September, 2019

• 18 September

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  If you’re looking for a deal on a cheap portable Bluetooth speaker or headphone, it doesn’t get better than this. Tribit, which makes decent products at already budget prices, is having a one-day sale on Amazon. These are the lowest prices we’ve seen on these speakers and headphones. I’ve tried them all. Note that CNET …

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• 18 September

  AT&T looking to ditch DirecTV, report says

  

  AT&T is looking into offloading broadcast satellite provider DirecTV, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. It could be done as “a spin-off or combination with Dish,” CNBC also reported. DirecTV could either become its own separate company or be sold off to satellite TV provider Dish — which also recently bought $5 billion in wireless assets from …

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• 18 September

  T

  

  Another state has joined the opposition to T-Mobile and Sprint merging. Pennsylvania has jumped aboard the lawsuit blocking the wireless carriers’ deal, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Wednesday. The multistate coalition against the merger is gaining strength, she said, with the latest addition meaning the lawsuit now represents “every region in the nation.”  “Pennsylvania’s addition to our lawsuit …

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• 18 September

  IBM’s new 53

  

  IBM’s 14th quantum computer is its most powerful so far, a model with 53 of the qubits that form the fundamental data-processing element at the heart of the system. The system, available online to quantum computing customers in October, is a big step up from the last IBM Q machine with 20 qubits and should help advance the marriage of …

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• 18 September

  California governor signs gig

  

  It’s official, the gig economy is about to undergo a major shakeup in California. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a landmark bill, AB 5, into law on Wednesday, which could require companies that use independent contractors to reclassify their workers as employees. Such companies include ride-hailing services, like Uber and Lyft, and delivery startups, such as DoorDash and Postmates. “The hollowing …

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• 18 September

  New York and Salt Lake are about to become 5G test

  

  The Federal Communications Commission named New York City and Salt Lake City as its first two “Innovation Zones” on Wednesday. The two metro areas will act as city-scale test-beds for advanced wireless communications and network research and experimentation, including 5G, according to a press release.  Both cities already have licensed experimental programs under way. The Innovation Zone extends the areas …

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• 18 September

  Jabra Elite Active 65t deal: $47 off at Amazon

  

  With Jabra announcing its new Elite 75t true wireless earbuds, it’s not surprising we’re seeing some sales on Jabra’s older Elite 65t and slightly more rugged Elite 65t Active models. This week’s deal has the Elite Active 65t earbuds at $143 — or $47 off — in Copper Red at Amazon. The Elite 75t costs $200. The big difference between the upcoming Elite 75t …

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• 18 September

  Create a deepfake of your own voice with this podcast tool

  

  Deepfakes are a major security concern for their ability to make it appear as though people are doing or saying something they never actually did. But startup Descript is trying to use the artificial intelligence technology for something simpler: podcast editing. On Wednesday the company launched a beta of a new feature in its Descript podcasting software. The feature, called …

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• 18 September

  Apple says EU’s $14 billion tax demand ‘defies reality’

  

  Days before the iPhone 11 hits stores, Apple is fighting the European Union’s 13 billion euro ($14.4 billion) tax bill in court. The company says the tax bill “defies reality and common sense,” Reuters reported Tuesday. A panel of five judges is hearing arguments in Luxembourg’s General Court over two days. The European Commission wants Apple to pay back taxes to …

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• 18 September

  Skullcandy’s new Crusher ANC headphones deliver bone

  

  Over the years Skullcandy has brought the concept of bass you can feel to its line of vibrating Crusher headphones. Its latest model, the Crusher ANC, is the first to have active noise canceling, USB-C charging and a custom tuning feature. In development for three years, according to Skullcandy, it also offers improved sound and a more premium look and …

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