By Innovation Only? The Apple event barely showed us anything new
We gathered hoping to see something exciting and new. Apple hyped the event as "By Innovation Only" and then delivered slight, incremental improvements for the iPad, Apple Watch, and iPhones. The iPhone 11 Pro does little to live up to its name; the biggest surprise here was the price of the iPhone 11.
The HomePod launch was a letdown. Can Apple deliver a smaller, cheaper version?
The Apple HomePod smart speaker was not only late to come to market, but the device is expensive, complicated, and dying on the vine in the smart home market. A mini version, though -- one that's cheaper, easy to use, and versatile -- could be just what the company and its fans need.
The 300Hz Predator Triton 500 is complete overkill, but we love it anyway
Acer's Predator Triton 500 has an impressive new upgrade that goes beyond any gaming display we've seen before. At 300Hz and with a 3ms response time, it could be the fastest gaming display in the world. The question is, is it worth paying extra for, while sacrificing resolution?
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance makes CGI, puppetry a winning combo
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is more than just a long-awaited prequel to Jim Henson's groundbreaking 1982 fantasy film. It's evidence that an old-school storytelling art like puppetry can work together with modern computer-generated effects to tell a truly magical story.
6 features we want to see on the iPhone 11
The 2019 iPhone, likely to be called the iPhone 11, is almost here and we're getting excited about it. What has Apple got in store for the new phone? We've put together a wishlist of the six features we want to see on the iPhone 11. If these come true it will be the best iPhone yet.
This Rise of Skywalker theory explains why Rey could go dark
The latest preview of Star Wars: Episode IX -- The Rise of Skywalker has fans worried about the fate of one of the franchise's most popular new characters, but if the film holds true to the sci-fi saga's history, it's right in line with the themes that run through almost every Star Wars story so far.
What The Matrix 4 needs to convince us to take the red pill again
With Keanu Reeves returning to The Matrix for another adventure as cyber-savior Neo, it's time to think about what we really want from a fourth installment of the sci-fi franchise. Here's what we think is absolutely necessary for The Matrix 4 if it's going to live up to the original trilogy.
Sony can take back Spider-Man, but this Spidey can never go home again
Sony and Disney's very public dispute over whether Spider-Man will stay in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has huge ramifications for the current iteration of the character. Tom Holland's version is deeply tied to the MCU -- and if Sony wins, everyone loses.
The MCU doesn’t need Spider-Man, and Spider-Man doesn’t need the MCU
By now, you've probably heard that the deal between Sony and Disney that brought Spider-Man to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (and let characters like Iron Man and Nick Fury appear in Spidey's solo flicks) is over. Well, don't worry. Both Spider-Man and the MCU are going to be just fine.
How Star Trek’s movie and TV worlds could become the next MCU
The merger of Viacom and CBS could mean big things for the Star Trek universe, particularly when it comes to combining the sci-fi franchise's television and movie worlds into a single, cohesive mythology. Here's why that's a good thing for Star Trek fans.
With Samsung dropping the headphone jack, LG is the last stop for audio fans
With Samsung announcing the latest Note 10 and Note 10 Plus are both dropping the headphone jack, the land of phones that let you plug in is becoming increasingly barren. In fact, at this point LG is the last best place for audio fans. And as far as I'm concerned, that's something worth crowing about.
The future of 8K TVs is all about gaming. We’ll tell you why
Whether you like it or not, 8K TVs are coming -- and fast. But the thing is, you probably won't need one if you only watch movies and TV. The real reason you'll want to pick up an 8K TV next year is video games.
Why Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to merge Instagram and Facebook is a terrible idea
Facebook recently announced that it would change Instagram's name to Instagram by Facebook, and is taking other steps to merge the two networks. The move shows that Facebook has a fundamental misunderstanding about why Instagram is successful -- and why Facebook is failing.
The Galaxy Book S is the most exciting Samsung laptop I’ve ever seen
The Galaxy Book S is the newest laptop from Samsung, but unlike a lot of other laptops the company has launched, this one has my interest. Its ultra-portable design is the most eye-catching feature it has, but it's the performance of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx CPU that has me curious.
What I like and what I don’t like about the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and 10 Plus
The Galaxy Note 10 duo show off impressive, refined designs, and a host of potentially productive features, but they're not perfect. Here are the changes and features I like about the Galaxy Note 10 Plus and the tweaks and misses I don't like. Samsung mostly delivered on expectations, but not completely.
Pay TV is dying, and cable providers are happily hastening its demise
A new report indicates that more than 25 percent of U.S. households won't have a traditional, pay-TV subscription by 2023, but cable and satellite providers don't appear to be worried about this rapid decline in subscribers - in fact, they're a big part of the reason it's happening.
The Replacements: How Mighty Thor shows superhero swaps are the MCU’s future
Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and others are finished with Marvel, but with legacy characters like Natalie Portman's Mighty Thor set to make their debut, there's no reason why Captain America, Iron Man, and the rest can't live on in perpetuity. Here's how superhero swaps will change the MCU.
Here are 10 ways your cell phone carrier is screwing you
We accept the pernicious practices of cell phone carriers as part of the price of owning a smartphone. From hidden charges and up-selling, to blocking features and preinstalling useless software, carriers do much to make the smartphone experience worse than it needs to be -- and a lot more expensive.
With voice and gestures, Google’s Pixel 4 takes us closer to a hands-free future
The forthcoming Pixel 4 smartphone from Google is going to feature gestures using a radar system, secure face unlock, and a whole new level of contextual voice commands. Google is leading the way towards a hands-free future that may finally free us from the tyranny of the touchscreen.
The Nintendo Switch Lite may not impress you, but that’s not the point
The Nintendo Switch Lite is a portable-only version of the Nintendo Switch that is missing several of its features. It won't appeal to hardcore Switch players, but that doesn't matter when the device is targeting a completely different demographic and is offered at a reduced price.
Cringeworthy Cats trailer reminds us we’re not out of the Uncanny Valley yet
The first trailer for Cats, Tom Hooper's movie adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical of the same name, has been widely criticized for its disturbing digital effects that blend actor performances with human-feline hybrid characters. Here's why it serves as a warning to Hollywood (and audiences).
The new 007 is a woman. What does this mean for James Bond’s future?
According to the latest rumors, the new 007 will be played by Lashana Lynch, a black woman, in Bond 25. If you're a Bond purist, however, rest easy. Even with Daniel Craig getting ready to retire as James Bond, Ian Fleming's macho, suave, and oversexed superspy isn't going anywhere.
Why recent hacks show Apple’s security strength, not its weakness
Apple has a reputation for the security of its systems, so you might think the recent stories about vulnerabilities in its platforms could shake that opinion. But the opposite is true: these breaches amply demonstrate Apple’s security strength.
No, the Pixel 4’s bezels are not a major crime against smartphone design
Leaks have shown us what the Google Pixel may look like from the front, and the bezels around the screen have sent the masses into a panic, claiming the design is outdated and ugly. Except it's not. We've been slowly conditioned to think this. Here's why.
Netflix built a TV empire without ads. Here’s why it’s time to consider them
In an increasingly compacted and complex streaming landscape, Netflix is going to have to once again innovate to stay at the head of the pack. While adding commercials to its programming would be met with serious controversy, if done properly it could be a smart move for the streaming wars to come.
How Amazon and Google’s streaming feud helped make Roku the streaming king
Amazon and Google are finally playing nice when it comes to streaming, with YouTube now available on Fire TV devices, and Amazon Prime Video available on Chromecast. Here's how remaining agnostic has helped Roku become the maker of the most popular streaming video device manufacturer.
Facebook’s Libra could be dead on arrival, if India stands by its proposed ban
The government of India has announced that it is considering a ban on Facebook's new cryptocurrency, Libra. Without this key market, the success of the burgeoning cryptocurrency is in serious doubt. Will Libra end up being dead upon arrival?
Netflix paid $100M to keep Friends, but viewers may pay the highest price
The $100 million deal that's keeping Friends on Netflix through 2019 is a big one - both in its price tag and what it says about the changing media landscape and how much consumers might have to pay down the road in order to access their favorite shows and movies.
What Spider-Man: Far From Home reveals about Phase 4 of the MCU
Spider-Man: Far From Home brought Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to a close while introducing the new normal in the MCU in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame. The movie also offered up plenty of clues about what to expect from Phase 4 of Marvel's interconnected film franchise, too.
No, Apple isn’t moving toward a Mac App Store-only future. At least, not yet
Unlike iOS, you can get Mac apps from anywhere you want, not just the Mac App Store. But the word on the street is that Apple wants to put an end to that and make even more money by making the Mac App Store a monopoly. Don’t believe the hype -- it’s not true.
Hulu’s new Seinfeld shuffle could (and should) be the future of streaming
Hulu's new idea to randomize Seinfeld is great, but it doesn't go far enough. If streamers really want to get our attention, offering new kinds of randomization like a playlist shuffle key, could be the future. Here are some ways streamers could use algorithms to do away with streaming paralysis.
Did Nvidia’s Super RTX graphics cards ruin AMD’s RX 5700 launch?
The new Nvidia Super RTX graphics cards may perform only as well as what we hoped the original RTX cards would, but better late than never. And better they compete with AMD now than later, because the RX 5700 cards are just days away and Nvidia's new launch may have scuttled it before it even left the dock.
Epic Games really needs to properly address Fortnite crunch
Epic Games is closed for two weeks, but Fortnite updates are still arriving as usual. If this is how Epic has chosen to respond to reports about brutal working conditions, the response is sorely lacking. As the studio behind the most popular game in the world, Epic needs to take a stand against crunch.
Marvel’s Netflix universe is dead, but its legacy lives on
The end of Marvel's superhero universe on Netflix is a big deal for the streaming service, but let's not forget how much bigger of a deal it was when it first launched, and the far-reaching effects of that grand experiment that changed the streaming landscape for years to come.