There were some downright irresistible deals on laptops this holiday season — beginning back at the start of November, retailers slashed prices on laptops from Dell, Lenovo, Sony, Samsung, Acer and other. We even saw some discounts on MacBooks. If you jumped on one of those sales and brought home a new laptop to kick …
Read More »Tag Archives: google
The best gifts under $50 for 2021
This story is part of Gift Guide, our year-round collection of the best gift ideas. If your gift budget calls for finding the best gifts for $50 or less and you are trying to move beyond typical presents such as wine, slippers or a candle (not that there’s anything wrong with those), you’ve come to the right place. Note that pricing …
Read More »How Zoom made video meetings easy for workers, students and all of us in 2020
No platform has become as synonymous with 2020 as Zoom, the video conferencing service that grew seemingly overnight from a useful business tool to a ubiquitous way to connect for everything from remote education to virtual happy hours to game nights and holiday meals. From a technology standpoint, Zoom managed to do the almost impossible: Scale up massively without major …
Read More »Quantum computer makers like their odds for big progress
For years, quantum computing has been the preserve of academics. New advances, however, are pushing this potentially revolutionary technology toward practical applications. At the Q2B conference this month, quantum computer makers Google, IBM, Honeywell, IonQ and Xanadu detailed specific steps they expect by 2024 that will push their machines further down the road of commercial practicality. Those achievements include increasing …
Read More »Check out these Android 11 features you have to try right now
Update, Feb. 18, 2021: The Android 12 developer beta is here, and you can install it and try it out now. The latest and greatest version of Android has been out for a few months now and has slowly made its way to more devices. Samsung recently announced the rollout of Android 11 to some of its Galaxy devices, adding new and exciting features …
Read More »2020 forced us all to live online: How my virtual year played out
Every once in a while, back in a year called 2019, I’d run off every few weeks or so and spend time in a VR headset, or peek at some augmented reality device. I’d come back from demos imagining a world lived virtually. With all the pieces in play from so many companies, it seemed like the possibilities were almost …
Read More »OnePlus Watch is coming ‘early next year,’ CEO says
It looks like OnePlus’ rumored smartwatch might be just around the corner. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau on Tuesday said in a tweet that the company is making a smartwatch and expects to release it early in 2021. “Many of you said you wanted a watch, and as you might have heard over the weekend — we’re making one, to …
Read More »Google scientists reportedly told to make AI look more ‘positive’ in research papers
Google parent Alphabet has been asking its scientists to ensure that AI technology looks more “positive” in their research papers, says a Wednesday report by Reuters. A new review procedure is reportedly in place so researchers consult with Google’s legal, policy or PR teams for a “sensitive topics review” before exploring things like face analysis, and racial, gender and political …
Read More »How to use Apple’s AirPods with any Android phone
Android owners have plenty of options when it comes to wireless earbuds. Google’s Pixel Buds 2 and Samsung’s latest Galaxy Buds (currently Buds Live) are just a few examples of totally capable wireless earbuds with deep Android integration. However, Apple’s AirPods — be it the standard AirPods, AirPods Pro or the new AirPods Max — are tempting, even if you use an Android phone. …
Read More »Roku Streaming Stick Plus vs. Chromecast with Google TV: Battle of the best $50 streamers
As the holidays approach, everybody is starting to look for deals on gifts. One category of gadgets that’s more popular than ever are streaming sticks, the small dongles that bring TV shows and movies from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, HBO Max and Hulu to any TV. CNET has reviewed nearly all of the major streaming devices, and our …
Read More »