Google

Huawei’s Mate X2 foldable adopts Samsung’s dual-screen design

Huawei has announced the Mate X2, its first all-new foldable device since 2019’s Mate X. The new phone has received a radical redesign compared to the original device, with a large screen that unfolds from the inside of the device rather than around the outside. For using the phone while folded, the Huawei Mate X2… Read more

JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam review: The best all-in-one soundbar solution?

(Pocket-lint) – If you’ve got a medium-to-large size telly and want some extra audio grunt then there are plenty of soundbar or soundbase options to choose from. Many are complex and expensive though. The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam, on the other hand, takes a simple approach: it’s an all-in-one box solution – so no fuss… Read more

Google fires second AI ethics researcher following internal investigation

Google has fired Margaret Mitchell, co-lead of the ethical AI team, after she used an automated script to look through her emails in order to find evidence of discrimination against Timnit Gebru. The news was first reported by Axios. Mitchell’s firing comes one day after Google announced a reorganization to its AI teams working on… Read more

After firing a top AI ethicist, Google is changing its diversity and research policies

Google is changing its policies related to research and diversity after completing an internal investigation into the firing of ethical AI team co-leader Timnit Gebru, according to Axios. The company intends to tie the pay of certain executives to diversity and inclusivity goals. It’s also making changes to how sensitive employee exits are managed. Although… Read more

Stacked widgets and a new look for the lock screen may be coming to Android 12

It’s been a big couple of weeks for Android fans. First came the leaks. Then Google officially made its Android 12 developer preview available, allowing curious folks to dig in and see what the company has actually been working on. The past couple of days have brought many discoveries of tweaks and features that Android… Read more

Apple Drags Valve Into Epic Games Dispute Over App Store Policies

Home News (Image credit: Shutterstock) How much information should a legal conflict between Apple and Epic Games reveal about Steam? Apple seems to think the answer is “a lot,” according to a report from PCGamer, but Valve maintains that its platform isn’t directly related to the dispute. The companies made their positions clear in a… Read more

How to stop your emails from being tracked

All of those obnoxious marketing emails that crowd your inbox aren’t just pushing a product. They’re also tracking whether you’ve opened the email, when you opened it, and where you were at the time by using software like MailChimp to embed tracking software into the message. How does it work? A single tracking pixel is… Read more

Braun Audio LE03

Our Verdict Braun’s return to home audio is to be celebrated, but the LE03 isn’t quite on par with any of its past successes For Decent amount of detail Nice midrange Google Assistant Against Harsh treble Boxed-in sound Muddled sound overall Braun bowed out of the home audio market in 1991, but the company has… Read more

Android 12 developer preview feature roundup: improved emergency calls, bigger notifications, and more

The Android 12 developer preview is out, and the internet is busy poring over it to find any new features or hints at the OS’s future. So far, there have been a few interesting things discovered, such as an Emergency SOS feature, some redesigns, and other useful, if minor, finds: The ability to prevent specific… Read more

Older Pixel phones are having serious camera issues, according to owners

Some owners of previous-generation Pixel phones are having serious trouble with their cameras. Android Police has noticed a recent increase in one-star Play Store reviews for the camera app used by the Pixel, with frustrated owners saying the camera often crashes upon opening or no longer works at all. A thread in Google’s Pixel support… Read more

Tech groups are suing to halt Maryland’s new digital services tax

A coalition of tech and business groups have joined together for a lawsuit challenging Maryland’s newly passed digital services tax, as first reported by The Washington Post. The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Maryland, argues the state tax is preempted by federal law and violates various constitutional prohibitions against state taxes on out-of-state… Read more

How to easily install the Android 12 developer preview

Update February 18th, 2:10PM ET: Google released the first of its Android 12 developer previews, so we’ve updated the info in this post to be relevant if you want to install it on your phone. The instructional photos might include a mention of Android 11, but we’ve ensured the steps are still accurate. You can… Read more

Android 12 developer preview is available now with many under-the-hood updates

Google is releasing a developer preview for the next version of Android, Android 12, for Pixel devices today. As is the norm for Google, the very first previews of Android are full of a lot of developer-facing changes. Android 12 has updates to how the OS handles images, video, and future security updates. It’s also… Read more

Apple TV app now available on the latest Google Chromecast

The Apple TV app is now available for Google’s 2020 Chromecast. It was announced in December that Apple’s streaming app, which offers access to its Apple TV Plus originals, would be coming to the awkwardly named Chromecast with Google TV. Starting today, owners of the excellent $50 device can download Apple TV and start using… Read more

Google is restructuring its AI teams after Timnit Gebru’s firing

Google is reorganizing its responsible AI teams in the wake of Timnit Gebru’s firing. The ethical AI team will now roll up to Marian Croak, a prominent Black executive in the engineering department. Croak will also oversee employees focused on engineering fairness products, according to Bloomberg. She will report to Jeff Dean, who leads the… Read more