July, 2020

• 15 July

  Google’s new tool teaches you ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs

  

  Google wants to teach you to read and write ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs with the launch of a new tool: Fabricius is available for free on the Google Art and Culture website and app starting Wednesday.  Fabricius’ virtual Egyptologist guides you through six steps on your way to learning ancient hieroglyphs. After finishing up each step, you can …

  Read More »
• 15 July

  Google’s Gmail redesign takes aim at Slack, Microsoft Teams

  

  Google on Wednesday announced a major redesign for Gmail, aiming to expand the app beyond an email service and into a hub for planning projects and chatting with co-workers. The update brings Gmail in more direct competition with other productivity apps from rivals including Slack and Microsoft, which has a product called Teams.  The idea is to bring Google’s separate …

  Read More »
• 15 July

  Watch Hamilton for ‘free’ with this Disney Plus cash

  

  I’ll just say it: Hamilton is the single best thing to happen in 2020, and it’ll cost you only $7 to see it. That’s the price of a one-month Disney Plus subscription. Alas, the service no longer offers a free trial — but here’s a way you can get that month for free. In fact, you’ll actually make a dollar …

  Read More »
• 15 July

  Verizon told to discontinue ads about 5G availability and speed claims

  

  Now playing: Watch this: Why 5G may seem underwhelming at first 17:06 Verizon has been told to discontinue some of its TV ads about 5G availability and speed claims. Angela Lang/CNET Verizon has been told to stop using two TV ads that make claims about the speed and availability of its 5G network. The recommendation, made by the US National …

  Read More »
• 15 July

  How to watch T

  

  Since closing its Sprint merger in April, T-Mobile has been fairly quiet when it comes to major announcements. The company has continued to expand its 5G network and rolled out some initiatives such as its promised free service for first responders, but when it comes to its trademark “un-carrier” events, it hasn’t made any major waves. That’s set to change …

  Read More »
• 15 July

  Samsung lays out its plans for 6G (yes, 6G)

  

  Samsung released a report on Wednesday walking readers through its vision for the next 10 years of mobile connectivity. The specific topic at hand isn’t 5G, the next-gen wireless standard set to roll out in the coming months. Instead, Samsung is focused on 6G, the standard that will eventually follow it. The big takeaway? The time is now to lay the …

  Read More »
• 15 July

  The best TVs under $500 that you can buy right now

  

  In the age of coronavirus we’ve been asked to shelter in place at home, which leads to watching more TV than ever. At the same time, the economy is in recession and lots of Americans face financial stress. That combination means you might be looking for TV deals to buy a new TV without spending a lot of money. The …

  Read More »
• 15 July

  iPadOS 14 turns Pencil and Siri into more helpful tools, but it needs more widgets

  

  Every summer, the routine is the same: Back-to-school shopping looms, and Apple releases a public beta of its next version of iOS. This year, the routine’s been disrupted, but the new iOS beta is still here. iOS 14 on the iPhone and iPadOS 14 in the iPad have a lot in common, but the iPad version of iOS has its …

  Read More »
• 15 July

  Zoom unveils 27

  

  For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, working from home is becoming the norm. Video chat app Zoom is leaning into the circumstances, entering the hardware market with the launch of a 27-inch 1080p touchscreen device it calls the Zoom for Home DTEN ME.  The $599 …

  Read More »
• 15 July

  Oppo’s 125w Flash Charge fully fills a phone battery in 20 minutes

  

  Oppo is a hugely popular phone maker in China, but it’s far from well known in the US. A sister company to OnePlus, Oppo is hoping to change that with a stream of futuristic features, which it announces with the same amount of hoopla usually attached to the unveiling of a new phone. Last year, it was an in-screen selfie …

  Read More »