Sandra Smith
Sandra Smith |
- Google Pixel 3 phones will save transcripts of your screened calls
- Where to get the PlayStation 4 'Spider-Man' bundle on sale for Black Friday
- Samsung's Galaxy S10 sounds like it's gonna be more of everything. That could be a problem.
| Google Pixel 3 phones will save transcripts of your screened calls Posted: 21 Nov 2018 10:51 AM PST  It's dark out, and you're home alone, making popcorn and getting ready to start a movie. Suddenly, the phone rings. It's a number you don't recognize. Could it be an admirer? Or, your mom, out for the night, calling from a borrowed cell phone to say her tire blew, she's stranded, and needs a ride? Potentially, a murdering neighborhood menace calling to tell you he's stopping by? Or, could it possibly be... a robot?  Yes, you have a Pixel 3! You have no need to speak to a caller — whether human, murderer, or robot — if you don't want to. Your phone can answer the call for you, and you'll be able to read the "conversation" in real time, and select a response. You press "Screen Call," and you instantaneously see a message, telling you about a Hawaiian vacation that you've won. Alas, you've been burned before, and know that this is not in fact a Hawaiian vacation: it's spam. So you choose Google's custom response to unsubscribe from the list. And happily go back to your popcorn.  This is it. You're a fighter. You don't have to take this spam, when you've specifically asked to be put on the Do Not Call list! You decide to appeal to the powers that be, the Federal Trade Commission. This caller persists in coming after you with a Hawaiian vacation, when you've specifically told his robot underlings that he is not to call you ever again! But then you realize... you have no proof. Oh, but spam warrior: now you do! Unbeknownst to you, you are one of Google Pixel's beta users, and Google has decided to automatically save transcripts of your screened calls to your call log! This is something Google employee Paul Dunlop told the concerned phone call averse about in a forum, spotted by the good people at Engadget! Praise be! Thank goodness you have the feature already, to nobly fight off the bots. And luckily, other Pixel owners will get the saved transcripts "later this year." Robocalls, be gone. Now, you'll have a record of every attempt to get inside your ear, every screened call, every cast aside Hawaiian vacation. Until next time, robots. |
| Where to get the PlayStation 4 'Spider-Man' bundle on sale for Black Friday Posted: 21 Nov 2018 10:30 AM PST  Black Friday is an ideal time to pick up a new gaming console thanks to the sheer variety of bundles that are on sale. One of our favorites this year is the Spider-Man bundle for PlayStation 4, which is discounted to $199 at a bunch of different stores. Just where will this gaming bundle be on sale, you ask? Keep reading. We've seen the deal cycle in and out of stock all day, but it's obvious that stores are holding inventory and will keep releasing more in the lead up to Black Friday. So whether you're a wannabe web-head or just want a good system, the PlayStation 4 1TB Spider-Man bundle for $199.99 is a deal you'll want to get your hands on. PlayStation 4 1TB Spider-Man bundle at Amazon PlayStation dominates the field when it comes to exclusive gaming releases, and Spider-Man is one of the biggest of 2018. (Seriously, Xbox can't even compare.)   |
| Samsung's Galaxy S10 sounds like it's gonna be more of everything. That could be a problem. Posted: 21 Nov 2018 10:18 AM PST  A whole new year is right around the corner, and you know what that means for Samsung: a new Galaxy phone. As the company prepares to launch its next flagship Galaxy phone (expected to be called the Galaxy S10) early next year, several reports of leaked features suggest the plan of attack is the same as it's been: overwhelm rivals with tons of new features. The latest S10 whispers come from the Wall Street Journal. The report claims Samsung's next phone could come in three display sizes, measuring between 5.8 to 6.4 inches. These three versions are rumored to come with 3 to 5 cameras. Additionally, the WSJ says Samsung's working on a special fourth version with a massive 6.7-inch screen (the largest ever in a Samsung Galaxy S or Note phone) that'll include 5G cellular connectivity. This would be Samsung's first 5G phone and would be released initially in the U.S. and South Korea. This 5G-equipped Galaxy S10 might have six cameras — two on the front and four on the rear. Even the most sophisticated smartphone, such as the LG V40 ThinQ and Huawei Mate20 Pro only have five and four cameras, respectively. It's still unclear which, but some S10's might have a reverse wireless charging feature, which would allow the phone's backside to wirelessly charge another device, such as another phone or a pair of wireless earbuds. Huawei's Mate20 Pro already has this feature. These new features alone could make the S10 stand out for the phone line's 10th anniversary, but there's more we've heard. Previous reports suggest the S10 could have a built-in ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, displays that stretch even closer toward the edges with only a "punch hole" cutout in one corner for the selfie camera (so no notch), and Samsung's revamped "One UI" interface for Android 9 Pie. No word on whether Samsung will use a next-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon chip (it's very likely), but it's possible a rumored Exynos 9820-powered variant could be quite the powerhouse. The 8-nanometer chip has eight cores and is 20 percent faster on single-core, and 15 percent faster on multi-core operations. The chip also has a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) just for handling AI tasks, a faster LTE modem capable of up to 2Gbps download speeds, and an improved image signal processor for possibly better video recording (8K-resolution capture at 30 fps or 4K-resolution at 150 fps). It's a lot to take in if you're not a phone geek. These rumors all suggest the S10 might boil down to a classic Samsung philosophy: More everything. Premium hardware is easy now, and Samsung needs to make software advancements a priority. As a tech reporter and reviewer, that has me a little worried. I've watched Samsung cram more and more technologies into its phones over the last decade, and while it makes for an impressive spec list to boast about, it also pushes software into the backseat. A bigger screen, larger battery, more cameras, and faster performance will always be things to look forward to, but Samsung still needs to work on its software. It's not just slapping a new "One UI" coat of paint on top of Android and calling it day. Samsung's made some headway improving its once promising Bixby assistant, which was originally intended to allow users to use voice controls for all phone operations in lieu of touching and tapping. But Bixby is still nowhere near as intelligent as Amazon's Alexa, Google's Assistant, or even Apple's Siri. Samsung's weakness has never been hardware — it's software. And with the S10, that doesn't appear to be changing. I could be proven wrong as Samsung gets on stage to announce myriad ways software will be pushed front and center, but I wouldn't bet on it. What Samsung needs to do to make the S10 a winner — to give people a compelling reason to upgrade — is to balance both new hardware and software features. Otherwise, I predict it won't be able to maintain a lead (if it gets one) for long. Premium hardware is easy now. Huawei, OnePlus, and virtually every phone maker can easily catch up. Not to mention, cramming in more hardware features is a risk of its own without additional safety checks. Samsung won't want another Note 7 situation on its hands just because it decided to pack more into a glass and metal slab. Software is hard. Samsung needs to make software advancements a priority as well. |
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