Snapchat’s augmented reality Lenses are already able to recognize landmarks, transform faces and bodies and play games. A new set of ground-sensing filters are going to make landscapes start looking weird, too. Trying out the water effect in our office. Scott Stein/CNET I took a look at two of Snap’s new Lenses, one that makes floors …
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Sprint and T-Mobile said Thursday they’ve reached an agreement on new terms for their megamerger. This should pave the way for the companies to complete the $26.5 billion deal, following a ruling last week by a federal court that rejected claims that the merger would be bad for consumers. The companies say the deal could close as early as April 1. …
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ViacomCBS is upping its digital offerings with a revamped streaming service to better compete with Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, HBO Max and Peacock in the ongoing streaming wars. The changes will come later this year and build on CBS‘ existing All Access streaming service, CEO Bob Bakish said during an earnings conference call Thursday. (Disclosure: ViacomCBS is the …
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Cloud gaming service Pokemon Home has already pulled in 1.3 million downloads since launching a week ago, a Thursday report by Sensor Tower says. The app, released Feb. 12 by Nintendo and the Pokemon Company, has also raked in an estimated $1.8 million in user spending so far. Of those downloads, Sensor Tower estimated 444,000 have come from the US, …
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Sony has announced a new budget phone, the Xperia L4, which has a triple camera on the rear and…a headphone jack! The device comes loaded with a 6.2-inch LCD screen in a 21:9 aspect ratio and a 1,680×720-pixel resolution. The screen features a rounded notch for the 8-megapixel selfie camera. One of the most intriguing things about the phone is …
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Microsoft on Thursday said it plans to bring its antivirus software, Defender Advanced Threat Protection, to phones and other devices running Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. The software, also called Defender ATP, is already available on Windows and MacOS. It offers features like preventive protection, post-breach detection and automated investigation and response, according to Microsoft. When it comes to mobile …
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Disney Plus went live in November and it’s taken a while for some streaming platforms to catch up: Vizio on Thursday announced its SmartCast system now supports the service natively. The smart TV app includes support for Ultra HD and HDR video, and you can add Disney Plus on the apps row on SmartCast Home or through the SmartCast Mobile app. In its …
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Verizon on Thursday is playing defense against a report that it was no longer interested in carrying Google’s Pixel line of phones, including the upcoming rumored Pixel 4A and Pixel 5 that are expected to be released this year. “It’s not true,” Verizon spokeswoman Adria Tomaszewski told CNET. “We continue to work with Google and look forward to the new …
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Apple is reportedly looking at whether to let you change some default iOS apps to alternatives from its rivals. The tech giant is considering letting people chose third-party mail and web browser apps as their default options on iPhones and iPads, according to a report Thursday from Bloomberg. The change would let you replace Apple’s Safari browser and Mail app …
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A new Uber feature that lets riders “discreetly” report their driver if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable went live in the US and Canada on Wednesday. Drivers say it’s already creating an unfair system for them. The new feature is meant for nonemergency incidents that make passengers feel unsafe. Uber uses “harsh braking,” “inappropriate remarks” and “my driver doesn’t have …
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If you wondered about the odd “1” notification on your Samsung Galaxy on Wednesday evening, you weren’t alone. Galaxy owners all over the world took to Twitter, Reddit and the Korean company’s official forums to report the message from the Find My Mobile app. The notification read “1,” with another “1” underneath it. Tapping the notification simply made it disappear, …
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Live TV streaming service YouTube TV has announced that premium channels HBO and Cinemax will be is coming to its service this spring. AT&T and YouTube TV announced this morning that its newly expanded carriage agreement will also include HBO Max when it debuts in May. We’re feeling pret-tay, pret-tay good about this news we have to share with you…@HBO is coming …
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The accounts of Google users in the UK will be controlled out of the US now that the country has left the European Union, according to Reuters. This means that the data belonging to British citizens will no longer fall under the control of European privacy regulation, even though they are still protected by the GDPR. Google accounts of European …
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Motorola’s original Razr V3 is one of the most iconic phones of all time. When it was released in 2004, it looked like it belonged to the future, thanks to its sleek design and anodized aluminum finish. The blue backlit keyboard, etched from a single piece of metal, only added to the appeal. And people lined up around the block …
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For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. Global 5G phone shipments are expected to reach 199 million by the end of 2020, Strategy Analytics said Thursday. But disruption caused by the deadly coronavirus will cap how many are sold, the report said. Just 19 million 5G phones were shipped in 2019, …
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