Bluetooth earbuds!

Need a new pair of completely wireless headphones but don’t want to pay $150 or more? We’ve got a deal for you. Right now you can pick up the Air Bud truly wireless earbuds at a massive discount, getting that AirPod feel without all the damage to your wallet. These earbuds feature Bluetooth 4.2, noise […]

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Apple reportedly working on next-gen, water-resistant AirPods

Apple is reportedly working on a new, likely more expensive, set of AirPods with noise-cancellation, according to Bloomberg.

The report cites people familiar with the matter, who said that Apple is exploring making the AirPods water resistant. That said, you still don’t want to go swimming with these things, as the rumored water resistant AirPods would be more likely to only stand up against perspiration and rain rather than being submerged.

Bloomberg said that one source suggested Apple could add biometric sensors to the next-gen AirPods, furthering the company’s health tracking efforts. Sources also say that the updated AirPods would come with a new case that is compatible with the Apple’s new wireless charging pad.

As it stands now, AirPods cost $159 in the U.S. The new, rumored pair of in-ear wireless headphones will likely cost more, allowing Apple to price AirPods the same way it prices iPhones, offering a more expensive high-end model and a low-end model like the iPhone SE.

This news comes in the middle of a big year for Apple’s auditory efforts.

On the one hand, Apple’s Amazon Echo competitor, the HomePod, was delayed quite a bit following its announcement. Bloomberg says Cupertino is already hard at work developing a new model.

Apple is also reportedly working on over-the-ear headphones. The headphones would be Apple-branded, and would be on the higher-end of the spectrum with Boze and Sennheiser. The company already sells over-the-ear headphones via Beats, which Apple acquired in 2014 for $3 billion.

Apple reportedly working on next-gen, water-resistant AirPods was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

Google updates the TalkBack app and renames it to Android Accessibility Suite

Not everyone has 20/20 sight, those of us with impaired vision might be familiar with the TalkBack app that aids smartphone navigation with its spoken feedback. The app has just received an update, and as it so often does, Google has also decided to rename the TalkBack app to the Android Accessibility Suite in the […]

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Bag Week 2008: Why I still love the Peak Design Everyday Backpack

Welcome to Bag Week 2018. Every year your faithful friends at TechCrunch spend an entire week looking at bags. Why? Because bags — often ignored but full of our important electronics — are the outward representations of our techie styles, and we put far too little thought into where we keep our most prized possessions.

A few months back I declared the Peak Design Everyday Backpack the best thing at CES 2018. It was a silly comment since the bag was released a couple years back but it was new to me. I had purchased the bag from Best Buy a few days prior and was in love with the bag and had to tell the world. I’m happy to report that after carrying the bag around several more conferences and a family trip to Disney World, I’m comfortable declaring it the best backpack I’ve ever used.

The company recently released a black version and sent me one to test. It looks mean. It’s the backpack Darth Vader would carry if he needed to tout around a full frame DSLR, a couple lenses and a MacBook Pro.

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The bag’s main clasp is wonderful. It’s designed in such a way that the wearer can quickly open and securely close it. Just pull down and away to open the bag. To close it, pull down so the top is tight, place the clasp next to the metal rungs and let go. Magnets hold the clasp next to the bag and the tension on the top causes the clasp to find the next available rung. Try it and you’ll love it. I do.

Peak Design equipped the bag with solid hardware. All the clasps are metal and the zippers are durable. I don’t think there’s plastic anywhere on the bag.

Like I said several months ago, the bag is best described as smart and solid. It’s a confident design with just enough pockets and storage options. The bag features one, large pocket that makes up most of the bag. Foldable dividers allow the wearer to customize the bag as needed. And quickly, too. These dividers fold in several ways, allowing the bag to hold, say, a large telephoto lens or several smaller lens.

The bag is packed full of surprises, too. Straps are hidden throughout allowing it to hold a surprising amount of items even a drone.

Small packing cubes make the Peak Design Everyday Backpack a storage cabinet. This is my bag while traveling overseas.

Peak Design positions this bag as a camera bag, but it can be so much more with some little bags. I use these and they fit perfectly in both the 20L and 30L bag. It lets me keep things organized and separated in a way that I’ve haven’t found possible in other bags. Peak Design should look at making a series of these bags. I would be all over them if they did.

The bag I bought back before CES was the 20L. It’s the smallest option though far from small. My 15-inch MacBook Pro squeezes into the laptop compartment and the bag has yet to feel too small even when it’s holding a camera, a couple books and a travel pillow.

The new black bag looks amazing but it seems to show scuffs and dirt more than my grey one. That’s a shame, too. I throw my bags around and expect a lot out of them. This black bag looks more dirty after one oversea trip than my grey one does after six months of use.

Just like I said back at CES, I’m not going to run through all the details of this bag. A few more are worth calling out: The sternum strap is fantastic. It uses clips without moving parts so it should last a lifetime. The shoulder straps are attached to the bag with a rivet that allows the straps to swivel as needed — it’s a smart advancement in the design of a backpack. And inside the laptop sleeve is a small pocket that is absolutely perfect to hold a Traveler’s Notebook and a pen.

As backpacks go, the Peak Design Everyday Backpack costs more than most. The smaller 20L is $260 and the 30L is $290. To me, the higher price is justified and if there’s a backpack worth the extra cost, it’s this one. I highly recommend this bag.

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Bag design with Peak Design

Folks, it’s Bag Week! Tito Hamze visits Peak Design’s HQ in San Francisco to learn about the company and how they create their bags. From humble beginnings starting with a clip to hold your camera to a full-fledged accessory company, this outfit is growing and creating quality products — all while never having taken any traditional VC funding.

Bag Week 2008: Why I still love the Peak Design Everyday Backpack was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

[TA Deals] We’re giving away a SNES Classic Edition through Talk Android Deals!

Did you want a SNES Classic but couldn’t find any in stock over the holidays? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. We’re giving away one of Nintendo’s retro consoles through Talk Android Deals, and it’s incredibly simple to enter the contest. This console includes a ton of classic games, including hits like The Legend of […]

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[Deal] Save up to 43% on these Earphones and Bluetooth Speakers from Anker

Listening to music when you are out and about is one of life’s greatest pleasures. And whether it’s hip-hop, rock, or even some trashy euro hits, you can count on Anker having the earphones or speakers to suit your every need as well as your budget with savings of up to 43%. As with all Anker-branded […]

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AT&T debuts their skinny Watch TV service to fend off Sling TV

When AT&T launched DirecTV Now it turned into one of the most compelling options for OTT streaming, if you wanted a ton of channels like a traditional cable package. It’s hard to argue with the massive lineup on DirecTV Now, but that means that its base package starts at just $35 per month, barring any discounts.  So […]

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Bag Week 2018: The Nomadic NF-02 keeps everything in its right place

Nomadic, a Japanese brand sold by JetPens in the US, makes some of my favorite bags and backpacks. The Wise Walker Toto was an amazing little bag and I’ve always enjoyed the size, materials, and design. The $89 Nomadic NF-02 is no different.

The best thing about this 15×7 inch backpack is the compact size and internal pouches. The Nomadic can hold multiple pens, notebooks, and accessories, all stuck in their own little cubbies, and you can fit a laptop and a few books in the main compartment. This is, to be clear, not a “school” backpack. It’s quite compact and I doubt it would be very comfortable with a much more than a pair of textbooks and a heavier laptop. It’s definitely a great travel sack, however, and excellent for the trip from home to the office.

The bag comes in a few colors including turquoise and navy and there is a small hidden pouch for important papers and passports. There is a reflective strip on the body and it is water repellent so it will keep your gear dry.

Again, my favorite part of this bag are the multiple little pockets and spaces. It’s an organizer’s dream and features so many little spots to hide pens and other gear that it could also make an excellent tourist pack. It is small enough for easy transport but holds almost anything you can throw at it.

Nomadic is a solid backpack. It’s small, light, and still holds up to abuse. I’m a big fan of the entire Nomadic line and it’s great to see this piece available in the US. It’s well worth a look if you’re looking for a compact carrier for your laptop, accessories, and notebooks.

Bag Week 2018: The Nomadic NF-02 keeps everything in its right place was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

Amazon’s Fire TV Cube is officially on sale

Amazon announced its latest addition to its range of streaming devices, the Fire TV Cube, just a couple of weeks ago. Marrying up Alexa, 4K streaming as well as the usual Fire TV functions into a single device, the Fire TV Cube promises to clear up the clutter beneath your TV. You can use the Fire […]

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Bag Week 2018: WP Standard’s Rucksack goes the distance

WP Standard – formerly called Whipping Post Leather – makes rugged leather bags, totes, and briefcases and their Rucksack is one of my favorites. Designed to look like something a Pony Express rider would slip on for a visit to town, this $275 is sturdy, handsome, and ages surprisingly well.

There are some trade-offs, however. Except for two small front pouches there are no hidden nooks and crannies in this spare 15×15 inch sack. The main compartment can fit a laptop and a few notebooks and the front pouches can hold accessories like mice or a little collection of plugs. There is no fancy nylon mesh or gear organizers here, just a brown expanse of full grain leather.

I wore this backpack for a few months before writing this and found it surprisingly comfortable and great for travel. Because it is so simple I forced myself to pare down my gear slightly and I was able to consolidate my cables and other accessories into separate pouches. I could fit a laptop, iPad Pro, and a paperback along side multiple notebooks and planners and I could even overstuff the thing on long flights. As long as I was able to buckle the front strap nothing fell out or was lost.

This bag assumes that you’re OK with thick, heavy leather and that you’re willing to forgo a lot of the bells and whistles you get with more modern styles. That said, it has a great classic look and it’s very usable. I suspect this bag would last decades longer than anything you could buy at Office Depot and it would look good doing it. At $275 it’s a bit steep but you’re paying for years – if not decades – of regular use and abuse. It’s worth the investment.

Bag Week 2018: WP Standard’s Rucksack goes the distance was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

[TA Deals] Download your favorite videos with a discounted PullTube license!

Streaming services are great, but sometimes you don’t have a reliable connection or you just really want your videos offline. That can be hard to do without knowing what you’re doing, but that’s where PullTube comes in. Right now we’re offering a lifetime license for PullTube, a program that will effortlessly save your favorite videos […]

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Inside Atari’s rise and fall

Pokémon Quest pre-registration page is live on the Play Store

After its recent announcement at E3, Pokémon Quest has made its appearance on the Play Store in the form of a pre-registration page. Pokémon fans won’t have too long to wait because it is scheduled for a June 16 launch, just a few days away from now. Pokémon Quest, if you were wondering, is a free-to-play […]

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OxygenOS update rolling out for OnePlus 5 and 5T

This past weekend OnePlus announced they were rolling out a small but important update the OxygenOS operating system for the OnePlus 5 and the OnePlus 5T smartphones. Although the update is small, it does include an important security update. According to OnePlus, the update brings OxygenOS up to version 5.1.3. The security issue OnePlus addresses […]

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Motorola Moto X4 getting Android 8.1 Oreo update

Even though it is a mid-range phone, Motorola is off to a strong start with keeping the Moto X4 up to date with Android updates. On Wednesday they started rolling out the Android 8.1 Oreo update today for unlocked and Amazon Prime versions of the phone. These versions join the Android One variant that got […]

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Let your Google Home help you cook with Tasty recipes

Google is rolling out a new feature for the Google Home family that will pair the smart speaker with Tasty recipes, helping you to fully cook meals completely hands free. It’s a pretty literal take on the Assistant part of Google Assistant, but hey, you can use all the kitchen help you can get. Google […]

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Galaxy S9 and S9+ available to buy in Sunrise Gold from June 24

It’s around three and a half months since Samsung launched its Galaxy S9 and S9+ smartphones at MWC 2018, garnering a solid reception with our very own Jared Peters said in his review that it was “arguably the most complete package on the market.” If you are looking to buy the Galaxy S9 or S9+ […]

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New system connects your mind to a machine to help stop mistakes

How do you tell your robot not do something that could be catastrophic? You could give it a verbal or programmatic command or you could have it watch your brain for signs of distress and have it stop itself. That’s what researchers at MIT’s robotics research lab have done with a system that is wired to your brain and tells robots how to do their job.

The initial system is fairly simple. A scalp EEG and EMG system is connected to a Baxter work robot and lets a human wave or gesture when the robot is doing something that it shouldn’t be doing. For example, the robot could regularly do a task – drilling holes, for example – but when it approaches an unfamiliar scenario the human can gesture at the task that should be done.

“By looking at both muscle and brain signals, we can start to pick up on a person’s natural gestures along with their snap decisions about whether something is going wrong,” said PhD candidate Joseph DelPreto. “This helps make communicating with a robot more like communicating with another person.”

Because the system uses nuances like gestures and emotional reactions you can train robots to interact with humans with disabilities and even prevent accidents by catching concern or alarm before it is communicated verbally. This lets workers stop a robot before it damages something and even help the robot understand slight changes to its tasks before it begins.

In their tests the team trained Baxter to drill holes in an airplane fuselage. The task changed occasionally and a human standing nearby was able to gesture to the robot to change position before it drilled, essentially training it to do new tasks in the midst of its current task. Further, there was no actual programming involved on the human’s part, just a suggestion that the robot move the drill left or right on the fuselage. The most important thing? Humans don’t have to think in a special way or train themselves to interact with the machine.

“What’s great about this approach is that there’s no need to train users to think in a prescribed way,” said DelPreto. “The machine adapts to you, and not the other way around.”

The team will present their findings at the Robotics: Science and Systems (RSS) conference.

New system connects your mind to a machine to help stop mistakes was first posted on https://techcrunch.com/gadgets/

[Deal] Save up to $20 on these accessories from Anker

Whether it’s topping up your smartphone’s battery, recording the road ahead on your drive home, or protecting your phone from the elements, Anker’s latest deals have you covered with savings from $3 to $20 when buying from your favorite online retailer. Join us after the break for more details. Anker, Eufy, ZOLO, and Roav products all […]

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[TA Deals] Master Adobe’s Creative Cloud with this CC training bundle

If you do any kind of creative work, you most likely know how popular Adobe’s programs are. They’re basically the standard for tons of hobbies and careers at this point, and we want to help you fully master some of those programs with the CC Training bundle. This bundle includes courses and lessons for several […]

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