August, 2019

• 13 August

  Facebook’s mobile dark mode is getting closer

  

  Facebook Messenger added its dark mode earlier this year, and we’re getting the first signs that the social network’s main app will follow suit. Reliable researcher Jane Manchun Wong found that Facebook is testing a darker color scheme on the Android version of its app. Facebook is working on Dark Mode for mobileI wrote a …

  Read More »
• 13 August

  Trump’s China tariffs could hit Apple’s AirPods and Apple Watch next

  

  President Donald Trump’s trade war with China has already hit farmers so hard that the country’s giving out billions in bailouts to help cover losses from unsold goods. Now the electronics industry may be the next to feel the pinch. A new round of tariffs on Chinese imports is set to go into effect Sept. 1, raising prices on some …

  Read More »
• 13 August

  DJI made a $119 phone camera stabilizer that folds and it’s awesome

  

  Motorized phone camera stabilizers are great for getting smooth and steady shots from your phone — assuming you use it. For me, it’s one of those products you buy with the best intentions and then don’t use because it’s simply too large, awkward and fragile to bring with you all the time. DJI’s Osmo Mobile 3 tackles this with a …

  Read More »
• 13 August

  CenturyLink, FCC reach settlement over ‘cramming’ fees on phone bills

  

  The Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday that phone and internet provider CenturyLink will pay $550,000 to settle an investigation into a practice known as “cramming”: when phone companies add unauthorized third-party charges to customer bills. CenturyLink will also stop billing for most third parties, start refunding affected customer accounts and let customers block future third-party charges. “Over the years, the …

  Read More »
• 13 August

  Apple Card is here and this is what it looks like

  

  The Apple Card is in the wild. Apple has started sending out invitations to people who signed up to be notified about the company’s first credit card. Backed by Goldman Sachs and Mastercard, it’s a digital card you apply for and use with your iPhone and Apple Pay (sorry, Android users). It’s also a physical, titanium card that works like any …

  Read More »
• 13 August

  Cray to build El Capitan supercomputer for nuclear security apps

  

  Cray has been awarded a $600 million contract to build the first exascale supercomputer for the National Nuclear Security Administration, the US Department of Energy and the NNSA announced Tuesday. Named El Capitan, the supercomputer will be among the fastest known in the world and will help manage the US’ nuclear stockpile. It’s expected to go into production by late …

  Read More »
• 13 August

  Firefox’s new logo

  

  Mozilla has released a new test version of its web browser that introduces the new Firefox logo and drops “Quantum” from its name. Mozilla long ago moved the Firefox icon to a more stylized look, but the newest version is another step away from the original drawing of a fox wrapped around the globe. Even though the fox’s face is …

  Read More »
• 13 August

  Apple teams up with 12 more colleges to bring student IDs to iPhone, Apple Watch

  

  Students at another 12 universities will soon be able to add their student IDs to their Apple Wallet. The additions will let more than 100,000 students use their Apple Watches and iPhones to pay for meals and transportation and access buildings on campus, Apple said Tuesday. “We know students love this feature,”Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services, said in a …

  Read More »
• 13 August

  Avengers: Endgame and five more Marvel films now available on 4K Blu

  

  The humble Blu-ray disc hasn’t been Thanos’d yet. Avengers: Endgame, the biggest movie in the world, hit stores today on Blu-ray, UHD 4K and DVD, joined by a handful of older Marvel films. Avengers: Endgame is now available at most outlets for $22.99 (1080p), $29.99 (UHD 4K Blu-ray). Best Buy has an exclusive SteelBook version for $34.99 — basically, a fancy case …

  Read More »
• 13 August

  Twitter is testing a way to let you follow topics

  

  Twitter wants to make following a topic as easy as following an account. On Tuesday, the company said it’s trying out a way for users to follow sports topics such as the New England Patriots, cricket or wrestling. It’s testing this feature for Android users and will curate topics users could be interested in following. Twitter will also let you …

  Read More »