Tech Talk

Google is no longer selling its landmark Pixel 3 and 3 XL phones, the company confirmed with Android Police. If you enter the old Pixel 3 listing you'll get the home page instead and it no longer appears in the product carousel. Meanwhile, the carrier/configuration section shows the devices as "out of stock." A Google spokesperson confirmed the changes with Android Police, saying its online store has sold out its entire inventory of Pixel 3 devices. The only phones you can find now are the 5.7-inch Pixel 4 for $799 and the $899 Pixel 4 XL. The Pixel 3 and 3 XL were key phones for Google, introducing its new camera technology like Night Sight, Top Shot and Photobooth. Despite a few flaws, it produced the best smartphone photos around when it launched in 2017. While these devices have effectively been put out to pasture, users should still get Android updates for the foreseeable future. Source: https://ift.tt/3dE8E2p

Thousands of users took to Twitter over the weekend with complaints of attempted hacking. What you need to know Popular video-calling app Houseparty is offering a $1 million bounty to anyone who can prove it has been hit by a paid smear campaign. That's after countless Twitter users took to the service claiming the app had lead to other online accounts being hacked. Services such as Netflix, eBay, Instagram, and Spotify were all reportedly compromised. Houseparty is offering a $1 million to anyone who can provide evidence that it has been targeted by a paid commercial smear campaign after thousands of accusations that the app had compromised user accounts for other services appeared on Twitter. As we reported yesterday , hundreds of users took to Twitter over the weekend to suggest that since downloading the Houseparty app, the security of their other internet accounts for services like Netflix, Spotify and Instagram had been compromised. From that report: There are a

A teardown of the P40 Pro has revealed that Huawei is using components made by U.S. companies. What you need to know A Huawei P40 Pro teardown by the Financial Times found that the phone still features hardware from U.S. entities. The device has RF front-end modules and antennas from Qualcomm, Skyworks, and Qorvo. At this point, it isn't clear if Skyworks and Qorvo secured licenses to supply the parts to Huawei. Huawei's inclusion in the U.S. Entity List means it is not allowed to do any business with U.S. companies, and the Chinese manufacturer's latest phones in the P40 series lack Google services as a result. The ban also extends to the hardware, with Huawei banned from using any hardware components made by U.S. companies. However, as the Financial Times discovered, that isn't the case on the P40 Pro. The publication commissioned a teardown of the P40 Pro (paywall) and found that the phone features RF front-end modules and antennas from three U.S. ent

The earbuds come in black, blue, and silver color variants. What you need to know Samsung's new AKG N400 true wireless earbuds bring active noise cancellation and IPX7 water resistance. The earbuds are claimed to provide up to 6 hours of playtime, while the charging case can get you additional 6 hours. They are currently listed on Samsung Korea's website for KRW 230,000 ($189). Late last year, a few rumors had claimed that Samsung's Galaxy Buds+ true wireless earbuds would come equipped with active noise cancellation to take on Apple's AirPods Pro . Sadly, however, those rumors didn't pan out. While Samsung's Galaxy Buds+ cannot quite compete with the AirPods Pro, its AKG brand has now unveiled a pair of true wireless earbuds that not only offer active noise cancellation but are also water resistant. n terms of battery life, the product page on Samsung's Korea website claims the earbuds can provide up to 6 hours of playtime on a single charge.

Chinese e-commerce firm Pinduoduo said on Tuesday it had raised $1.1 billion in a private share placement that will enable its further expansion and allow it to capture “additional opportunities” during the times of uncertainty. The Nasdaq-listed firm said some of its long-term investors financed the deal. The investors were granted newly issued Class A ordinary shares of Pinduoduo representing approximately 2.8% of the company’s total outstanding shares. The capital raise comes weeks after the Shanghai-based company said it was bracing for losses due to the coronavirus outbreak. The firm’s fourth-quarter revenue growth fell short of expectations. Pinduoduo, which competes with giant Alibaba, has grown rapidly in recent years after gamifying the shopping experience that allows customers to team up to buy anything from smartphones to fruits. But the firm’s marketing — promotions and discount coupons — has also widened its losses. In Q4 2019, Pinduoduo reported a loss of about $250

Back in January, Lucid Motors announced that it's finally unveiling the production model of its electric sedan in April three years after it was first revealed. The company was supposed to launch the car next week at the New York Auto Show, but the e... Source: https://ift.tt/2UN8aOO

Thousands of users took to Twitter over the weekend with complaints of attempted hacking. What you need to know Popular video-calling app Houseparty is offering a $1 million bounty to anyone who can prove it has been hit by a paid smear campaign. That's after countless Twitter users took to the service claiming the app had lead to other online accounts being hacked. Services such as Netflix, eBay, Instagram, and Spotify were all reportedly compromised. Houseparty is offering a $1 million to anyone who can provide evidence that it has been targeted by a paid commercial smear campaign after thousands of accusations that the app had compromised user accounts for other services appeared on Twitter. As we reported yesterday , hundreds of users took to Twitter over the weekend to suggest that since downloading the Houseparty app, the security of their other internet accounts for services like Netflix, Spotify and Instagram had been compromised. From that report: There are a

Synology is providing free perpetual licenses to its VPN Plus service until September 30. What you need to know Synology is making VPN Plus licenses free until September 30 to facilitate small businesses working from home. VPN Plus lets Synology routers create a VPN server that can be used on phones and other devices. The company is celebrating World Backup Day by giving away $7,000 worth of NAS enclosures and storage devices. Synology is offering free perpetual licenses to its VPN Plus service to make it easier for small businesses to work from home. VPN Plus is a service that runs on Synology's routers — the RT1900ac, RT2600ac, and MR2200ac — and lets users set up a custom VPN server. VPN Plus works with a host of VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, WebVPN, SSL, SSTP, and PPTP. Synology is giving away free licenses starting April 6 until September 30, and all licenses redeemed during this time will be perpetual and won't incur any additional costs afte

A new UC San Francisco initiative will give you a way to help advance our understanding of the coronavirus pandemic, even if you're not a scientist or a medical professional. The COVID-19 Citizen Science project welcomes contributions from anyone ove... Source: https://ift.tt/3bCIMBX

French startup Qarnot has raised a $6.5 million (€6 million) funding round. The company manufactures heaters and boilers with a special trick — they pack computers as computers tend to generate a lot of heat. Qarnot then lets companies leverage that computing power by running tasks on those unusual servers. Banque des Territoires, Caisse des Dépôts, Engie Rassembleur d'Énergies, A/O PropTech and Groupe Casino are participating in today’s funding round. When you design a data center, you transform electricity into computing resources and heat. Data centers always have to find clever new ways to get rid of heat with powerful cooling mechanisms. Qarnot is designing alternative data centers by taking advantage of heat instead of fighting heat. The company first started with computing heaters , an electrical heater with a server. The company sells those devices to construction companies looking for heaters for their new buildings. People living or working in those buildings can

If you're launching a new product, you normally want to put on a show with a sprinkling of razzle and plenty of dazzle. That means getting journalists and fans into a big room, trotting out your wares and letting everyone play with the new toys. Unfo... Source: https://ift.tt/2UtlEjC

California's most famous family is back and we'll show you how to watch all the drama online If you're looking for something to keep you entertained while stuck at home, then you're in luck as one of the longest running reality TV shows, Keeping Up With The Kardashians (KUWTK), is back for its 18th season and we'll show you exactly how to watch every episode online or on TV from anywhere in the world. Whether you're a long-time fan or haven't even watched the show, you've probably heard about the drama and antics of the Kardashian family. Back in 2007, Kourtney, Kim and Khloé Kardashian along with their half-sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner first appeared in their own reality TV show. The show, which was developed by executive producer Ryan Seacrest, has kept fans of the family entertained for years now and Season 18 looks to be packed with the drama and conflict you've come to expect from the Kardashians. Season 17 of KUWTK ended with Kourtne

The NBA already has an official esports league with various teams represented, but with the live basketball season on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, it's reportedly about to put real NBA players on the sticks. Yahoo Sports reporter Chris Hay... Source: https://ift.tt/2QXqbc0

Let's see what the other games are. What you need to know Xbox Live Gold grants you access to multiplayer and free games. Project CARS 2 and Fable Anniversary are now available for free. It's unclear what the other free games for April are because Microsoft hasn't announced them yet. Xbox Live Gold is part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate . Microsoft hasn't revealed the Xbox Live Games with Gold for April 2020, but it seems like they're already available for download. Today, many gamers on Reddit and Twitter noticed that Project CARS 2 and Fable Anniversary were free with the service. You can download them right now through the Microsoft Store in a browser or your console. According to Slightly Mad Studios, Project CARS 2 is the thrill of intense racing action in beautiful cars at stunning venues. Authentic and intuitive handling, truly dynamic weather, and a wealth of game modes delivers racing fun for everyone. According to Microsoft, Fable pioneered ever

AT&T is still expanding its offerings to keep people online during the COVID-19 outbreak. Between April 2nd and May 13t, it's adding an extra 15GB of mobile hotspot data to every line on unlimited plans that have a monthly tethering allowance.... Source: https://ift.tt/2WUAJMM

The Los Angeles-based digital challenger bank, HMBradley , opened its virtual doors to the public today, allowing the thousands of waitlisted would-be users to set up direct deposits and collect their sign-up bonuses. The company is offering banking customers an up to 3% return on their savings based on the percentage they save of their quarterly deposits. HMBradley also set up a new feature which allows users to save towards specific goals. Backed by PayPal founder Max Levchin’s HVF Labs, along with Walkabout Ventures, Mucker Capital, Index Ventures, and Accomplice, to the tune of $3.5 million, HMBradley was designed to benefit savers, the company said. Account holders with balances up to $100,000 can receive up to 3% annual percentage yields on their accounts. These account holders qualify by receiving one direct deposit and saving at least 5% of the total amount deposited in an account monthly. HMBradley accounts are held through Hatch Bank, which is FDIC insured. To qualif

For G Suite Users Google Hangouts Meet Starting at $6 per month/per user at Google Pros Works on all platforms Send files and images through chat Share screen features No extra charge for all-ins Cons G Suite account required to be an organizer Mac users may be dropped during meetings Google Hangouts Meets is simple to use and allows employees to easily connect across time zones. It's compatible with most devices and has packages that allow live-streaming of meetings and events. For Office 365 Users Skype for Business Starting at $2 per month/per user at Microsoft Pros Compatible with both Mac and Windows Use chat to send and receive files Share your screen for interactive presentations Background blur Cons Some tools only available to those inside the U.S. Extra charge for call-in participants This video conferencing program has collaboration tools including a virtual whiteboard and has background blur capabilities. It integrates with Outlook t

Facebook has diverted from its policy of not fact-checking politicians in order to prevent the spread of potentially harmful coronavirus misinformation from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Facebook made the decisive choice to remove a video shared by Bolsonaro on Sunday where he claimed that “hydroxychloroquine is working in all places.” That’s despite the drug still undergoing testing to determine its effectiveness for treating COVID-19, which researchers and health authorities have not confirmed. “We remove content on Facebook and Instagram that violates our Community Standards, which do not allow misinformation that could lead to physical harm” a Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch. Facebook specifically prohibits false claims regarding cure, treatments, the availability of essential services, and the location or intensity of contagion outbreaks. BBC News Brazil first reported the takedown today in Portuguese. In the removed video , Bolsonaro had been speaking to a stree

Get the headlines right on your desktop. What you need to know Microsoft News Bar is a new app available from the Microsoft Store. The app adds a news ticker directly to your desktop with links to the latest headlines. Microsoft News Bar is available in beta now for anyone to test. Microsoft launched a new app for newshounds on the Microsoft Store today, dubbed Microsoft News Bar . The app is essentially a persistent news ticker for your desktop, serving up the latest headlines as they happen. There's also a fair bit of customization to get the right fit for your desktop setup. On launch, News Bar takes up a portion of the right side of your screen with a list of images for each news story. Hovering over each image will give you a preview of the story's headline and a bit of text. If you see something you want to read further, you can click through to open the full story in your browser. Microsoft's News Bar (beta) is an interesting idea. Could also be an anxi

Building on the AI-generated Get Up! Mix the company unveiled last week, Apple is now adding a new section to Apple Music called Come Together that features a variety of playlists designed to help you get through long days stuck inside. In all, there... Source: https://ift.tt/2JnAhih

There are a few things you can do to get better wireless performance from your router. If you're working from home for the first time, it can be a lot to get used to. It's easy to feel isolated and overwhelmed, and the last thing you want to deal with is an unreliable internet connection. A stable Wi-Fi signal is an absolute necessity when you're working from home, and it's particularly infuriating when you're in the middle of a video call and your router decides to glitch out. Facing issues with your router or aren't getting the bandwidth you're paying for? There are a few things you can do to make things better. Let's get started. See if you're actually getting the advertised speeds Before we begin, the first thing you should do is see what sort of bandwidth you're actually getting from your router. Go to a site like Fast.com , measure the bandwidth, and see if it lines up with what you should get. Fast is owned by Netflix, and is a g

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson is partnering with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to fund over $1 billion in COVID-19 vaccine and antiviral treatment research and development , the company said on Monday. The partnership is an expansion of an existing agreement between BARDA and J&J’s Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies division. With the agreement, the company is setting a goal of providing a global supply of more than one billion doses of the vaccine, which J&J expects to have in clinical trials by September 2020 at the latest. The first batches of the vaccine may be available for emergency use by early 2021, the company said. BARDA’s partnership with J&J encompasses research and development of potential antiviral treatments in addition to the work that’s being done to develop a vaccine for the disease. Those efforts include development work J&J and BARDA are conducting with t