Now playing: Watch this: Battle of the Motorola budget phones: G5 Plus vs. E4 2:09 Australian millionaire Tim Gurner caused a social media storm earlier this year when he criticized millennials for buying avocado toast and four-dollar coffee instead of saving money. But if you like such edible amenities, giving them up to save money …
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Google’s Android Nearby Connections 2.0 API now available
Google is following through on its pledge to make sharing files from one phone to another phone without an internet connection easier. The Nearby Connections 2.0 API, previewed at Google I/O earlier this year, offers offline, high-bandwidth peer-to-peer communication by leveraging Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE and classic Bluetooth connections. It’s now publicly available on all Android devices running Google Play services …
Read More »Facebook puts cork in chatbots that created a secret language
A pair of chatbots has recently done something children often do: create a secret language. Last month, researchers at Facebook found two bots developed in the social network’s AI division had been communicating with each other in an unexpected way. The bots, named Bob and Alice, had generated a language all on their own: Bob: “I can can I I everything …
Read More »Tips for using the net while traveling abroad
The last thing you want to come home to after a once-in-a lifetime family vacation abroad is a $2,000 phone bill. We’ve all heard the nightmare stories of people who travel internationally and then get a ridiculous cell phone bill upon their return. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s some advice on using your smartphone while traveling …
Read More »Why I switched to Chrome on my iPhone
Now playing: Watch this: 3 reasons to switch to Chrome on the iPhone 2:00 Chrome’s synchronized tab history is a great asset for desktop Chrome users. Jason Cipriani/CNET Yesterday my how-to cohort Matt Elliott extolled the virtues of Firefox for iOS, citing it as his preferred mobile browser. The big draw, at least for him? Firefox’s screen-dimming Night Mode. Um, …
Read More »Former Pebble, Essential and WebOS designer joins Google Home team
In the leadup to the launch of the Essential company’s first phone, one of its top executives has left for Google. Liron Damir announced this week on LinkedIn that he joined the Google Home team as its head of user experience, leaving behind the same role over at Android founder Andy Rubin’s startup. “Definitely took the scenic route, but super …
Read More »VR’s new mission: Reunite immigrants with family back home
Marleny, a Guatemalan immigrant in New York, hasn’t returned to her home country in over 15 years. But a few months ago she was able to tour her grandfather’s land in Valle del Rinconcito, Guatemala. She could see the palm trees swinging about and her mom inviting her to explore the estate, talking to her in a soft, familiar voice, …
Read More »Your future AR home movies will look like 80s music videos
In the near future, reality’s going to be transformed through your phone camera. Get ready for some weird memes. A quick video shot using Apple’s upcoming ARKit tools on an iPhone shows a pretty jaw-dropping augmented reality take on the A-ha video “Take on Me.” Someone (that looks more like a video game character than an actual person) is dancing …
Read More »Why I switched to Firefox on my iPhone
Now playing: Watch this: 5 reasons to switch to Firefox on your iPhone 1:38 I generally use Apple hardware and Google software. I use Chrome for my iPhone browsing needs, for example, but that has changed recently. I’ve dropped Chrome not for Apple’s Safari but a surprise contender — Firefox. At least at night. Nighttime screen dimmer With Firefox 8.0 for …
Read More »The big phone season is starting (The 3:59, Ep. 257)
We are on the cusp of phone-launch season, with flagships from Samsung, Apple, Google and others expected. With that in mind, we invited CNET mobile reviewer Scott Stein on today’s show to talk about his visit to the Motorola Z2 Force launch event and his expectations for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 reveal next month. The 3:59 gives you bite-size …
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