Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars are two of the tentpoles of Marvel’s upcoming phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They’ll see the return of both the Russo brothers as directors and Robert Downey Jr., who’ll be swapping the Iron Man mask for Doctor Doom. Marvel reportedly spent big to get the band back together.
Phase 6 will actually kick off this year with Fantastic Four, which is slated to hit theaters on July 25th, just after the premiere of Thunderbolts on May 2nd. Doomsday, meanwhile, is due out on May 1st, 2026.
The new software wasn’t immediately available as an over-the-air update for my Kindle Colorsoft, but I was able to download it and install it manually following Amazon’s instructions. The feature works well using relatively light taps anywhere on the Colorsoft, and since it requires two taps in rapid succession, it’s not easy to trigger by mistake. Unfortunately, it’s limited to just one direction. You can either use it to jump to the next page, or scroll down a long list of books. Perhaps a future update will enable triple-taps as a way to scroll up or go back to a previous page.
The Verge has reached out to Amazon for more details on this new feature, including whether it was introduced to improve accessibility, and if there are plans to make it available on other Kindle models.
Codemasters' Formula 1 franchise is back for another lap. Publisher EA says the tracks in F1 2025 have a more realistic look and feel, thanks to LiDAR scanning. The new installment arrives on May 30.
Although EA didn't offer much detail about LiDAR's use, we can safely assume it involved high-resolution 3D scans of real-world tracks to make them as close to a 1:1 representation as possible. (After all, it's the same tech autonomous vehicles use for real-time 3D mapping and object detection.) Regardless, we reached out to EA to try to get more info. We'll update this story if we hear back.
EA / Codemasters
In other areas, F1 25 overhauls My Team, with players now able to serve as the squad's owner and driver. And in the Braking Point story mode, Konnersport has moved up in the world and is now a highly competitive team battling for championships. But wait, "a dramatic event throws the team into chaos," so rest assured the writing team still understands the importance of using obstacles in storytelling.
F1 25 launches on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on May 30. If you own F1 23 or F1 24, you can save 15 percent off your pre-order of the game's Iconic Edition, which typically costs $80 on PC and $90 on consoles. That variant will add post-launch Braking Point chapters that tie into Apple's upcoming film F1, starring Brad Pitt. Meanwhile, the base game costs $60 on PC and $70 on PlayStation and Xbox.
You can check out the trailer below, featuring cover star Lewis Hamilton.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-used-lidar-to-model-the-tracks-in-f1-25-192206031.html?src=rss
#LiDAR #model #tracks
Whenever Verge staffers are asked to describe their smart tech, office tools, kitchen gadgets, or whatever else, they talk about things they recently bought, things they picked up 10 years ago, or things they’ve had sitting around their house for decades.
We’ve gathered a few of the items that our staffers have enthused about in the past that they use for charging, repairing, listening, cooking, gardening, and parenting, and that are now discounted as part of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Just in case you’d like to check them out.
$19
A hands-free soap dispenser with a built-in sensor.
After realizing we’re not a family who likes to get their hands dirty while cooking (we leave that part to mixers and blenders), an automatic soap dispenser has become one of the most used devices in our kitchen. We opted for a cheap $25 option from Amazon that lets you adjust how much foaming soap is dispensed and lasts for a couple of months between charges, but companies like Simplehuman sell pricier $80 versions wrapped in brushed metal or other fancy finishes that could better match your decor. We find we use less soap now that it’s always perfectly portioned out, and buying refills in bulk is much cheaper. There’s now one in every bathroom in our home. — Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter, news
$100
An 11-in-1 air fryer and electric pressure cooker that air fries, steams, slow cooks, sautés, dehydrates, and — in other words — gives you a world of cooking features on your counter.
For the past few years, the Instant Pot has been a staple in my kitchen. From making rice to slow-cooking stews and even frying up chicken, it can do just about anything. The best part is that the Instant Pot can cook most recipes in a fraction of the time it would take in the oven or on the stove. Rice, for example, takes just six minutes to cook (not counting the amount of time it takes to build pressure), and there’s no fussing with covering the pot or adjusting the heat. Sometimes, it’s just easier — and much less stressful — to let the Instant Pot take the wheel. — Emma Roth, news writer
$11
A quick and safe way to chop vegetables.
One of the first things I did when I got my own place was purchase a food chopper. Perhaps puritan chefs will disagree with my methods, but this saves me so much time. I like to make tikka masala, which requires dicing ginger. If you’ve ever tried to dice ginger, you know that a food chopper would come in handy. This one did break recently, so I’ll probably replace it with a fancier one. — Kylie Robison, senior AI reporter
$24
A small, portable white noise machine with three sound options and a night light.
The Yogasleep Hushh is a small, portable white noise machine. That’s it, and that’s why it’s great.
It’s not a smart device and doesn’t require any sort of subscription. It has physical buttons. It has three different white noise options. It can run on battery for up to 24 hours, and you can charge it with a USB-C cable. It even comes with a ring to attach it to things.
My wife and I turn on the Hushh every time we put our baby down to sleep. If you’re looking for a simple white noise machine that just works, this is the one to buy. – Jay Peters, news editor
$49
An interactive track system allows you to design and build your own racetracks and experiment with gravity, magnetism, and kinetics.
When screen time is over, there’s no building toy, not even Lego, that holds my kid’s attention better than GraviTrax. It lets you build complicated marble runs using myriad components, including ramps, risers, bridges, switches, and launchers — and that’s just the starter set. There are several expansions that add motorized components that can keep marbles rolling indefinitely if assembled correctly, and it’s one of those toys that adults will enjoy just as much as kids do. For younger kids, there’s also now a GraviTrax Junior line with simpler components and larger marbles. – Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter, news
$29
This musical penguin toy will keep your baby giggling.
A musical penguin toy that cycles through surprisingly boppy remixes. It flaps its wings with high-contrast black-and-white spots that will mesmerize your baby. – Helen Havlak, publisher
$1187
A smart bassinet that soothes your infant with motion and white noise.
The Snoo is a smart bassinet that plays white noise and rocks your baby, ramping up the intensity if your baby keeps crying. I have heard from friends that it does not work for every baby, but when it works, it really works — and you have truly magical moments when it successfully puts your baby to sleep. You can control the intensity manually and get nice sleep logs in their proprietary app — though Snoo’s parent company, Happiest Baby, has come under fire for introducing a new subscription fee of $19.99 / month for the main app functionality after nine months. While infuriating, I was so desperate for sleep, I would still have bought a Snoo. Also, look out for return policies; some parents prefer to buy their Snoos from Amazon to avoid Happiest Baby’s steep $199 restocking fee. – Helen Havlak, publisher
$8
Gouevn’s cheap meter can quickly test the soil moisture for both indoor and outdoor plants.
Fungus gnats love overwatered soil, so once you’ve gotten rid of them, you’ve got to be careful and diligent about your watering schedule. For that, I got myself a Gouevn soil moisture meter to teach myself how to properly water my plants. I’ve properly vanquished my fungus gnat issue, but with these two tools, I’m always prepared in case there’s ever another infestation. – Victoria Song, senior reviewer
$6
Velcro brand garden ties keeps flowers and plants staked, supported, and securely bundled together.
One day, I received a surprise package in the mail from my mom, and it included these Velcro garden ties. I’d never even seen these before, so I decided to try them with my orchid. I found that they’re a lot softer than the plastic ties I used previously, and they do a pretty good job at supporting my plants, both indoor and outdoor. You can simply cut the Velcro ties to size, wrap them around your plant, and the tie will stick to itself. They’re reusable, too! — Emma Roth, news writer
$20
Epicka’s universal travel adapter is an all-in-one adapter that includes four different plugs that cover over 150 countries.
In my youth, I forgot to pack plug adapters for international trips one too many times. Buying them once you’ve landed in another country isn’t always easy, either. And if you’re like me, your relatives in rural Korea don’t always have more than one plug for your American devices — in which case, you’ll have to share with your six other cousins. Nope. Absolutely not. Which is why I never leave this country without a universal travel adapter.
Basically, it’s six plug adapters in one. Depending on which one you get, it might come with USB ports so you can charge multiple devices in one outlet. Granted, it’s bulkier than buying one or two specialized adapter plugs, but if you’ve got a multi-continent itinerary, it’s a game-changer. What I like about this one from Epicka is that it comes with a spare fuse in case things go sideways with voltage.
The only caveat is that, although it says “universal,” it’s technically only the four most common types of plugs. That’ll get you by in most countries, but it’s not a guarantee in places like Brazil, South Africa, or India. Even so, I’ll take this over price gouging at airport electronics shops or having to take time out of my schedule to visit a local hardware store. — Victoria Song, senior reviewer
$14
This all-in-one 20W power cube boasts three AC outlets, two USB-A ports, and one USB-C port.
Nobody wants to carry a power strip or an extension cord with them on their vacation. It’s probably unnecessary if you’re staying in relatively modern buildings and definitely unnecessary if you’re camping. But sometimes you want to stay in a charming historical hotel or a lovely cabin in the woods, and it’s only when you go to charge your devices at night that you realize that the only electrical socket in the bedroom is in the corner farthest away from the bed and there are already two lamps plugged into it.
Older buildings especially suffer from what I can only describe as loose socket syndrome, where those very convenient modern boxy socket extenders with five different USB and USB-C charging ports simply cannot stay in place and fall right out of the wall because they’re too heavy. After one (totally pleasant) vacation where I had to charge my phone, watch, AirPods, and laptop in a weird corner of my room with the plug-in charging hub propped up on a strategically balanced mountain of books and sham pillows, I bought this Anker combination extension cord / power strip. It’s not a full power strip — just a cube with a few sockets along with USB and USB-C charging ports at the end of a five-foot cable. I’ve brought it on a few trips since then. It takes up extra space in my suitcase but each time has left me feeling vindicated about the purchase.
The three prongs at the end of the cable are static, rather than folding flat for easy packing. This is key because the loose sockets of older buildings reject the beautiful convenience of folding prongs. There are more than enough sockets for one person, and with some finagling (and maybe an extra charging brick), it can accommodate two people’s devices.
If you’re traveling overseas, don’t forget to purchase a different plug type. — Sarah Jeong, deputy features editor
$39
Meross makes a handy add-on that can transform a variety of garage door models into smart doors that you can open remotely. It works with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings.
Most of the things I own are, frankly, just unreliable enough to be annoying. All except for one or two, and of those, the one I love most of all is the Meross Smart Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener for HomeKit. And my love for it isn’t just about its rock-solid performance — it’s because, as far as I can tell, it’s compatible with almost any garage door opener on the market and across time itself. I don’t think that’s an exaggeration, either. The chunky mustard yellow all-metal box that cranks my garage door open — the Model 455 by Automatic Doorman — was made, by my loose estimation, sometime between the fall of Rome and 1975.
But Meross’ adapter was $30 — and to my amazement, after a very simple installation, it worked and continues to do so almost every time I need it to. Best of all, I don’t have to carry the chunky remote with me on my bike when I leave because I can just talk into my Apple Watch when I return and coast right in. — Wes Davis, weekend editor
$236
Sony’s WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones still offer plenty of bang for your buck with excellent ANC, lively sound, and lengthy battery life. They’re not the company’s latest, but they remain an excellent buy.
I spend the workday at my Vox laptop, a MacBook Pro, with a few accessories, including a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones that my colleague Chris Welch reviewed. — Adi Robertson, senior reporter
$40
Hoto’s electric screwdriver is perfect for making small- to medium-sized repairs around the house. In addition to a USB-C port, the screwdriver comes with a magnetic case and 25 steel bits.
I picked up Hoto’s electric screwdriver because my former boss at The Verge, Dan Seifert, would often pitch it around gift guide season. I’m glad I did, though, because it now sits alongside a handful of tools I use on an almost weekly basis. I wouldn’t suggest using it for real household projects that require some serious torque, but it’s incredibly handy for tightening the legs on my desk, assembling furniture, and making sure my bike seat isn’t going to come off mid-ride. It’s also equipped with a USB-C port for charging, a nifty LED light that lets you ditch the headlamp, and a case for housing the 25 steel bits. Oh, and it really does make for a great little gift. I guess Dan was right. — Brandon Widder, senior commerce editor
$48
A fantastic silent linear mechanical switch for Cherry MX-compatible keyboards. Islets are smooth and quiet, with a long spring that gives them a top-heavy, almost tactile force curve. They’re 3-pin switches, so they work with most hot-swappable mechanical keyboards that take 3- or 5-pin switches.
These are my current favorite switches. The Kailh Deep-Sea Silent Pro Islets are nearly identical to the fantastic switches in the HHKB Studio, just much less expensive. The Islets are silent linear switches, with an extra-long spring, so the actuation force curve is strongest right at the beginning and then smooth the rest of the way, giving them an almost Topre-like tactile sensation. (Pitchforks down; I said almost.) They’re an instant upgrade for any hot-swappable keyboard that takes Cherry MX-compatible switches, and I’ve been using them as my daily drivers for a while. There’s also a tactile version, which I don’t like as much. Sorry to the Kailh Whales. — Nathan Edwards, senior reviews editor
When it comes to working out or just hanging outside, the perks of bone conduction headphones versus over-ear headphones or earbuds are growing. They’ve always been the safer alternative since they don’t obstruct your hearing, but with the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, they now actually sound good. Thanks to its USB-C charging (in place of the proprietary charger that its predecessor used), more bass, fewer audible vibrations, and AI-powered noise cancellation, it’s easier than ever to recommend them to more people — especially since they’re $30 off during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale.
Shokz has given the OpenRun Pro 2 a small, but welcome 17 percent discount, making them $149.95 in either the black or silver color schemes at Amazon. If you want the orange color, you’ll have to head to B&H Photo or Shokz’ official site. Even though this model has been available since August 2024, this is the first time it’s been discounted.
The Scooby gang will be taking on a new era of ghost hunting mysteries in an upcoming Scooby-Doo series at Netflix from Josh Applebaum and Scott Rosenberg (writers of the recent Jumanji films). The eight-episode series will be a Berlanti Productions reboot of the iconic Hanna-Barbera cartoon about those meddling kids getting into spooky hijinks—with the help of the goodest crime-sniffing boy, Scooby. Sure, he’s primarily snack-oriented, but we all grew up knowing that whenever there’s a case of seemingly supernatural suspicion, the gang would get to the bottom of it.
Following the live-action footsteps of James Gunn and Raja Gosnell’s early 2000s Scooby-Doo films, the upcoming Netflix show will explore a 21st century version of Mystery Inc. Netflix’s press release describes the show as “a modern reimagining of the iconic mystery-solving group of teens and their very special dog.”
It’s a project that makes sense for the streamer behind the similarly supernatural live-action series Wednesday. Netflix’s release also gave some insight into how these new versions of Shaggy, Daphne, Velma, and Fred will get swept up into the life of crime solving: “During their final summer at camp, old friends Shaggy and Daphne get embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder. Together with the pragmatic and scientific townie, Velma, and the strange, but ever so handsome new kid, Freddy, they set out to solve the case that is pulling each of them into a creepy nightmare that threatens to expose all of their secrets.”
A Scooby-Doo live-action series is coming to Netflix!
In this modern reimagining, old friends Shaggy and Daphne team up at summer camp with scientific townie Velma and the strange but handsome Fred to solve the mystery of a lonely lost Great Dane puppy — who may have witnessed a… pic.twitter.com/zNipea5gz6
The Warner Bros. Television and Netflix collaboration with executive producer Berlanti makes sense; the mind behind a whole slate of CW hits continues to produce YA content, and this one is especially close to his heart. “One of my first and favorite jobs in Hollywood was sitting with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera while they signed animation cells,” he said. “Josh and Scott and everyone at Midnight Radio have crafted a story that captures their amazing spirits and their genius creation. We are grateful to them and everyone at Warners and Netflix for the partnership in helping bring this iteration of Scooby-Doo to life!”
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
A foldable phone isn’t for the faint of heart. They’re generally heavier, pricier, and have less capable cameras than a standard slab-style phone. And while they’re far less fragile than when they first debuted, foldables are still susceptible to the kind of damage a regular smartphone can shrug off. You really don’t want any dust getting in that hinge. But if you’re an adventurous sort of gadget lover, then a folding phone is a rewarding investment.
There are basically two kinds of foldables at the moment — the kind that fold like books and the ones that fold clamshell style, like your old flip phone. Here’s how I think of it: a book-style foldable is like a phone plus a tablet, and a flip-style foldable is a phone plus a smartwatch. The book foldables provide an outer screen for all your regular phone needs, and then a tablet-like inner screen when you want, well, more screen. Flip phones come with a smaller secondary display on the outer panel that’s useful for checking information quickly. When you need to do regular phone stuff, you unfold it.
What I’m looking for
There’s no shortcut to properly testing a phone; I put my personal SIM card (physical or otherwise) in each phone I review and live with it for a minimum of one full week. I set up each phone from scratch, load it up with my apps, and go about living my life — stress testing the battery, using GPS navigation on my bike while streaming radio, taking rapid-fire portrait mode photos of my kid — everything I can throw at it. Starting over with a new phone every week either sounds like a dream or your personal hell, depending on how Into Phones you are. For me, switching has become so routine that it’s mostly painless.
The phones listed here have powerful processors and enough RAM to keep up for years, so it’s fair to expect more than a handful of OS updates throughout the life of your phone. Four years of new OS versions and five years of security updates is a healthy benchmark for this class, and many of the phones here meet or exceed that standard.
Most phone cameras can perform well in good lighting conditions, from the flagship class down to $300 budget phones. The devices listed here offer a little something extra, like a useful telephoto lens, a great portrait mode, or impressive low-light shooting — and many include all three. Stabilization for the main camera unit to help in low light is a must in this category.
An IPX8 rating has become standard for foldables, meaning they can survive full water immersion. But X stands for “not dustproof,” and no folding phone maker has figured out how to fully protect these devices from dust yet — what with the moving parts and all. Devices with an IP48 rating aren’t dustproof either; they’re only rated to withstand solid particles 1mm or bigger, which is larger than dust.
In addition to the best devices at any price, I look for phones that offer the best mix of must-have features for good prices. That might lead to a recommendation of a lower-tier model if it’s particularly feature-rich for its price or last year’s model if it’s still sold new and this year’s device doesn’t offer many upgrades.
So while they all fit in one category of folding tech, they’re suited to two very different kinds of people — someone who wants even more phone with their phone and someone who wants to be fully immersed a little less. Whichever category you fit into, you’d be wise to get the manufacturer’s extended warranty with your purchase; fixes can be expensive, and you won’t be able to walk into just any phone repair shop to get them. If you don’t opt for the warranty, you’ll want to be sure you can comfortably afford to replace your phone in the event of a sudden sand-related catastrophe. Death can come swiftly to a folding screen.
If I haven’t scared you off by this point, then you’re probably the kind of person who will have a heck of a good time with a foldable. I’ve used every phone under the sun, and folding phones are some of my favorite gadgets. Run four apps at once! Prop it up like a tiny laptop! Hold it like a camcorder when you shoot video! There are tons of possibilities, and the thrill you get when you fold your phone shut never fully wears off.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is only Google’s second folding phone, but it’s more refined than you might expect from a sophomore effort. Where the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6’s long and narrow outer screen suffers from Remote Control Syndrome, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels like an ideal form factor. The outer screen matches the dimensions of a regular phone, and the whole package is light enough that you can sometimes forget you’re holding a phone that folds in half.
There are some shortcomings. Like other folding phones, the 9 Pro Fold has a slightly downgraded camera system compared to its slab-style siblings. You still get a good 48-megapixel main and a 5x optical zoom, but don’t expect to be able to push it too hard in dim lighting. And like other foldables, there’s no formal dust resistance; just IPX8 resistance to full water immersion. Google’s multitasking software isn’t as flexible as Samsung’s either, and you can fit two apps side-by-side on the screen rather than the Z Fold 6’s anything-goes approach.
It’s not perfect, but no folding phone is. The hardware matters a lot on a device like this, and Google got the hardware very right with the 9 Pro Fold.
Boring isn’t always better, but in the case of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 versus the Motorola Razr Plus, I think boring wins the day. The Flip 6 lacks some of the imaginative UI touches you can get on Motorola’s flip phone, and the file folder-shaped outer screen feels more cramped than Motorola’s approach to fill the space — minus camera lenses, of course. But it’s more reliable, is scheduled to get seven years of software updates, and Samsung’s extended warranty offers good coverage for that extra peace of mind. Not the most titillating stuff, but it matters.
As you might guess from the name, the Flip 6 is far from Samsung’s first flip-phone rodeo. It comes with some thoughtful updates, like a true always-on display for the cover screen and a tweaked UI for adding widgets more easily. The cameras are good, though far from the best you can get for $1100, and the battery goes all day. Its IP48 rating means there’s some protection from small particles, but dust is still a concern. Power users will need to download Good Lock to get the most out of the cover screen, but it’s perfectly capable out of the box for someone less adventurous. A bit boring? Yes, but that’s okay.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
The foldable that’s the most fun
$900
The Good
IPX8 rating for full water resistance
Bigger cover screen with much-improved UI
Good battery life
The Bad
Only four years of software support
Vegan suede on hot pink model susceptible to scratches
Motorola’s foldable leans into the Razr nostalgia, from the name to a bright pink finish (it comes in other colors, too). But this isn’t the flip phone you carried around in 2004; it’s a modern take on an old favorite, and a good one. The cover screen fills the entire front panel with two camera cutouts, taking advantage of every square millimeter of space. The result is an experience that you can easily bend to your wishes, whether you want to glance at walking directions or type out a quick text without opening your phone. It’s a powerful tool if you’re willing to put up with the inherent wonkiness of a very small screen.
With the phone open, you also have a perfectly adequate flagship Android phone, but a few things stop me from recommending it as the best flip phone, full stop. Camera processing is inconsistent: images can look weirdly low in contrast, and portrait mode is uninspiring. Motorola offers three years of OS upgrades, plus an additional year of security patches, which is okay. But the company has a reputation for releasing upgrades slowly — Samsung offers a better track record for speed and more years of OS upgrades. It’s not the best all-around pick, but it sure is a fun time.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is an excellent foldable in its own right. It has a top-notch Qualcomm processor, full water resistance, and a reliable camera system. It uses a tall-and-skinny form factor for the outer screen that I’ve never been able to get quite comfortable with, so it’s not my pick for the best overall book-style foldable, but it excels in one aspect where other devices fall short: multitasking.
Samsung, as usual, embraces chaos in the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s interface, to the device’s advantage. You want to run apps? How about three of ‘em on the same screen? Plus a little floating window you can plop down in the middle? Go for it. Other foldables allow multitasking to some degree, but none are as permissive as Samsung’s.
You can easily resize apps running on the inner screen, move them around, and save them so you can return to that combination later. Oppo (and by extension, OnePlus) offers a well-regarded UI that also allows you to use three apps — either all at once or with one minimized to the side to be quickly pulled back onscreen. Lots of people prefer it, and if your brain craves order more than chaos then it might be the better option. But there’s nothing quite like the experience that the Z Fold 6 offers on any other phone.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review.
The best “I can’t believe it’s this thin” foldable
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: if you live in the US or Europe, you can’t buy the Oppo Find N5. That rules out, well, a lot of us. But if you live in China, Singapore, or any of the other Asian countries Oppo included in its so-called “global” release, then you’re in luck: you can pick up the world’s thinnest book-style folding phone, and the rest of us are all very jealous of you.
The Find N5 isn’t all about thinness. Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is highly capable, the phone is fully water-resistant, and battery life is excellent. But let’s be real, its uniquely thin profile is the big selling point. It’s hard to overstate how slim it is: just barely thicker than a standard slab-style phone, and only slightly heavier. That matters when you’re using the phone via the cover screen for long periods of time or stashing it in the side pocket of your yoga pants. When a foldable is only about as heavy and bulky as a regular phone, using the inner screen feels like getting away with something fantastic — not a benefit you have to make many other sacrifices for. Oppo delivers this in spades, and I just wish more of us could… find it.
Read our full Oppo Find N5 review.
Other foldables to consider
The OnePlus Open strikes a great balance in its form factor and offers a clever UI for multitasking that has won plenty of fans since it debuted. But the phone lacks wireless charging and full water resistance — it’s only splash-resistant — and OnePlus’ software support policy isn’t as strong as Google and Samsung’s.
The regular Motorola Razr 2024 is a good option if you’re interested in a flip phone but don’t want to pay $1,000 for one. The cover screen is a bit smaller, but it’s still spacious enough to do most of the things you can use the Razr Plus for. Complaints about Motorola’s slow software rollouts still apply here, though.
Finally, the Huawei Mate XT gets an honorable mention on its sheer wow factor alone. The “trifold” phone — as it’s been dubbed — contains three screen segments and two hinges, putting it in a category of its own right now. It’s only available in China and a few other countries that don’t include the US or the UK, and it’s monstrously expensive at €3,499. But it’s cool as heck and may be a sign of things to come from other manufacturers.
Samsung just released a spate of new QLED TVs, after teasing the lineup at CES. The Neo QLED line is the first to feature the company’s Vision AI platform. This allows for new personalization and optimization features. You can pick one up right now, but you might want to open up a line of credit first. The most budget-friendly model is the 55-inch Class Neo QLED 4K QN80F, which comes in at $1,300.
As for 4K models, prices balloon all the way up to $15,000 for the top-of-the-line 98-inch Class Neo QLED 4K QN90F. Samsung also just released some 8K smart TVs with Vision AI. The pricing here starts at $3,300 for a 65-inch model and goes up to $5,300 for the 85-inch version.
If you need a high-end soundbar to go with that brand new TV, Samsung has got you covered. The company just announced availability for two new soundbar systems. The flagship HW-Q990F costs $1,800 and the HW-Q800F clocks in at $1,000. Both come with the company’s redesigned subwoofer, but the Q990F also includes a pair of rear speakers.
Samsung
They support wireless Dolby Atmos technology, so the cable clutter can go the way of the dodo. All of these products are available right now from Samsung or via third-party retailers.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsung-neo-qled-tvs-are-now-available-with-prices-starting-at-1300-184437768.html?src=rss
#Samsung #Neo #QLED #TVs #prices #starting
The DC Circuit Court of Appeals has blocked Apple’s efforts to intervene in the federal antitrust trial against Google that jeopardizes Apple’s lucrative search exclusivity deal, Ars Technica reports. In February, US District Court Judge Amit Mehta had already denied Apple’s request to take a limited role in the remedies phase of the Google Search monopoly hearing.
The latest ruling upholds Judge Mehta’s decision that Apple simply took too long to file its request, according to MediaDailyNews. Apple had filed a motion to intervene in the trial on December 23rd for a case that started in 2020. With Apple’s efforts to protect its search deal with Google hanging in the balance, the company will have to settle for briefs outside the hearing to share its concerns. The arrangement in which Apple continues to set Google as the default search engine on iPhones was reportedly worth $18 billion in 2021 and $20 billion in 2022. At the judge’s order on Apple’s motion in January, Google had not taken a position on whether Apple should participate.
One of Apple’s concerns mentioned in its motion to intervene in December was that it didn’t want to lose the ability to “reach other arrangements with Google.” However, earlier this month, the Justice Department made changes to the proposed final judgment that include letting Google pay Apple for services that aren’t related to search.
The Department of Justice won its antitrust case against Google last year, finding the company maintains a monopoly on search and advertising. Now, the court is about to determine remedies against Google, which includes the DOJ’s recommendation that the company divest from its Chrome browser and make changes to its Android business.
In a case of product synergy no one asked for, you can now control Samsung’s 2025 line of televisions with the company’s smartwatches. Yep, for those cases where your remote goes M.I.A. to the Isle of Lost Things, you can still watch the latest episode of Daredevil: Born Again or The Residence but you will need an a Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 or Galaxy Watch Ultra…and a brand new Samsung TV. I recently had the opportunity to try out the new technology with the Samsung Neo QLED 4K (QN90F), one of the company’s newest flagship televisions and while it takes some getting used to, it works fairly well.
For my demo, I donned the Galaxy Watch Ultra, where I controlled the QN90F via a series of gesture controls and strategic arm movements. A cursor appears when the TV and smartwatch are connected that can be used like a cursor by moving your arm around. Think of a one-man Hokey-Pokey session and you have a picture of what I looked like. In order to select something like a streaming service, you simply hover over the desired icon and pinch your fingers together. It’s actually more responsive than I expected. When I wanted to exit a show, I made a fist and when I needed to access the home screen I did it twice. To scroll, I ran my ringer along the interior of the watch bezel.
Connecting the Watch Ultra to the QN90F is a little counterintuitive as you have to disable the Universal Gestures on the watch. From there, you need to shake your wrist until a message pops up on the TV informing you the devices are connected. Simultaneously, a Pointer Mode prompt appears on the watch and you’re ready to go. You can also adjust the volume via the watch which is cool in a pinch.
While the watch controls work as advertised, they can also need a little help. For instance, I hate seeing the cursor and the scroll bar when I’m watching a YouTube video. Usually, all you have to do is stop moving the mouse and those distracting elements will disappear, especially on a screen as pretty as the QN90F’s. But what happens when the pointer is connected to your arm? I never really thought about how much I fidgeted around until I had to focus on keeping my arm still to get rid of the mouse.
A couple of other things that need some tweaking are the precision and hit boxes. Using your arm to navigate is fine for larger, sweeping movements, but when it comes to smaller movements like hovering over the play/pause button in YouTube or grabbing and dragging the cursor in the progress bar can be a hassle. Also, I really want a way to adjust the scroll speed on the bezel control because if you’re not very deliberate with how you move your finger along that bezel, you can zoom past whatever you’re looking for at breakneck speed which is no bueno.
Overall, using your smartwatch is a cool gimmick, but I’m not sure if there’s enough there to move it into must-have tech feature. To really be viable, I think there’d have to be a way to input channels or at least switch to your favorite channels, but that’s asking a lot of a relatively tiny screen designed to tell time and track your exercise.
