HP’s Spectre x360 packs a 4K display if you want it
Despite shaving off more than a tenth of the computer, HP was able to build better cooling and thermals into the device. If you weren't a fan of the lineup's two-tone "Nightfall Black" and "Poseidon Blue" color options, the good news is that HP will offer the new model in a simpler "Natural Silver" color variant (pictured above). For the privacy-minded, there's also a new kill switch on the side of the computer that cuts power to the webcam.
Internally, the x360 includes Intel's latest 10th generation Core i5 and Core i7 processors. You can now also equip the computer with a new 4K AMOLED display that maxes out at a bright 400nits. The 4K display also includes DCI-P3 wide color gamut coverage, making it ideal for editing photos and video, as well as support for VESA's new True Black HDR format. If HDR wasn't already complicated enough on PCs, True Black HDR is technically a step below HDR 10 and Dolby Vision, but should still make games and video content look better. Complimenting the 4K display is an anti-reflection coating that HP says makes the screen more useable outside.
HP has also updated the X360's LTE and WiFi modems. They're now Cat 16 and WiFi 6 capable, which should lead to faster connectivity if you can find compatible networks. Moreover, the LTE modem comes standard with the computer, instead of being an optional add-on. As before, HP claims you can get 22 hours of battery life of its laptop. While it's likely to fall short of that mark, with fast charging the X360's battery is able to get back up to a 50 percent charge in 30 minutes.
The new 13-inch Spectre x360 convertible laptop will be available in October, starting at $1,099 for the base model with Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. You'll have to pay a $400 premium to get the top-end model with 4K AMOLED display. Upgrading to the more expensive model also nets you a Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD that's complemented by a 32GB Intel Optane memory module. Best Buy will also carry the laptop when it becomes available later this fall.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/30/hp-spectre-x360-13-inch-2019/
EA vows to fix FIFA 20’s broken Career Mode
The level of progress for each fix varies. EA has pinned down solutions for the UEFA league and player editing bugs, but it's more often "investigating a fix" or looking for feedback. It's not certain when you can expect patches.
The company also plans to refine the Squad Building interface in Ultimate Team tweak some on-the-field gameplay elements, including skill moves that don't always register and goalkeeper responses. Some supposed flaws, however, are conscious design choices -- headers and pass-based clearances were made less effective to encourage "skill differentiation" and ensure that most goals are scored due to direct player actions.
While it's not clear just how FIFA 20 ended up in such a state, it's not completely unexpected. EA's sports game developers are under pressure to release a new game every year, usually around the same time. That doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room if a title isn't quite ready, even if early access players pinpoint issues.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/30/ea-to-fix-fifa-20-career-mode/
Spotify users can add podcasts to playlists
Today is International Podcast Day and to mark the occasion, Spotify is rolling out a new feature. You can now add podcasts to playlists. You'll be able to intersperse your favorite shows with songs you love, or just line up the latest episodes of all your podcasts so you can listen to them one after another seamlessly. However, you can only add podcasts to playlists through Spotify's mobile app -- you can't do so on desktop just yet, for some reason.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/30/spotify-podcast-playlists/
UK police auction TalkTalk hacker’s cryptocurrency
This is believed to be the first auction of this kind by UK police. The money raised will go toward fighting crime. It's also meant to show that there's no place to hide criminal assets, one officer said.
This isn't Gunton's first run-in with the law. He played a key role in the 2015 TalkTalk breach that leaked 156,959 customers' personal details. In 2016, he was sentenced to a 12-month youth rehabilitation order. As The Guardian reported at the time, that sentence was meant to "draw him from the lonely confines of a bedroom and that lonely world of computing to a family where his knowledge and skills could be put to good use and to project that out to the wider world."
In 2016, Gunton said he wasn't trying to profit from the TalkTalk breach. He was just "showing off." Apparently, he didn't learn his lesson the first time and moved on to full-blown money laundering.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/30/uk-police-auction-talktalk-hacker-cryptocurrency/
Save $330 on a Surface Pro 6 and Type Cover ahead of Microsoft’s event
If 8GB of RAM isn't enough for your needs, you can get the same $200 off any Surface Pro 6 on the Microsoft Store. While Microsoft isn't offering a Type Cover for free, you can still save some money off the accessory by taking advantage of the company's bundle offer. If you buy a Type Cover and a one-year Office 365 subscription at the same time as a new Surface Pro 6, Microsoft will take $30 off the price of the keyboard and $20 off its productivity suite. Whatever route you decide to go, it's a good idea to buy a Type Cover since the Surface Pro is a much better laptop and 2-in-1 than it is a dedicated tablet.
On Wednesday, Microsoft is expected to announce a new Surface Pro model, one that will likely feature a new design with smaller display bezels. If you don't mind missing out on whatever enhancements the new model features, at least $200 off the best 2-in-1 of 2018 is a great deal.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/30/microsoft-surface-pro-6-price-drop/
Atari’s VCS will offer ‘thousands’ of retro games through a subscription
The service also includes a global leaderboard and social challenges, and it'll support both the classic joystick and modern controller. And if you like to play on other platforms, the upgraded collection will be available elsewhere if you have a VCS account.
The VCS edition of Antstream Arcade will cost you. Once your 30-day trial is up, it'll cost you either $10 per month or $96 per year to access the catalog. Yes, that's yet another gaming subscription to maintain. Look at it this way, though: this will give you plenty of game choices right from the start, even if VCS-optimized titles ultimately prove to be uncommon.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/30/atari-vcs-antstream-game-subscription/
YouTube TV is now available on Amazon Fire TV devices
Like many others, YouTube TV aims to replace traditional cable TV services. For $50 per month, you get over 70 live TV channels, including both local broadcast stations and popular cable networks, as well as on-demand programming. Starting today, Amazon supports the app on the 2nd generation Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Cube. Fire TV Edition smart TVs -- including all Toshiba, Insignia, Element and Westinghouse models -- are also compatible. Some older Fire TV models will also run the app, including the 1st generation Fire TV Cube, 2nd generation Fire TV and 3rd generation Fire TV Pendant. 1st generation Fire TV Stick and 1st generation Fire TV users, however, are out of luck.
YouTube TV isn't the only live television service on Fire TV. Free apps like Pluto TV and Red Bull TV, as well as subscription services like PlayStation Vue and Philo, have been available for some time. Amazon's own Prime Video Channels also feature live sports and movie channels. The company recently added a Live TV tab to its Fire TV interface, which consolidates all compatible live services into a centralized user interface for convenient browsing.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/30/youtube-tv-available-fire-tv/
Eco-friendly aluminum batteries might power solar and wind farms
Aluminum batteries still aren't available outside of labs, and you shouldn't expect this breakthrough to be available any time soon. They're still half as energy-dense as lithium-ion cells, and the scientists are busy working on more effective electrolytes and charging systems. If aluminum does reach parity with lithium, however, it could lead to a sea change where renewable energy and electric cars run on more readily available and recyclable materials.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/30/aluminum-batteries-now-more-practical/
Netflix renews ‘Stranger Things’ for a fourth season
Along with the renewal, Netflix said it signed the show's creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, to a multi-year film and series overall deal. "From our first pitch meeting to the release of Stranger Things 3, the entire team at Netflix has been nothing short of sensational, providing us with the kind of support, guidance, and creative freedom we always dreamed about," the brothers said in a statement. "We can't wait to tell many more stories together -- beginning, of course, with a return trip to Hawkins!"
It's not clear when we'll get to catch up with Eleven and the gang for their fourth season. There was a lengthy gap between the second season (October 2017), and the third one, which arrived in July. Some of the Stranger Things cast are also working on other projects, so it remains to be seen when the Duffers will get everyone back together for another trip to Hawkins.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/30/netflix-stranger-things-season-4-duffer-brothers/
Verizon buys Jaunt’s AR and VR technology
Prior to when it moved to focus on augmented reality tech in 2018, Jaunt had been one of the more visible independent companies working in virtual reality. It collaborated with a variety of consumer brands to help them create virtual reality content -- meaning you've likely tried one of the company's VR experiences, even if you not familiar with the name. It also had its own app on Oculus, Vive, PlayStation VR, as well as both iOS and Android.
Today's deal caps off a period of uncertainty for Jaunt. Between 2015 and 2016, the company raised $65 million from Disney and saw then CEO Jens Christensen leave to "move on to his next adventure." This past December, Christensen's replacement, co-founder Arthur van Hoff, also left the startup. In April, he turned up at Apple as a senior architect on an unnamed team.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/30/verizon-buys-jaunts-ar-vr-technology/