Google is the latest phone maker to join Apple and Samsung in giving you resources to fix phones yourself. It’s partnering with the tinkerer of all tinkerers, iFixit, to provide official parts for Pixel phones later this year. Notably, the initiative will cover models ranging from the Pixel 2 (from 2017) through to the Pixel 6 Pro and beyond. According to the announcement, you’ll get access to a “full range” of components, like batteries, cameras and displays, whether you buy them individually or with iFixit’s own Fix Kit tools.
It’s shaping up to be an interesting year for people willing to repair their own phones. We still haven’t had a chance to see how Apple’s iPhone repair proposal will fare in real life — how hard is it going to be? — but Google is being smart by pairing with, arguably, the go-to people for those willing to take their phone’s life into their own hands.
The Hummer has always been ostentatious. So it’s no surprise the Hummer EV is not only large but also heavy, and really not all that efficient as an EV. But what it lacks in miles per kilowatt, it makes up for in over-the-top fun.
Roberto Baldwin got to drive the larger-than-life SUV, and it proved to be a capable off-roader that showcases GM’s Ultium platform. It is still, at its core, a Hummer.
The next major update of iOS could include “significant enhancements,” according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman anticipates iOS 16 will include an update to notifications and an assortment of new health-tracking features.
Gurman added that the Apple Watch’s watchOS 9 may include upgrades to its activity and health-tracking features, but stopped short of sharing specifics. Boo.
Breaking the record set by… the first Sonic movie.
Paramount
With a $71 million debut at the domestic box office, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has set a new record for the US film debut of a video game adaptation, beating the previous high watermark set by its predecessor in 2020. The sequel made $57 million during its opening weekend, and Paramount now plans to expand this success into a cinematic universe. What have you done?
Since February, GM’s Cruise self-driving unit has offered public taxi rides across San Francisco. And so far, the service hasn’t had many issues. A video from April 2nd showed San Francisco police attempting to pull over a driverless Cruise vehicle in the city’s Richmond District, only for the car to temporarily take off.
During an event celebrating the franchise’s 20th anniversary, we got our first proper glimpse at the next Kingdom Hearts game. Kingdom Hearts IV marks the return of Sora after 2019’s Kingdom Hearts III seemingly concluded the story arc that began with the original game in 2002. The trailer showed Sora waking up in a city called Quadratum, a Tokyo-inspired city rendered in a semi-realistic way, marking a major artistic shift for the series. The city is soon attacked by a towering monster and the story-centric opening scenes seamlessly transition to gameplay… and fighting.
As the interest in Wordle ebbs and flows, The New York Times is trying to keep you hooked on its recent acquisition. So how about some post-match analysis? WordleBot is an optional feature that breaks down a completed game and reveals what players could have done to play more efficiently — perfect for those of us who struggle to grab the winning word on the fifth try, take hours to finish playing or are just stumped completely. Or cheat. Not namingnames.
The bot will offer up an efficiency score, making the word game suddenly feel like something closer to a chore or work. But for those addicted to sports stats and figures, it might add a compelling twist to Wordle. Me? I’ve moved on to Heardle.
If you’re looking for a unique portable gaming PC, ASUS ROG obliges, yet again. Putting gaming PC components in a detachable 2-in-1 design makes for an innovative system that’s both adaptable and rather travel-friendly. According to Sam Rutherford, when paired with ASUS’ optional XG Mobile Dock, it can give you desktop-level performance with way less bulk. However, the Z13’s short battery life and high price make it hard to love. Yes, that high price makes the Z13 an incredibly hard sell for most. It’s all very intriguing.
The apps may have taken users’ precise location, email, phone numbers and more.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Google has pulled dozens of apps used by millions after finding they covertly gathered data. Researchers found weather apps, highway radar apps, QR scanners, prayer apps and others containing code that could harvest a user’s precise location, email, phone numbers and more. They were traced to Measurement Systems, a company reportedly linked to a Virginia defense contractor that does cyber-intelligence and more for US national-security agencies. It denied the allegations.
Sometimes even without the network owner’s knowledge.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has revealed that the United States secretly removed malware from computer networks around the world over the past few weeks to pre-empt Russian cyberattacks. The White House recently warned companies that Russia could attack critical infrastructure in the country, such as financial institutions and the power grid. Apparently, the malware the US removed would have enabled Russian military intelligence to create botnets out of the infected computer networks, which they could use in DDoS attacks, spamming networks and more.
Smart’s compact electric SUV has kept the distinctive design of its concept origins. The Smart #1 will still have frameless windows and a “floating halo” glass roof. Alas, the scissor doors didn’t make the… cut.
While the estimated 273 miles of maximum range isn’t all that impressive, it comes from a 66kWh battery that charges quickly, taking it from a 10 percent charge to 80 percent in under 30 minutes with a 150kW DC charger. Even with a more typical 22kW AC supply, it takes less than three hours. For now, pricing and release dates are still TBC.
The OpenAI consortium has unveiled the next iteration of DALL·E, a multimodal AI that could generate rudimental, low-res images from a text-based prompt. This time around, the system is capable of generating images at higher resolution and with lower latency than the original. They’re also eminently more shareable and impressive — check the AI’s Instagram account right here.
OpenAI
DALL·E 2 uses OpenAI’s CLIP image recognition system and adds the ability for users to edit the results. They can now select and edit areas of existing images, add or remove elements, mash together two images into a single collage and generate further variations of an existing image. What’s more, the output images are 1,024 pixel squares, up from the 256 x 256-pixel canvases generated by the original version. Unlike the first, which anybody could play with on the OpenAI website, this new version is currently limited to vetted partners who are also constrained in their uploads and creations. The consortium is trying to keep it all family-friendly, too.
Anyone interested in collaborating with DALL·E 2 can register for the waitlist here.
The connected camera is a simple but persistent workout monitor.
Engadget
Peloton’s Guide, a $295 movement-tracking camera that brings strength training to the company’s fitness offering, is finally available to purchase. Before you do that, check out some early first impressions. For people like me, who loathe cardio, it could be a high-tech way to add some scrutiny and guidance to your bodyweight (and weight-lifting) workouts. Expect the detailed, polished interface of a Peloton product, even if I wish the Guide could share a little more, well, guidance.
Fifty women in eight jurisdictions called the cops about unwanted trackers.
A report from Motherboard, based on police data, suggests that bad actors are using Apple’s AirTag to track people without their consent. Motherboard received 150 reports from eight police departments and found that, in 50 cases, women called the cops after receiving notifications suggesting someone was tracking them with an AirTag or they heard the device chiming. Half of those women suspected the tags were planted in their car by a man they knew, such as a current or former romantic partner or their boss.
On November 1st, 1946, the Toronto Huskies and New York Knicks played what is now considered the first game in NBA history. With the league celebrating its 75th birthday this season, ESPN took fans down memory lane, with ESPN2 broadcasting an alternative presentation of the game with in-game graphics from past NBA broadcasts. These spanned 1960s on ABC, the 1970s and 1980s on CBS and the 1990s on NBC, each represented during the game with graphics changing between quarters.
PitchCom could prevent opposing teams from stealing signs.
Baseball catchers have long signaled pitches with their fingers, but that could soon become a thing of the past in the big leagues. Major League Baseball has approved a system for catchers to send directions to their pitchers electronically. The PitchCom system centers around a sleeve catchers wear on their forearm. They can press buttons to identify the pitch type and location. The pitcher hears the call through a bone-conduction listening device. The channels are encrypted and teams can program codewords to replace terms like “fastball” or “curveball.” It all sounds delightfully espionage heavy. I love it.
PitchCom will be optional, and teams can still use traditional hand signals if they wish. However, according to AP, around half of MLB teams have expressed interest in using the new system.
The AnkerMake M5 is the company’s first 3D printer, and Anker claims the M5 should prototype creations faster, while also offering a slower, smoother finish when needed.
The AnkerMake M5 has a basic print speed of 250 mm/s² for more detailed projects that need a smooth finish. However, the printer also has a much speedier mode that hits 2,500 mm/s². The end result is rougher and less detailed, but Anker says it enables the M5 to reduce average print times by up to 70 percent compared to other printers. The company isn’t entirely on board: For now, it’s a Kickstarter project, and you can back it for an early bird price of $429. After that, you’ll have to pledge at least $499 to grab the printer.
Peloton continues to take steps beyond cardio exercise with Guide, a set-top camera ($295) that brings strength training to the lineup. It’s joined by a new all-inclusive $39 monthly subscription (with a $24 introductory offer) which adds movement-tracking strength and core-focused classes to the array of Yoga and bodyweight workouts that already exist in Peloton’s $12 per-month digital service.
The Guide unit itself looks a lot like the Facebook Portal TV or your old Xbox Kinect. It’s got a versatile magnetic mount that can be placed on a flat surface, or folded out to latch around your TV’s bezel, which should make it easy enough to position where it can capture your workouts. It uses a wide-angle 12-megapixel camera, which is enough pixels to deliver a 4K video stream of yourself. It can be plugged into any HDMI port, and comes with Peloton’s recently launched heart rate monitor and a remote to navigate the menus and adjust your TV volume.
Typically, your video feed will be on-screen alongside the Peloton trainer, so you can track and adjust your form as necessary. But you can minimize yourself so it’s easier to see the trainer’s movements, if you prefer.
When you start a Movement Tracker-supported workout (they’re tagged with Peloton’s water drop icon to make them easier to find), you’ll see a wealth of information on what that particular workout will cover, both when it comes to muscles targeted and exercises involved. Peloton is trying to bridge a gap here between regular gym-goers and those of us that don’t know the difference between a hammer curl and a bicep curl. (To be honest, they’re only slightly different.)
You can preview the exercises, including a quick video animation of the movement, and even see which muscle groups will be feeling the burn. I found a lot of it unnecessary, but it largely stayed out of the way – which was what I wanted. I know how to do a plank, thanks.
We’ll be taking a deeper dive into the Guide soon, but let’s get into the crucial part of Peloton’s new addition, that tracking. With a single camera, and no LIDAR or Infrared it does a great job of framing you during your workout and tracking your movement across the space.
Mat Smith/ Engadget
The major selling point of the Guide is that it’s checking your form for you. Now, I might have been over-optimistic in hoping for tougher love from the Guide. I’ve done a few HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout classes, both in-person and through pandemic-era Zoom calls, and I fondly remember the trainer telling me to raise my hips or retract my shoulder blades more when they would catch me slacking. The Guide only polices your movement in the broadest sense to make sure you’re following the instructor. It won’t tell you what you’re doing wrong – or how to fix it.
However, compared to a group workout with a human coach, Peloton’s tracking system is always watching you, not the others in the class. When live classes arrive in the coming months, this might all work a little better – interactions with the coaches is what a lot of Peloton devotees swear by. Perhaps this could eventually offer the best of both, with human interactions and advice combined with the Guide’s more constant vigilance.
As you follow the exercises, the Movement Tracker icon will fill up. Once I’d fulfilled the movement obligations, I’d hear a ‘ping’ as I transitioned to the next exercise. I ran through three different classes, and apparently my form was correct enough 19 out of 20 times. (It’s not a perfect score because I wanted to take a few photos during a press-up set, okay?) That felt kinda good. I’ve never considered myself a gym person, but I’ve had various stints of exercise booms. Finally, I seemed very ahead of the crowd that Peloton seems to be pitching this device at. To be honest, I wanted heavier weights and harder workouts during my demo.
The Peloton Guide is another device trying to introduce a connected camera into your home, which carries its own privacy concerns. You might be able to take some solace in the fact that Peloton says nothing gets uploaded because the processing is all done on-device. Plus there’s a cover you can slide over the camera lens, and mic mute switches on the back. But as Wired noted, there is a somewhat concerning section in the terms and conditions where Peloton says it may use your biometric data (including facial scans) in the future. This could be as innocuous as identifying separate users in the same household, or something else entirely.
The company is considering adding the option to share your tracking data to speed up improvements and squish bugs, like those data-sharing requests you get with voice assistants. On that note, Peloton has added a basic voice assistant, in beta, to the Guide, ensuring you can pause, cancel or otherwise control your workout when the included remote isn’t nearby, or one of your kids is having a meltdown during your Core workout. It’s not the most attentive assistant, however, and I would have to bark my commands and increasingly unhinged volumes in order to get it to work.
I appreciate the depth of data and customization Peloton has crammed into the Guide. During a workout, the backing track was a little too loud for me, and despite having only a passing knowledge of Peloton’s software, I was able to find an audio mix option, mid-workout, and increase the levels of the instructor’s voice. This attention to detail is rarely found in fitness videos and software. My time with the Guide was brief, but Peloton will need to ensure the Guide offers enough to warrant the initial outlay and even more expensive subscription. Can it convince existing Peloton subscribers to pay more?
If I ever take the plunge on an electric bike, I hope it’s a slick VanMoof. The company has unveiled two new models that are, unfortunately, slightly more expensive than their predecessors, but pack in a bunch of upgrades alongside impressive anti-theft technology. The S5 and A5 will each cost $2,998, but VanMoof hasn’t shared a release date just yet.
The new S5 is for longer rides. VanMoof reworked the straight frame to increase the height of the riding position and changed to larger 27.5-inch wheels for a smoother experience. Meanwhile, the A5 is more for shorter trips. It has an angled frame with a lower step-in and 24-inch wheels. There’s support for both rear and front carriers as well. Both bikes weigh over 44 pounds.
VanMoof
The new models have an updated 250W motor, slightly different battery layouts (the S5 will cover up to 150 km (93 miles)), while the A5 has a range of up to 140 km (87 miles) and, gasp, a built-in phone charger.
Now, living in a big city, the biggest impasse for me is the fear of getting my new expensive e-bike stolen. Both the S5 and A5 include a Gen 5 kick lock you can arm with a tap of your foot. It’ll unlock automatically when you return. VanMoof is working on certification for Apple’s Find My network and will continue to employ its Bike Hunters. If that team can’t find and recover your premium e-bike within two weeks of it being lost or stolen, it’ll send you a replacement. The service still requires the company’s Peace of Mind insurance, however.
Expect more realistic visuals and streamlined tools.
Epic Games
After nearly a year of early access, Epic Games has officially released UE5 to developers. The new Unreal Engine’s most obvious upgrades affect the basics of 3D rendering. The Nanite geometry system lets producers use objects with millions of polygons while scaling easily and maintaining playable frame rates. Lumen, meanwhile, provides dynamic global lighting that adapts to, pretty much, everything. You’ve seen early results in Epic’s The Matrix Awakens tech demo — UE5 can render extremely detailed scenes with more natural lighting than you’ve seen in the past.
Crystal Dynamics is returning to the series that put it on the map.
And on that note, we’re getting a new Tomb Raider title. While the latest trilogy was generally well received, it didn’t quite set the world alight. Maybe more polygons will improve things. Developer Crystal Dynamics said the move to UE5 would help the studio take its “storytelling to the next level.” The next Tomb Raider joins a handful of games already announced for UE5, including the next Witcher game and Black Myth: Wukong.
LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden and Michael Dorn join the cast.
The main cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation will appear on the third and final season of Picard. LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden and Michael Dorn will join Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis and Brent Spiner, who have already featured in the series. Executive Producer Terry Matalas teased on Twitter that the series will go out on a “final, high-stakes, starship-bound adventure.”
They’ll build vehicles in the compact crossover and other segments.
GM and Honda will co-develop a series of affordable EVs using a global architecture and GM’s Ultium battery technology, the companies announced. They promised to build vehicles in multiple product segments, including the compact crossover category, calling it a “new chapter” in their partnership. The companies plan to discuss EV battery collaboration in an effort to drive down costs and improve performance and sustainability.
The word “affordable” comes up a lot in the press release, as both companies emphasized the idea of building cheaper EVs than are currently available. “Honda and GM will build on our successful technology collaboration to help achieve a dramatic expansion in the sales of electric vehicles,” said Honda President and CEO Toshihiro Mibe.
Nikon’s Z9 offers a rare combination of speed, resolution and video capability. It’s the first mirrorless camera without a mechanical shutter, but the sensor is fast enough to minimize any rolling shutter issues. It has Nikon’s best autofocus system by far and delivers outstanding image quality. Video is top-notch as well, with 8K 30p on tap and 8K 60p RAW coming later this year via firmware update.
The main drawbacks are the lack of an articulating display and the $5,500 price — for the body alone. It’s still an impressive Nikon camera – the company has finally nailed video. I’d suggest checking out our detailed YouTube review and sample shots on the main site.
Twitter founder Jack Dorsey might not like what’s become of the internet. But the internet doesn’t stop moving. Elon Musk now owns part of Twitter, after purchasing $2.89 billion in stock, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing spotted by CNBC. The purchase follows recent criticism by Musk over the social media site’s free speech policies. Musk loves tweeting, so it makes sense beyond those criticisms. His tweets have even set off SEC lawsuits.
Musk is now the platform’s largest shareholder, and he’s already inquiring into an edit button.
The worst thing about buying something new, cutting-edge and kinda pricey is when it’s no longer new, cutting-edge and, well, on sale. So my awesome LG C1 OLED has just had substantial price cuts from the 48-inch model through to the 65-inch option. Sigh. Still, they’re great TVs with some notable specs for gamers, like 120Hz refresh rates and support for variable refresh rates.
One of the best video game series of all time is making a return in 2022 with some of its key original creatives on board. Return to Monkey Island is “a game by Ron Gilbert,” who conceived the point-and-click comedy-adventure saga in the late ’80s.
Gilbert wrote and directed the original game, The Secret of Monkey Island. He was director, programmer and designer on the sequel, Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge.
After years of teasing, the DeLorean Motor Company announced it’ll unveil an all-electric vehicle on August 18th, promising to share its official name at the same time. Details on the concept car are scant. The automaker is working with Italdesign, best known for its work with Volkswagen, to design the upcoming car.
The centerpiece of Samsung’s new TV family is the new QN900B, the centerpiece of the company’s Neo QLED 8K family. For 2022, Samsung has added 14-bit HDR mapping (up from 12-bit mapping on last year’s models) to improve picture detail in both bright and dark scenes. When combined with that massive 7,680 x 4,320 resolution, according to Sam Rutherford, the TV looks seriously sharp.
“The days of Usenet, IRC, the web… even email (with PGP)… were amazing,” Jack Dorsey said in a tweet over the weekend. “Centralizing discovery and identity into corporations really damaged the internet. I realize I’m partially to blame, and regret it.”
Dorsey’s tweet is a notable admission by a tech executive who has made billions creating a platform that centralized the way we consume news — and is still involved in other core facets of the digital economy. The Twitter founder isn’t afraid of being outspoken. In December 2021, he ranted about how Web3 had already been co-opted by investors. “You don’t own ‘Web3,’” he said at the time. “The VCs and their LPs do. It will never escape their incentives.” He also said world peace could be achieved with bitcoin.
This, above, is what the JackRabbit looks like. As a pedal-free e-bike, it’s for those who want a scooter rather than an electrified road bike. But, unlike a scooter, the JackRabbit can handle more than just a paved sidewalk while remaining about as portable. James Trew tests out this unusual ride.
Streams could be promoted to the homepage through buying subscriptions and other items.
A number of Twitch users noticed streams of porn videos were on the homepage, all captioned “Promoted by the streamer’s community.” It appeared a number of unidentified users were taking advantage of the platform’s Boost Train program, which promotes streamers if enough fans create a “hype train” by purchasing subscriptions and bits.
Since Twitch only rolled out the Boost Train feature to partners and affiliates, only a limited number of streamers have it enabled. It’s still unclear how the bad actors were able to access enabled accounts. In an email to Engadget, a Twitch spokesperson said Boost Train was paused “due to safety reasons.”
The company added a series titled “Get back to fitness after having a baby.”
Apple is adding seven 10-minute workout and cooldown videos aimed at new parents. The activities are a mix of core, strength and Apple’s Mindful Cooldown workouts and have modification guidance if you want a greater challenge or prefer to take it slower. The mindful cooldowns offer stretches that target common post-pregnancy tight spots, while the core sessions include pelvic floor exercises. There are next to no equipment requirements, but you need an Apple Watch and a Fitness+ subscription.
Strange New Worlds looks like a return to the relentless optimism and romanticism put forward by creator Gene Roddenberry. “I love this job,” Pike whispers to Rebecca Romijn’s Number One, followed by a brief montage of some of the adventures ahead for the crew of the Enterprise in season one of the series. Set about a decade before The Original Series, Strange New Worlds features a handful of future Star Trek greats before their career-defining stint on the Enterprise, with Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck reprising their respective roles as Pike, Spock and Number One from Star Trek: Discovery season two.
For GoPro cameras, battery life has never been a strong feature — in fact, the Hero 9 outlasted the Hero 10 by almost half an hour when we tested out the newer camera. Now, the company has launched a new battery grip, called Volta. Combined with the GoPro’s own battery, the Volta grip can deliver up to four hours of 5.3K recording at 30 fps. It also comes with integrated camera buttons to give you access to one-handed controls while the GoPro is mounted. You can even use it as a remote control up to 98 feet away, and if you need a tripod for your shoot, you can flip out its built-in legs. The versatility goes further: You can use it to charge, well, anything from its USB-C port.
If you’re in deep with GoPro’s camera series, this could very well replace half of your existing peripherals. You might also like the new Creator Edition package, which includes two mods that feature a built-in directional microphone, 3.5mm mic-in, HDMI-out ports and LED lighting.
The standalone Volta grip will set you back $130, and it’s available now.
The vulnerability let intruders access your stored videos.
Bitdefender says it informed Wyze of a major security vulnerability in the Wyze Cam v1 in March 2019, but that the device maker didn’t inform customers, recall the product or fully patch the problem in the three years since. In fact, Wyze couldn’t completely fix the issue — while it did mitigate the problem with patches, the company appeared to discontinue the camera in January as “hardware limitations” prevented a proper update.
The vulnerability let attackers remotely control the camera without having the value normally needed to authenticate. While they couldn’t watch live video as it was encrypted, they could steer the camera, switch it off and access videos saved on the SD card.
OnePlus’ latest flagship phone is a stylish device with a powerful processor and the ability to recharge incredibly quickly thanks to 65W (and in some regions 80W) SuperVOOC tech, courtesy of Oppo. However, the OnePlus 10 Pro can’t quite stand up against the best phones out there, with a sometimes middling camera performance. At least it’s cheaper than last year’s OnePlus 9 Pro.
The Human Genome Project ‘only’ sequenced 92 percent.
If you’re thinking “Wait a minute — didn’t scientists produce the complete human genome sequence almost two decades ago?” Well, you wouldn’t be wrong. The Human Genome Project finished sequencing 92 percent of the human genome back in 2003, but the techniques available at the time left the remaining eight percent out of reach until recent years.
In a series of papers published in Science, the T2T Consortium has reported how it managed to fill in almost all of the missing spots except for five, leaving only 10 million and the Y chromosome only vaguely understood.
Stretch is not quite as exciting or as terrifyingly adorable as the Hyundai-owned company’s Spot robotic dog, but it can make loading, unloading and moving boxes in warehouses a lot easier. Boston Dynamics is now accepting reservations for deliveries in 2023 and 2024, because it’s already sold out this year due to strong pre-order demand. DHL is one of the early Stretch customers, signing a $15 million deal with Boston Dynamics to equip its warehouses in North America with the robots over the coming years. TechCrunch reports both Gap and H&M will have the robot in their warehouses, as well.
In January, the ESA announced E3 would be an online-only event, citing concerns over “COVID-19 and its potential impact on the safety of exhibitors and attendees.” According to a statement yesterday, even that isn’t happening. The ESA said “E3 will return in 2023.” The association added it “will devote all our energy and resources to delivering a revitalized physical and digital E3 experience next summer.”
Up to five players could share a subscription at a special rate.
Unlike Netflix, Spotify and many other subscription services, the Xbox Game Pass currently has no option for multiple users to share one account. This has been a common frustration among Xbox players over the years, particularly those who live with other Xbox gamers. Game Pass subscriptions are tied to specific Xbox profiles, allowing players to sign-in from anywhere. The family plan will reportedly allow up to five players on a single subscription and should debut later this year. A family plan could give Microsoft an extra edge over Sony’s Playstation, which recently announced its revamped set of subscription plans.
Last year’s OnePlus 9 Pro was one of the best phones of 2021 – which surprised some of us. The company substantially improved the cameras and packaged a high-spec phone in a premium body. Now, after several other OnePlus phones have launched with lower prices (and lesser specs), the $899 OnePlus 10 Pro, is finally here. The phone has long been available in China and the company has been teasing its new flagship since January.
With a cheaper price, a 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen, Snapdragon’s latest processor, a bigger battery and a gorgeous new green color option, the OnePlus 10 Pro sounds like it has everything it needs to repeat the success of its predecessor, but I’m left feeling underwhelmed.
Hardware
Mat Smith/Engadget
The camera unit, which includes three sensors and a flash, is surrounded by metal which bleeds over the edge to the frame of the 10 Pro. It’s an understated design touch, but I’m glad it looks different from older OnePlus models, its Oppo stepsiblings and other phones doing the same old camera sensor layout. Different is good.
The rest of the phone’s back is covered in a translucent finish that reminds me of the back of the iPhone 13 Pro. The OnePlus logo seems to be etched into this; I actually thought it was a sticker at first. There’s still some Hasselblad branding, too, along the side of the camera unit, but thankfully it’s a little subtler than previous designs.
OnePlus’s Alert Slider has clung on for its eighth year. Once again, it’s located above the power button and switches between silent, vibrate and full volume modes, each of which can be manually adjusted to your preferred levels. There’s a USB-C port, supporting 80W SuperVOOC charging and stereo speaker grilles along the bottom edge. Finally, as usual, there’s a volume rocker on the left edge.
OnePlus has upgraded the selfie camera to a 32-megapixel sensor, but it’s still a pinhole camera set in the top left corner of the display. The front-facing camera works with face unlock, while there’s also an in-screen fingerprint scanner. Both seem faster than OnePlus’ last-gen phone, and the fingerprint sensor has been shifted higher up the phone panel, making it easier to access.
While the OnePlus 10 Pro looks different from last year’s 9 Pro, there’s an awful lot of spec overlap. Both models have the same size screen and run at 1,440 x 3,216 resolution, with adaptive refresh rates of up to 120Hz. This year’s phone does have an upgraded LTPO display, however, which OnePlus says is better optimized for dynamic changes in refresh rates. But you’d be hard-pressed to notice any difference between the 10 Pro and 9 Pro’s screens; both are crisp, bright and colorful. While more and more phones are beginning to arrive with adaptive refresh rates, OnePlus does it better than most, dipping as low as 1Hz for static content on your phone screen, meaning less power drain. According to OnePlus, the upgraded screen should translate to 1.5 hours of additional use versus last year’s OnePlus 9 Pro.
Cameras
Comparisons with last year’s OnePlus 9 Pro come up yet again with the cameras. The company heralds this as its second-generation Hasselblad camera, with improvements to the OnePlus Billion Color Solution (which still struggles to sell itself as a compelling feature) and an updated Hasselblad Pro mode, which I’ll explain later.
Glancing at the spec sheet, even if the camera array itself looks notably different, the OnePlus 10 Pro has very similar camera sensors – and in fact there’s actually one less than last year’s OnePlus 9 Pro. Yes, we’ve lost the monochrome sensor, which shouldn’t be a big deal. It was a low two-megapixel sensor and I didn’t miss it at all. Otherwise, all the numbers match: a 48-megapixel primary sensor, a 50-MP ultra-wide lens – this time capturing across 150-degree views, and – like the OnePlus 9 Pro – a middling 8-megapixel telephoto option that tops out at 3.3x optical zoom.
My experience matches what Chris Velazco said last year in his review of the 9 Pro. The primary sensor captures detailed images, especially in well-lit surroundings. OnePlus has further refined the sensor to improve dynamic range and noise reduction in images, and you’ll still get the best shots from the pixel-binned 12-megapixel mode. If you do want to capture all the detail you can, however, there’s a high-res shooting mode that’s easily accessible through most of the camera app’s modes.
The new ultrawide camera gets a few tricks, too, including a new fish-eye capture mode that’s a bit of a gimmick, but it’s fun nonetheless. You can switch between a mild and strong fish-eye effect. I’m not going to win photography awards but the results are clean and it’s a harmless addition.
Mat Smith/Engadget
The telephoto camera remains the weakest part of the OnePlus camera setup. Given the 8MP resolution, shots seem blurry and low on detail. Sometimes my photos just lacked color and vitality, which is a shame because I use the telephoto cameras on phones a lot as it offers some degree of compositional freedom when framing my shots. (I can’t believe I just wrote the phrase “compositional freedom.”)
OnePlus’ flagship held its own against an iPhone 13 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro, but it wasn’t the best. The cameras occasionally struggled with scenes with high dynamic range.
When shooting this scene, with a plant in front of an open fire and a bright neon sign in the background, the 10 Pro couldn’t quite tame the aggressive lighting, blowing out the neon light a little too much. The iPhone captured the scene in slightly warmer tones, while the Pixel seemed cooler. When I compared the photos, however, it was the OnePlus 10 Pro, even if it lacked the detail and dynamic range, that had nailed the colors of the room. Perhaps that Hasselblad partnership is actually working? Even then, would I prefer a more accurately colored shot or a wider dynamic range? The latter.
I had to see if anything had truly changed between the two OnePlus flagships, so I compared a few sample photos. While many were indistinguishable from each other, the 10 Pro edged out last year’s 9 Pro when it came to nighttime photography, which could be due to computational improvements and a faster chip – or OnePlus’ own internal calibrations and tweaks. Having said that, OnePlus’ night photography and AI assistance are a little too heavy-handed for my liking; they made some low-light scenes look artificially bright.
Software-wise, the new Hasselblad Pro mode works across all three camera sensors, adding fine control like ISO levels as well as 12-bit RAW capture for those willing to dive deep into image editing. OnePlus’ RAW+ image format is also here, which attempts to combine all the information of a photo, but it’s augmented by the computational image capture we’ve seen in most phones over the last few years. Was I using RAW+ capture over the stripped-down auto mode? Most of the time, no. But it’s more flexible for users willing to push the 10 Pro’s cameras to their limit.
Performance and software
Mat Smith/Engadget
OnePlus has long been able to balance a streamlined Android experience close to stock while adding its own tweaks and features. The OnePlus 10 Pro continues that approach despite the closer collaboration with Oppo and a shared codebase. In fact, the latest version of OnePlus’ OxygenOS, version 12, was apparently one of the reasons that the 10 Pro took so long to arrive after its debut, with more time needed to tweak the software for regions beyond China.
I still appreciate the ability to easily switch off OS additions I don’t need. The OnePlus Shelf is a pop-up menu that can be pulled down from the top right corner of the phone. It groups together several adjustable tiles – like those widgets you’ve been able to add to your homescreen on Android phones for about a decade.
In short, I don’t need it and would get frustrated when it pops up instead of the standard Android drop-down menu containing setting toggles and my notifications. Thankfully, I can just tap the settings cog inside the Shelf, and turn the entire feature off.
One addition I won’t be disabling is a new AI adaptive brightness feature. The OnePlus 10 Pro can learn your display brightness preferences and make adjustments, hopefully before you do. Artificial intelligence features inside smartphones are often hard to notice in day-to-day use (think: battery optimization features that are meant to adapt to how you use your phone and reduce power consumption). But OnePlus’ adaptive brightness soon appeared when I would check the 10 Pro in the early hours of the morning, helping to shield me from an unnecessarily bright screen before I’d even had my coffe
There are also a few gaming improvements to make the most of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. The HyperBoost game engine, courtesy of Oppo, tries to stabilize frame rates during gaming sessions, while also increasing the responsiveness of the touchscreen through a new feature called O-Sync. Both suffer from my issues with behind-the-scenes AI optimizations. It’s also not compatible with streaming games from Xbox Cloud Gaming or Stadia, which is how I game on smartphones most of the time.
The OnePlus 10 Pro wasn’t fazed by anything I threw at it – which has been true for most phones powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. When playing a video on repeat, the 5,000mAh battery took over 14 hours to run down – which isn’t great compared to roughly 17 hours from Samsung’s Galaxy S22+.
Benefiting from Oppo’s R&D, the OnePlus 10 Pro supports 80W SUPERVOOC charging. Yes, fast charging isn’t anything new for OnePlus, but damn, this is genuinely fast. With the appropriate charger (don’t worry, there’s one included with the phone), the 10 Pro can be fully charged in a mere 32 minutes. If you want even faster charging, OnePlus says 80W SUPERVOOC can charge the phone from 0 to 61 percent in just 15 minutes; I got around the same figures when recharging the phone myself. It’s a strong feature, and importantly, something that the OnePlus 9 Pro doesn’t have.
Unfortunately, US owners won’t get an identical experience. In a forum discussion on the OnePlus site, the company clarified: “In North America, the OnePlus 10 Pro supports 65W SUPERVOOC – this is because 80W SUPERVOOC does not currently support 110 or 120-volt AC power – the typical standard for power outlets in the region.” A 65W charging speed would still be the fastest phone charging standard in the US, but it’s hard not to feel a bit short-changed compared to other regions.
Wrap-up
Mat Smith/Engadget
OnePlus was on a roll. Last year, it proved it could deliver a true high-end smartphone rival to the likes of the iPhone and the Galaxy S series with the OnePlus 9 Pro. But with the OnePlus 10 Pro, the company has struggled to push the envelope further.
The OnePlus 10 Pro has impressive fast-charge capabilities, a gorgeous screen that’s incrementally better than last year’s model, while OxygenOS continues to add more to the Android experience without derailing it. I especially like how the green version looks, but at the same time, the smartphone competition moves fast.
(In the US, OnePlus is selling the black and green models with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for $899 in the US. The company says the versions with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will arrive later, though the price is still TBC.)
OnePlus might have nailed its cameras last year, but it’s not at the same level of the best phone cameras in 2022. Its computational photography seems overly aggressive and the telephoto camera, again, disappoints compared to the competition. When the Pixel 6 Pro costs the same, the OnePlus 10 Pro is hard to recommend over Google’s own flagship, even to die-hard OnePlus fans looking to upgrade from the OnePlus 9 Pro. At least it’s slightly cheaper.
Correction, 3/31/22 10:50AM ET: Clarified that the US version of the OnePlus 10 Pro will only support 65W SuperVOOC charging. Also updated this article to clarify that both the green and black models with 8GB of RAM will be available in the US.
After 355 days aboard the International Space Station, astronaut Mark Vande Hei returns to Earth both a NASA record holder and a changed man. Though his run was not as long as Peggy Whitson’s 665 cumulative days spent in microgravity, Vande Hei’s accomplishment is still one of the longest single stints in human spaceflight — and makes him the subject of intensive research into the effects of zero-gravity on humans.
Though NASA’s Human Research Program has spent 50 years studying the effects of spaceflight on the human body, the full impact of long-duration space travel has yet to be exhaustively researched. As humanity’s expansion into space accelerates in the coming decades, more people will be going into orbit — and going much farther — and the medical needs obviously increase along with this. Andrew Tarantola outlines where the research is headed.
It’ll demand “at least” 20 percent zero-emissions sales by 2026.
Canada has outlined its Emissions Reduction Plan, which will require all new passenger car sales to be zero-emissions models by 2035. The government will gradually put pressure on automakers, requiring “at least” 20 percent zero-emissions sales by 2026, pushing steeply to 60 percent by 2030. Officials didn’t say whether this applied to a make’s product mix or simply the volume of cars sold.
A Reddit user wrote to Craig Federighi, Apple’s Vice President of Software Engineering, to ask how iOS auto-updates work. Federighi responded, revealing that Apple gradually releases “new iOS updates by first making them available for those that explicitly seek them out in Settings, and then 1-4 weeks later (after we’ve received feedback on the update) ramp up to rolling out devices with auto-update enabled.” Generally, this means it takes a few weeks for iOS auto-updates to reach everyone’s iPhone and, in the case of iPadOS, iPad.
Google has begun rolling out a new update for its iOS YouTube TV app. Now both iPhone and iPad users have picture-in-picture functionality. To watch something in PiP mode, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. The video will automatically resize and move across your device’s display. You’ll need to be running iOS 15 or newer — and make sure your app is up to date.
It’s taken its time: Apple’s mobile operating system has supported picture-in-picture functionality on iPad since iOS 13 and iPhone since iOS 14. The feature has also been available on the company’s main YouTube app since last year.
Intel’s finally offered a glimpse of its Arc A-series Limited Edition video card, which is arriving sometime this summer — yes, that means another delay. There are no specs or prices, unfortunately, but the double-height design and twin-fan cooling make clear this aims directly at gamers. Early Arc desktop GPUs are expected to support a raft of modern features, including hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI-based supersampling. It’s still too soon to say if Arc desktop models will offer truly competitive performance. NVIDIA should deliver its first Ampere Next-based GPUs (likely the RTX 40 series) later this year, and AMD will follow suit with the Radeon RX 7000 series.
