Google took the wraps off its second-generation Pixel 4A phone last month (also announcing the Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel 5), joining Samsung’s Galaxy A51 and Apple’s new iPhone SE in the increasingly crowded budget-friendly segment. For $349, you get a 3,140-mAh battery, a headphone jack and a standout 12-megapixel camera that CNET’s Lynn La says …
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September, 2020
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3 September
Galaxy Note 20 vs. Note 10 and Note 9: Spec
At its Unpacked presser earlier this month, Samsung finally announced its premium, stylus-wielding phones, the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra. Priced at $999 and $1,299 respectively, the top-tier handsets are on sale now. (In the UK the Note 20 costs £849 and the Note 20 Ultra starts at £1,179. Australian prices aren’t yet available, but that converts to about …
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3 September
Qualcomm’s stealth software upgrade may make your next noise
When it comes to earbud-style headphones, a lot of people don’t like having ear tips jammed in their ears, instead preferring a more “open” design. But while open earbuds like the standard AirPods can be very comfortable to wear for hours on end, they allow a lot of ambient noise to leak in, making them difficult to use in noisy …
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3 September
Galaxy Z Fold 2: Impressive, but not perfect. Everything good and bad today
I can’t stop looking at the Galaxy Z Fold 2. I keep catching myself glancing admiringly at its cool metal frame, 6.2-inch outer screen and thin bezels. The Z Fold 2 is such a complete, well-considered foldable phone, it’s now hard to think of the original Galaxy Fold as anything other than a working mockup with a ridiculous $1,980 price tag. For $2,000 …
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3 September
MSI branches out from gaming with Summit work laptops
Looks like Razer isn’t the only gaming company entering the workforce. MSI, known for its gaming PCs and peripherals, announced Thursday an all-new series of business-focused laptops called Summit. It’s starting with two lines, the Summit E and Summit B, both running on a new 11th-gen Intel Core i7 U-series processor. Each line is available with either a 15.6- or …
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3 September
Verizon reveals quantum networking trials
Verizon is expanding a test of quantum computing technology that the carrier believes could help secure its networks. A pilot project of a technology called quantum key distribution in Washington DC was successful, so Verizon it will now test it across the US. Quantum computing could solve some computing problems impossible for conventional machines, the most famous being an ability to crack conventional …
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3 September
Qualcomm, PC partners take on Apple with new 8cx Gen 2 5G laptop chip
The future generation of PC chips from Qualcomm is here — and Acer and HP will soon sell products using the technology as Apple gears up for similar computers of its own. Qualcomm on Thursday at the IFA electronics show in Berlin unveiled the second generation of its 8cx processor for Microsoft Windows laptops and 2-in-1 devices. The company says …
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3 September
Blackouts that cut cell service aren’t just annoying, they’re dangerous
This story is part of Road Trip 2020, CNET’s series on how we’re preparing now for what could come next. It’s wildfire season again in California as the second and third largest blazes in the state’s history continue to burn. More than a thousand structures across 10 counties have been destroyed and (so far) five people have died as hazardous …
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3 September
Are refurbished eBay phones worth it? $650 later, I have some advice
With the iPhone 11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and Galaxy Note 20 coming in at or over $1,000 and even the “affordable” OnePlus 8 Pro costing $899, I wanted to see what level of phone I could get without spending a fortune. So I went on a hunt with $650 of CNET’s money (thanks, guys!) to see what quality of handset you …
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3 September
Qualcomm will bring 5G to $125 phones from Motorola, Oppo, Xiaomi next year
5G is coming to even cheaper phones early next year, thanks to new Qualcomm chips — and Motorola, Oppo and Xiaomi will be selling them. When a new technology like 5G launches, it first arrives in high-end, pricey devices and eventually trickles down to less expensive phones. The first 5G phones released last year cost over $1,000 — the Galaxy …
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