Verizon turns on its 5G networks in Chicago and Minneapolis a week early
We thought 5G was just around the corner, but apparently it's already here. Verizon has switched on its 5G network in select parts of Chicago and Minneapolis, giving customers in both of those cities amazing new download speeds while out and about -- if they have a 5G-compatible phone, that is.
With Huawei’s help, Honor aims to be world’s fourth-largest smartphone brand
There are some seriously lofty goals being put in place for Huawei sub-brand Honor. Huawei wants it to become the fourth-largest smartphone maker in the world, while it continues its assault on first position. To help it do so, Huawei has promised continued investment and assistance in making cutting-edge phones.
Zillow won’t just help you find a house, it will be your mortgage lender, too
Zillow doesn't just want to help you find your dream home. It also wants to be your mortgage lender. The company announced today that it is getting into the lending game with its new service Zillow Home Loans. The service will be available in nine markets to start, with plans to expand.
Verizon’s Just Kids plan helps parents keep their children within reach
Choosing when to give a child a smartphone isn't just about responsibility; it's about being able to make sure your child is safe while using it -- and to make sure they aren't costing you more money. Verizon wants to make it a much easier decision with the introduction of the Just Kids plan.
Pandora to start testing A.I.-powered interactive voice ads
If you spot someone in the street talking to ads on Pandora in the coming months, then no, you’re not going mad. It's part of a trial by the music streaming service that will use interactive voice ads to encourage responses from listeners so brands can learn what elements of a product they’re most interested in.
Discovery partners with BBC on nonfiction streaming service
In the latest subscription streaming announcement, Discovery has unveiled its plan to launch a nonfiction on-demand service with the BBC, giving exclusive rights to stream such monster hits as Planet Earth and Blue Planet, along with Discovery titles. It's expected to launch in 2020 for around $5 per month.
Hang on to your Lightning cables: Apple just canceled AirPower
When Apple unveiled the iPhone X, the company finally dipped its toes into the world of wireless charging, announcing support for the Qi wireless standard. In addition, the company also unveiled its own AirPower wireless charging mat. Now, however, that wireless charging pad has been cancelled.
FuboTV hikes price by $10 per month as streaming market matures
In what has become a trend in recent months among live TV streaming providers, FuboTV is raising its monthly rate to $55 per month, from $45 per month for all new subscribers. Though existing customers are as yet unaffected by the move, they could see increases later this year.
Infinity and Atom are the latest players in the movie ticket subscription game
As if the movie ticket subscription market wasn't already a tough place to make a buck, with incumbent player MoviePass seemingly teetering on the edge of collapse, now two new players are look for a slice: Atom Tickets and Infinity both have plans to launch services in 2019, but with very different approaches.
Airbnb’s most popular rental in the world is a California cabin
Airbnb's most popular rental globally is a tiny dome-topped cabin in California. The revelation came as the online accommodation service celebrated half a billion guest arrivals globally since its launch in 2008. Airbnb currently offers around six million places to stay in more than 80,000 cities around the world.
Trump administration might undo Obama-era LED light rules
The Bush administration made incandescent light bulbs a thing of the past, and the Obama administration attempted to extend it. But the Trump administration wants to roll back a Department of Energy rule that would require specialty light fixtures to move away from wasteful incandescent lightbulbs.
Microsoft Surface Hub 2 will get its own coming-out party on April 17
Microsoft's Surface Hub 2 will be revealed shortly: The software giant is holding a press event in conjunction with Steelcase on April 17 to showcase the future of working collaboratively, leading many to believe that the Surface Hub 2, and perhaps the 2X, will make their first major appearance.
Judge recommends U.S. iPhone import ban for infringing on Qualcomm patents
Just a few weeks after a San Diego judge found that Apple infringed on three Qualcomm-owned patents, an International Trade Commission judge has found that Apple infringed on another Qualcomm patent -- and recommended an import ban on certain iPhone models in the U.S.
Spotify adds mystery and crime to its podcast arsenal with Parcast acquisition
Spotify continues to add to its growing collection of podcasting assets, this time with the acquisition of Parcast, an L.A.-based podcast studio known for its lurid, true-crime and mystery titles, that have garnered a significant audience since the company began in 2017.
Man pleads guilty to scamming Facebook and Google out of more than $100M
One of the men behind an elaborate fraud that saw Facebook and Google each hand over tens of millions of dollars has admitted to his part in the scheme. Lithuanian Evaldas Rimasauskas, who was extradited to the United States in 2017, faces up to 30 years behind bars when he’s sentenced in July.
PlayStation does the smart thing, stops selling digital codes at physical stores
Sony will no longer offer PlayStation full-game digital downloads at retail stores. The games will now only be available directly from the PlayStation Network's own digital store. Currency cards containing the amount you need to buy a particular digital game will still be available.
Nokia phones are being investigated for allegedly sending data to China
Nokia could be in some hot water when it comes to privacy. According to recent reports, Nokia 7 models may be secretly sending data to China without the user knowing about it. Nokia says that the issue was a software bug and that it has been fixed, but Finnish privacy watchdogs will still investigate.
Tipping point? Streaming subscribers outnumbered cable in 2018 for first time
2018 was a very good year for the entertainment business as a whole, but it was especially good for streaming companies like Netflix and Amazon. Their total subscriptions eclipsed those of cable companies for the first time, on a global basis, according to a new MPAA report.
Epic Games is offering $100 million to game developers with no catch
Epic Games launched a new grant program called Epic MegaGrants. The program will dish out $100 million in funds to developers working in the 3D graphics community, even if they don't use Unreal Engine. Those making games, movies, programs for enterprise, or tools or add-ons are all encouraged to apply.
A new hope is lost as Disney dismisses rumors of a revival of Lucasfilm Games
According to job listings on the Disney website, the company has plans to revive Lucasfilm Games. This comes as a surprise following the shuttering of LucasArts in 2013 and could potentially mean more Star Wars games. Lucasfilm Games was renamed as LucasArts in 1990 after a company reorganization.
Waymo boosts robo-taxi plans with new service center in Arizona
Waymo has announced plans for a facility in Phoenix, Arizona, that will help to service, maintain, and grow its fleet of autonomous Waymo One cars. The vehicles operate as part of the company's robo-taxi ridesharing service that launched in the area toward the end of 2018.
Patreon is having another go at changing the way it charges creators
Patreon messed up pretty badly the last time it tried to change its payment system, with the subsequent backlash forcing the company to abandon the rollout. Now it's having another go, and this time the changes mainly affect future sign-ups rather than its current community of creators.
Disney’s Deadpool? Netflix worries? What Disney’s billion-dollar Fox deal means
Now that Walt Disney Company has closed its $71.3 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox's movie and television assets, what does this future hold for franchises like X-Men, the Fantastic Four, The Simpsons, Avatar, Alien, Planet of the Apes, and the rest?
British Airways’ new Club Suite for business class comes with a door
British Airways is going after a bigger slice of the business class market with the imminent launch of the Club Suite. The plush seating offers a more private space and does away with the 2-4-2 configuration that left high-paying passengers having to clamber over each other to reach the aisle.
4 women innovators who are using tech to help others live better lives
Meet four female leaders who are not only at the forefront of technology today, but who are also using tech to help others. From robotics and medicine to food and undergarments, see how these four women are using technology to help make the world a better place.
Why premium is the most overused, and least understood, word in tech
Everyone has heard the word premium, and many of us will have purchased a premium product; but what does premium actually mean, and why is it used so much in tech? There's not one correct answer here, but it's helpful to understand why company's invest so much in advertising using the word premium.
Can electric cars be S3XY? Tesla says yes with the new Model Y crossover
Tesla introduced a new crossover named Model Y at its design studio in Los Angeles. It's a more spacious alternative to the Model 3, and a smaller sibling to the Model X. All-electric, the Model Y is on-sale now through a reservation system, and the first deliveries are tentatively scheduled for 2020.
First Apex Legends esports scholarship takes you from filthy casual to pro
Massachusetts-based Becker College is the first college in the nation to offer a scholarship for Apex Legends. The path-to-pro program gives players $5,000 upon admittance to the school. A combine event will be held in April and current students are also eligible to try out.
U.S. hops on Boeing ban bandwagon, grounds 737 Max planes until further notice
The U.S. government issued instructions that Boeing must ground all 737 Max aircraft operating inside the United States. The ban comes days after a deadly crash of an Ethiopian airliner killed 157 people, prompting countries around the globe to issue their own orders until the cause of the crash can be determined.
Google may cancel future laptops, tablets as it makes cuts to hardware team
Google has seen plenty of success with Chromebooks and recently launched the Pixel Slate, but the release of future hardware could now be in question. According to a report from Business Insider, the company is reassigning dozens of employees in its laptop and tablet division as part of "roadmap cutbacks."
What is 5G E? Explaining AT&T’s misleading network on smartphones
AT&T is rebranding potentially millions of 4G smartphones to make it appear as though they are on 5G networks, explaining that technologies deeply linked to faster 5G networks already exist on 4G. Competitors argue this is false advertising -- and Sprint plans to fight it in court.
Singapore’s stunning airport complex could be a tourist destination in itself
Singapore’s Changi Airport could be the first airport in the world where you might actually want to go to hang out. Why? Because it’s about to open the Jewel, a beautifully designed shopping, dining, entertainment, and accommodation complex that also features an abundance of greenery.
Smart home technology may help senior citizens remain independent
Smart home technology has offered a wide variety of benefits to homeowners from security to child care to entertainment but a new survey from the Consumer Technology Association finds that elderly citizens may be more willing to adopt the technology in order to remain independent.
Airbnb buys HotelTonight to accommodate last-minute travelers
If you've ever left it late to book a room on Airbnb and couldn't find anything, the company's acquisition of last-minute booking app HotelTonight looks like good news. HotelTonight launched in 2010 and currently offers hotel rooms in more than 1,700 cities in around 35 countries.