Author Archives: Lawrence Bonk

Light unveils a new minimalist phone with a black-and-white OLED screen

Posted on by

As Apple races to add more advanced features to its smartphones, other companies are moving in the opposite direction. One such company, Light, just unveiled its latest and greatest minimalist phone, offering a stark contrast to the app-filled gadgets we all stare at way, way too much.

The Light Phone III eschews the e-paper screen found with the previous models, opting for a sleek black-and-white OLED. It still doesn’t offer any access to social media, the internet or even email. This is, first and foremost, a phone. It’s not completely bare, however, as the Light Phone III includes a camera and an embedded NFC chip for making payments. It also allows access to navigation tools, a simple music player, texting, voice notes, a calendar, a timer and an alarm.

It’s larger than previous generations, with a cute form factor that can only be described as “the Rabbit R1, but serious.” There’s no half-baked AI integration here, however, but there is an analog scroll wheel on the side for navigation and for making adjustments. It’s around the width of modern iPhones, but much shorter. The team says this was on purpose, so as to make it easier to text while holding the device vertically.

A person texting on a phone.
Light

Light has also paid for private access to navigational information, so Google won’t get ahold of any tracking data. The camera looks to be a simple point-and-shoot that can’t compete with modern offerings from Google or Apple, but will get the job done.

Other specs include 6GB of RAM, up from 1GB in the Light Phone II, 128GB of memory and a newer Qualcomm chip. There's a fingerprint ID on the power button and loudspeakers at the bottom. The battery is much larger than what was included with previous iterations and its user-replaceable.

Now, here’s the bad news. The Light Phone III is $800, which is more than twice the price of the $300 Light Phone II. That’s a whole lot of cheddar for what amounts to, well, a phone. Deleting all of the intrusive apps on your current smartphone costs $0, though that’s easier said than done. 

However, Light is running a deal for early adopters. The phone’s available for $400 for a limited time to crowdfund mass production. Models should ship out in January.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/light-unveils-a-new-minimalist-phone-with-a-black-and-white-oled-screen-163225012.html?src=rss

Govee smart lights are up to 35 percent off right now

Posted on by

Govee smart lights and fixtures are up to 35 percent off right now, as part of a far-reaching sale on Amazon. The deals include all of the smart bulbs, LED strips and flood lights you can shake a stick at, but perhaps the most notable item is the Govee Floor Lamp Pro. It’s on sale for $200 via a clippable coupon, which is a discount of $20.

This floor lamp easily made our list of the best smart LED light bulbs, despite being much more than a simple bulb. The Floor Lamp Pro is a slickly-designed lighting fixture that’s over two feet tall and displays multiple colors at once. The diverse array of hues on offer make it a great choice for simply lighting up a room or making sure you look alright during a Zoom meeting.

The fixture includes a Bluetooth speaker at the base, to allow for the occasional music-based light show. The speaker can even play a wide variety of white noise types for sleeping or meditating. I'm a white noise addict at all times of the day. Being a modern smart lamp, it also works with Alexa and Google Assistant.

The only bad thing to say about the Floor Lamp Pro is the exorbitant price, which typically clocks in at $220. Dropping it down to $200 doesn’t make it an impulse buy, but it's at least a bit more palatable.

You can also pick up some nifty LED light strips for $80, which knocks 20 percent off the asking price. These offer Matter support and can be strung together to create the light show of your dreams.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/govee-smart-lights-are-up-to-35-percent-off-right-now-151755814.html?src=rss

Apple brings a full-featured Passwords app to the Mac, iPhone, iPad and Windows

Posted on by

The rumors are true. Apple is adding a dedicated passwords manager app to most of its operating systems. These include macOS, iPadOS, visionOS and iOS. It’ll even work on Windows by accessing the Passwords app via iCloud. That’s pretty neat. There are way too many passwords out there.

The first-party service is powered by iCloud Keychain and will compete with some heavy hitters in the space, like LastPass and 1Password. The simply-named Passwords app will be able to list various user logins and categorize them based on service type. For instance, banking passwords would be grouped differently than social media passwords. The app will also allow users to bypass manual password input by leveraging Face ID, Touch ID and autofill.

It’s worth noting that Apple already had a password manager, but it’s not exactly beloved and has been buried in the settings page. This new app, however, is quite a compelling option for those tied into the Apple ecosystem. The company didn’t say if the app was free or if it would require a monthly subscription.

Catch up here for all the news out of Apple's WWDC 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-brings-a-full-featured-passwords-app-to-the-mac-iphone-ipad-and-windows-181607490.html?src=rss

visionOS 2 adds spatial photos, new UI gestures and improved Mac mirroring

Posted on by

Apple has updated the operating software for the Apple Vision Pro, visionOS, and added a bunch of features. The company unveiled the changes at its live WWDC keynote and they look pretty useful. 

The biggest news with visionOS 2 is the addition of spatial photos that provide depth to 2D images. When the Vision Pro released earlier this year, Apple had reserved this technology for videos. Spatial photos will allow users to peek beyond the frames of the photo by moving your head, giving people a bit more to see from the right and left sides of the original image. 

A kid playing drums.
Engadget

There's a new way to share these spatial photos with friends and family. The SharePlay feature in the Photos app lets people simultaneously view content and discuss it in real-time by integrating the headset's avatar personas. Vacation photos just got a serious level up. 

The operating system is also bringing updated gestural control options. You'll be able to hold your hand up and tap to open the home view and flip your hand over to bring up time and battery details. Another tap will bring up Control Center and quick access to notifications. 

A hand using the AVP.
Engadget

Later this year, visionOS 2 will offer some benefits to those who use the AVP for screen-mirroring. Resolution is getting an upgrade, and a forthcoming option for a wraparound ultrawide will be able to approximate two 4k monitors placed side by side.

Travel mode is even getting a little bit of an update here, with train support. In other words, the algorithm will be familiar with the usual bumps from a subway or long-distance train ride, so you can continue using the headset without any interruptions. 

For developers, there are plenty of new APIs coming down the pike, like one for tabletop apps and another for advanced volumetric images. Finally, there's a lens coming for the Canon EOS R6 digital camera that will allow filmmakers to make immersive video experiences for the headset. 

While not a game-changing software update, the addition of the aforementioned features should make strapping a computer to your head more of an attractive notion. The thing’s still $3,500 though.

Catch up here for all the news out of Apple's WWDC 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/visionos-2-adds-spatial-photos-new-ui-gestures-and-improved-mac-mirroring-172746000.html?src=rss

Nokia just made the first phone call using 3D spatial audio

Posted on by

Nokia just announced that it has made the first-ever audio and video call using 3D spatial audio. This is actually a big deal, as all phone calls currently made over a cellular network are monophonic, so there’s no possibility for spatial audio.

This call, however, was placed over a cellular network using the 3GPP Immersive Video and Audio Services (IVAS) codec, which lets people hear “sound spatially in real-time.” For the uninitiated, spatial audio splits into multiple channels to make it sound like it's coming from different directions. This technology has become pretty popular when streaming music, but video calls are certainly a unique use-case scenario.

However, you won’t be able to call up a family member to argue about politics in glorious 3D audio just yet. The IVAS codec is part of a forthcoming update to 5G networks, called 5G Advanced. This upgrade will purportedly offer faster speeds, improved energy efficiency and more accurate cellular positioning. 5G Advanced will technically make spatial calls possible, but Reuters says it’ll be a few years before cellular networks start offering the service.

The only possible hurdle is that the IVAS codec will only enable spatial audio in smartphones with at least two microphones, though that’s most of them nowadays. Nokia says the “vast majority” of phones should offer support for spatial audio calls once the cellular carriers get on board.

Also worth noting, this technology wasn’t developed by the Nokia that sells cheap handsets. The cellphone brand was licensed to HMD some years back. This is the research and technical arm of the company, so there’s no need for jokes about flip phones.

Nokia isn’t the only company trying to expand uses for spatial audio. Audible now offers spatial audio on select original titles and podcasts and Netflix recently brought the technology to hundreds of TV shows and movies.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nokia-just-made-the-first-phone-call-using-3d-spatial-audio-165043937.html?src=rss

Amazon sale bundles the Echo speaker with a smart light bulb for only $65

Posted on by

The fourth-gen Amazon Echo smart speaker in white is on sale for $65, and the deal includes a Sengled Bluetooth smart light bulb. That’s two smart thingamajigs for the price of one. This is a discount of 40 percent. It’s not the lowest price ever for the Echo speaker, light bulb or not, but it’s close.

This Echo easily made our list of the best smart speakers. We really appreciate just how loud this thing can get, especially when compared to competing speakers. The bass is punchy and everything sounds great, though we do wish the high frequency range was a bit more prevalent. You can, however, buy two of these speakers and pair them up for stereo sound. That will certainly get the party going.

Echo speakers feature the ubiquitous digital assistant Alexa, which makes for a mighty fine alarm clock and will absolutely sing a song about cats if asked nicely. If you have plenty of smart gadgets in the home and you’re already tied to Amazon's ecosystem, grabbing this speaker is a no brainer.

The included Sengled S1 is also no slouch, as it made our list of the best smart LED light bulbs. It features auto-pairing with Alexa devices, plenty of different colors and a dimmable range from 5 percent to 100 percent. All of this can be adjusted via voice control. We enjoyed our time with this light bulb, though the Sengled mobile app won’t be winning any UI design awards.

This is part of a larger sale on Amazon that includes Echo speakers, Echo Show displays, Blink video doorbells, Fire tablets and a whole lot more. For instance, the cute-as-a-button Echo Pop compact smart speaker is on sale for just $20, which is 50 percent off.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-sale-bundles-the-echo-speaker-with-a-smart-light-bulb-for-only-65-151119591.html?src=rss

Valorant is coming to Xbox Series X/S and PS5 in a limited beta on June 14

Posted on by

The massively popular free-to-play tactical shooter Valorant is finally coming to consoles, as announced on-stage at Summer Game Fest. The game will be available for both Xbox Series X/S and PS5 as a limited beta starting on June 14. Once the beta concludes and Riot Games works out all of the bugs based on player feedback, it’ll be available globally to all users.

There are some caveats. You have to sign up for the beta right here and it will initially only be available in the US, Canada, Europe, the UK and Japan, with more regions to follow. Riot has also stated that there will be no crossplay between PC and console players, so as “to maintain Valorant’s renowned standard for competitive integrity.”

To that end, the game has been redesigned specifically for console controllers, with the company teasing “custom-built” gameplay. This won’t allow for crossplay, but will allow for a connected inventory and shared gameplay progression. Riot has also promised that both console and PC players will receive simultaneous updates, so patches, agents, maps and premium content will drop at the same time.

“We knew we had to be able to offer the same uncompromising, competitive experience that we’ve provided to PC players for years: a precise, team-based, tactical shooter,” said Arnar Gylfason, production director at Riot Games. “We hope we nailed it, but ultimately, our players will have the final say.”

For the uninitiated, Valorant has made a name for itself by focusing on precision and strategy, a rarity in the free-to-play FPS space. If you go in guns blazing without some serious tactical planning and some check-ins with your team, you’ll lose every single time. It’s more about outsmarting your opponents than shooting. It’s also a major player in the esports scene.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest 2024 right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/valorant-is-coming-to-xbox-series-xs-and-ps5-in-a-limited-beta-on-june-14-230016116.html?src=rss

TikTok says it fixed a vulnerability that enabled a cyberattack on high-profile accounts

Posted on by

TikTok says it has fixed a vulnerability that allowed for a cyberattack that targeted high-profile accounts, as reported by Axios. A TikTok spokesperson added that the company is currently working to restore access to impacted users.

The social media giant hasn’t announced how many accounts were hit by the attack, but we do know that CNN and Paris Hilton were targets. The hack involved sending messages to users that were filled with malicious code. When the user opened up the message, the code went to work and took over the entire account. Oddly, the impacted accounts didn’t post anything while they were compromised.

It remains unclear who was behind the attack and what their ultimate goal was, aside from taking over celebrity TikTok accounts. TikTok also remains mum as to the specifics regarding the vulnerability that allowed for the attack in the first place. This type of hack is extremely rare, however, so it shouldn’t be a big concern for average users. 

The hack is known as a zero-click attack, meaning that you don’t have to click on anything to get infected. In this case, users just had to open up a direct message. The method used here is similar to zero-click spyware attacks, only those hackers target high-profile government officials and journalists for the purpose of secretly gathering information. This attack took over the whole account for unknown purposes.

This isn’t the first big TikTok hack. Last year, over 700,000 accounts in Turkey were compromised due to insecure SMS channels. Researchers at Microsoft discovered a flaw back in 2022 that let hackers overtake accounts with just a single click. Later that same year, an alleged security breach allegedly impacted more than a billion users. That’s a whole lot of people.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-says-it-fixed-a-vulnerability-that-enabled-a-cyberattack-on-high-profile-accounts-184313591.html?src=rss

One of our favorite pairs of wireless earbuds for running is on sale for only $78

Posted on by

The Jabra Elite 4 Active earbuds are on sale via Amazon for just $78, which is a discount of 35 percent. This isn’t a record-low price for the earbuds, but it’s dang close. Unfortunately, this major discount only applies to the black version, though many of the other colorways are still on sale.

These earbuds easily made our list of the best headphones for runners, and it’s not just because the word “active” is in the name. We appreciated the comfortable fit and IP57 water and dust protection, which includes protection from sweat. They’ll do fine with your daily exercise routine.

Of course, earbuds live and die by their sound quality and the Elite 4 is no slouch in that department. It boasts a fantastic sound profile right out of the box, but you can tweak the EQ via the company’s proprietary app. This app also lets you save profile presets. Sometimes you just need a bit more bass when running, to account for all of that exterior noise.

Speaking of exterior noise, these earbuds feature decent ANC. The battery life is solid, thanks to the included charging case, and the multipoint connectivity is useful when switching audio sources. The case also includes the option for wireless charging, which is always a nice bonus.

These aren’t perfect, but what is? The company’s HearThrough transparency mode isn’t as natural-sounding as tech found with rival products like the Beat Fits Pro. The Elite 4 Active earbuds also lack the ability to play spatial sound with Dolby Audio. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/one-of-our-favorite-pairs-of-wireless-earbuds-for-running-is-on-sale-for-only-78-163046935.html?src=rss

Blink Mini two-packs drop to only $30 at Amazon

Posted on by

Blink Mini security cameras are on sale via Amazon. You can scoop up a two-pack for just $30, which is 40 percent off and a record-low price. The sale extends to single packs, which are 33 percent off, and triple-packs.

The Blink Mini is not the most recent model, thanks to Amazon's release of the Blink Mini 2, but it's still a fantastic way to keep an eye on your home. These cameras are easy to set up, connect via Wi-Fi and capture 1080p video. They also capture infrared signals and send security alerts directly to your phone anytime the sensor detects movement.

There’s also two-way audio and an affiliated app, so you can yell “who’s the cutest in the world? It’s you the cutest in the world” at a pet while at work. Blink is owned by Amazon, so there’s full Alexa voice control, which is always nice. Finally, the Mini comes with a free 30-day trial of the company’s subscription plan, which lets you save and share video clips.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blink-mini-two-packs-drop-to-only-30-at-amazon-155700282.html?src=rss