Pixel 4 face-retouching feature built with help of wedding photographers
The Google Pixel 4 face retouching feature was built with the help of wedding photographers so that the software will not cross certain lines. The feature is turned on by default when taking selfies with the smartphone, which should provide a confidence boost as people will look their best selves.
Digital Trends Live: Google buys Fitbit, Razr pics, Apple TV+, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, hosts Greg Nibler and Drew Prindle discuss the top trending tech stories of the day, including Google buying Fitbit, leaked Razr smartphone pics, Apple TV+ has arrived, the U.S. Interior Department ground its fleet of drones, and more.
Update your Google Chrome browser now: New exploit could leave you open to hacks
If you’re a Google Chrome user, you should update the browser immediately. Google released a software update to the browser late yesterday evening that patches two zero-day vulnerabilities to the browser that could potentially allow the browser to be hijacked back hackers.
Why Google’s $2.1 billion Fitbit purchase won’t fix its WearOS woes
Google's Fitbit acquisition may end up being a step in the wrong direction. WearOS has struggled over the years in the smartwatch world, but not because it lacks a decent health platform or activity trackers. The real problem is vertical integration and in-house end-to-end development.
Google is buying Fitbit for $2.1 billion
In a move that makes its growing wearable ambitions crystal clear, Google is buying Fitbit for $2.1 billion. With the acquisition of the maker of activity trackers, Google is making a major push into the wearables space. Fitbit-designed hardware will run Wear OS in the near future.
Can an app help your kids to sleep? I tested Moshi Twilight to find out
Many kids have trouble falling asleep after the lights go out, but the Moshi Twilight app is purposely designed to carry them off to the land of nod with special sleep stories. I tested it out with my seven-year-old daughter and spoke to the Mind Candy CEO to find out more about how it was developed.
WhatsApp’s fingerprint unlock feature is now on Android
The ability to unlock WhatsApp with your fingerprint has been available for compatible iPhones since earlier this year, but now the feature has finally arrived for supported Android handsets, too. Fingerprint unlock also lets you choose how much time should pass before the app requests your fingerprint again.
Google celebrates Halloween with interactive Google Doodle
To kick off the Halloween festivities early this year, the Google Doodle for Thursday is an interactive trick-or-treating game. The doodle is a “choose your own” type of Halloween adventure, featuring animals associated with the holiday, such as tarantulas, bats, owls, and wolves.
Leaked photo shows why you should be excited about the folding Razr smartphone
Motorola is bringing back the original Moto Razr, but as a folding smartphone with a screen that runs from top to bottom of the device. A leaked photo has given us a great look at the phone, and confirmed Motorola is sticking very close to the classic, iconic design of the original. Now's the time to get excited.
Google teases Thunderbolt 3 support for Chromebooks in new code commit
Chromebooks could soon support a feature that has long been present on competing Windows 10 laptops and MacBooks. According to a very specific new commit from the Chromium Repositories, Google might be working to add support for Thunderbolt 3 to ChromeOS, and perhaps newer Chromebook devices.
Leak shows Huawei may put a hole-punch screen on a tablet
Leaks show Huawei may be working on bringing the hole-punch screen design to tablets, after a successful run on smartphones, where it's used as an alternative to the notch. The tablet doesn't have an official name yet, but images show it may come with a keyboard case, a stylus that fixes to the body, and an iPad Pro-like design.
The Moto 360, the original round smartwatch, is back, and it’s a stunner
The Moto 360 is back. This is the third generation of the smartwatch, but this time it's being built by another company under license. The design is strongly reminiscent of the original, and includes some new high quality materials. But is this enough to make the Moto 360 worthy of your $350?
Let Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant spook you on Halloween
Need help with a last-minute costume idea? Want to listen to spooky music or a scary book? Recruit Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for help. Here are the best Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant Halloween tips and tricks for your Halloween party, decorations, games, family activities, and more.
LG G8X ThinQ Dual Screen review
Don't call the LG G8X ThinQ a folding smartphone. It's not one of those mega-expensive devices, and it actually has three screens and not two. What is it, then? It's a quirky device for serious multi-tasking. However, like folding smartphones, you're going to have to make some compromises.
SiriusXM comes to Nest Home devices to boost your listening and watching options
Internet radio service SiriusXM is coming to U.S. and Canadian Google Nest smart speakers and smart displays this week, giving you even more choice where listening is concerned. With options to listen to talk radio stations, dedicated artist channels, and even watch exclusive video content through a SiriusXM sub.
JBL drops massive $300 off the Link 500 speaker with Google Assistant
Get chart-topping sound quality and performance-worth connectivity anywhere in your home with the JBL 500 voice-activated speaker now on sale at a $300 discount only on the company's website.
Filmmakers slam Netflix feature that lets you binge-watch more quickly
Netflix is testing a new feature that lets you adjust the playback speed of content. But a number of filmmakers have slammed the idea, suggesting it has the potential to wreck a filmmaker's hard work. Producer and director Judd Apatow, for one, pleaded with Netflix to ditch the idea.
Samsung shows off concept flip phone with a foldable design
Samsung is already hard at work on a second foldable phone. At the Samsung Developer Conference, the company briefly showed off a new foldable design concep. The concept was shown during the demonstration of the new One UI 2.0, and not many details about it are known at this point.
Samsung One UI 2.0 brings easier one-handed use and nonintrusive notifications
Samsung has announced One UI 2.0, the latest version of its Android skin that's built on Android 10. One UI 2.0 update brings mostly minor changes, such as the home screen app folders taking up less of the display, but it also has some useful features, such as supporting more foldable form-factors.
Finally, stereo speaker pairing comes to the Google Home and Home Mini
At first, only Google Home Max could pair with stereo speakers, and then Google added the Nest Mini. Over the weekend, though, Android Police discovered that now you can pair your stereo speaker system with Google Home and Google Home Mini speakers, too. Here's what you need to know and how to set it up.
Why would Google want to buy Fitbit?
Why would Google want to buy Fitbit? Though Fitbit is a big player in the wearables market, it is struggling to transition from fitness trackers to smartwatches. Google's Wear OS has not given it much of a foothold, and it has smartwatch ambitions. Could this be a marriage made in heaven or a disaster?
Samsung selfie stunt goes wrong as space contraption crashes to Earth
A Michigan couple got the surprise of its life on Saturday when a high-altitude balloon carrying Samsung kit crash-landed on their property. The contraption was part of a marketing stunt by the tech firm involving selfies in space and was carried skyward by a high-altitude balloon last week.
How to turn on the futuristic RCS messaging in Google Messages right now
It might not be as exciting the next Galaxy smartphone, but RCS messaging represents a long-awaited upgrade to the extremely basic SMS text message, and it adds features that turn the humble text message into a chat app. But it's not available yet -- unless you use this trick to turn it on in Google Messages.
Google owner Alphabet has reportedly made a bid to buy Fitbit
Google may be looking to bolster its wearable tech, and has reportedly made a bid to buy fitness-tracking company Fitbit. The terms of the offer have yet to be revealed, and there's no guarantee that a deal will go through at all. Google has been rumored to be working on a smartwatch for years.
OnePlus 7T review: Simple, excellent, and no messing around
The OnePlus 7T doesn't want any drama. It's simple in the best way -- it does everything you want it to, without making life complicated. The screen imports the OnePlus 7 Pro's excellent 90Hz refresh rate, the camera is capable, and the battery charges in an incredibly short period of time. Here's our review.
Project Treble helps solve Android fragmentation, but still nowhere like iOS
Project Treble, which Google rolled out to help solve the Android fragmentation problem, seems to be working. Just before the launch of Android 9 Pie, Android 8 Oreo was installed in 8.9% of devices, and in comparison, just before the launch of Android 10, Android 9 Pie was installed in 22.6% of devices.
Google Pixel 4 box hides augmented reality Easter egg: Here’s how to find it
Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL owners should not throw away the box of their new smartphones, at least not until viewing the augmented reality Easter egg. The show, which may be unlocked by using the device's camera with Google Lens activated, differs slightly between the Pixel 4's color options.
The $440 Realme X2 Pro has what it takes to be one of 2019’s best phones
The Realme X2 Pro is a contender for one of 2019's best phones. Wait, who? Realme has a similar lineage to OnePlus, Oppo, and Vivo, and its X2 Pro packs flagship specs inside a phone that costs the equivalent of $440. But this is far from a cheap experience. In fact, it's great.
Google Pixel 4 review: Smooth, but lacking stamina
The Google Pixel 4 is a slick, smooth, charmer of a smartphone, but it may run out of steam before you do. In this Pixel 4 review, you'll find a deep dive into the new software tricks, air gestures, and the wonderful camera, but there are flaws here in the design and the battery life.
The 2-in-1 Lenovo Yoga Chromebook gets a huge $216 discount this weekend
This weekend is a good time to buy the best 15-inch Chromebook. You can get a huge discount on the Lenovo Yoga Chromebook during the brand’s weekend sale. This $216 price cut happens at the same time as this Amazon deal for the FHD model. Jump on these offers to take home an excellent Chrome-based hybrid for less.
Red Hydrogen phone project breathes its last as founder retires
The Red Hydrogen Project has been canceled by its founder, Jim Jannard, who also took the opportunity to announce his retirement. The Red Hydrogen One smartphone never had the chance to live up to its expectations, and now the Hydrogen Two will not arrive in the future to make up for the first model's shortcomings.
TCL’s zigzag concertina-style folding smartphone has one screen and two hinges
Take a look at this unusual (and really quite mad) concept folding phone design from TCL, the company best known for its televisions and for rescuing BlackBerry from limbo. It has a massive single screen and two hinges, which allow the display to fold down into thirds, zigzag-style, to maximize the amount of screen.
Google Play Store malware hits 42 apps with 8 million downloads
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered an adware campaign affecting 42 Play Store apps that have been downloaded 8 million times. Google has now removed them, though they remain available in third-party app stores. The most popular app, Video Downloader Master, received 5 million downloads.
Google agrees to replace its bricked Home and Home Mini smart speakers
A recent firmware update caused a number of Google Home and Home Mini devices to stop working. Google says it’ll replace the bricked devices, and also roll out a fix to stop it happening again. Some affected customers managed to get their device working again via a factory reset, though this hasn’t worked for everyone.