Since last June, Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service has been broadly available on iOS devices, but for many iPhone and iPad owners, the experience wasn’t up to what the company offered on other platforms. On Monday, however, Microsoft announced it h…
Google’s domain name registrar is out of beta after seven years
Seven long, long years ago, Google started offering users a way to buy a domain without having to deal with a host provider. Now, Google Domains is at last out of beta as a full-fledged product.
Google says, to date, millions of people have used the service to manage a domain. It has added more features and tools to Domains over the years. Folks in 26 countries can now use the full version of the service.
Of course, Domains ties in with other Google services. Customers can, of course, use their domain in their email address. You can build a website or store with Google Sites and use it on a business profile on Maps and in Search. Google’s DNS and security tools are available too. There’s also the option to build a site or store for a domain purchased through Google via platforms like Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, Weebly and Bluehost.
To mark the occasion of Domains becoming a fully formed entity, Google’s offering new and returning users a discount until April 15th. You can get 20 percent off a single domain registration or transfer-in of a domain from another registrar with the code DOMAINS20.
For a bunch of reasons, it feels like a lifetime has passed since 2015, so I wouldn’t blame anyone for forgetting the existence of Google Domains. Still, it has finally emerged from incubation without being scuttled off to the long list of products Google has killed.
The best eco-friendly phone cases you can buy
No modern smartphone is completely carbon neutral. Even the most eco-conscious phones are only partially made out of recyclable materials. But you can help cut back on plastic usage by at least purchasing an eco-friendly case to protect your phone from dings and scratches. There are plenty of them, from those that are completely compostable to ones made from ocean-based plastic. Best of all, eco-friendly cases are often just stylish and durable as their mainstream counterparts. Here are our favorites.
Pela
Nicole Lee / Engadget
Without a doubt, our favorite eco-friendly phone cases are those made by Pela. We absolutely love their colors and designs, plus the fact that the entire line is 100 percent plant-based and compostable. The case material is called “Flaxstic,” which the company says is made from flax straw and compostable bioplastic elastomer. Importantly, it’s also free of BPA, phthalates, cadmium and lead. If you ever decide to get rid of it, you can indeed just chuck in a compost bin and it’ll be completely biodegradable.
What’s more, Pela cases are available for a wide array of handsets. They can accommodate iPhones (from iPhone 5 onwards), Samsung Galaxies (Galaxy S8 and newer), Google Pixels (from the Pixel 3a on), the Huawei P50 and P50 Pro and the OnePlus 9.
For iPhone users, we should note that Pela cases are not MagSafe-compatible by default. Strangely, too, you can only purchase an additional $6 MagSafe module for the iPhone 13, and not the iPhone 12. Applying it to my phone was pretty straightforward, so that’s not a big concern, but it’s something to keep in mind. And, obviously, the MagSafe module with all its magnets is not compostable; you’ll have to take it off and dispose of it separately.
LifeProof Wake
Engadget
LifeProof is a phone case brand that specializes in recycled materials. Each of its products is at least partially made out of recycled materials. But the most eco-friendly option is the LifeProof Wake, which is made from 85 percent ocean-based recycled plastic. According to the company, a lot of that comes from discarded fishing gear, which would otherwise be a fatal hazard for marine life like sharks and turtles.
In addition, we’re big fans of the Wake’s design. It comes in four different colors, and features an attractive sculpted wave pattern. It feels sturdy and durable, and LifeProof says it’s drop proof from two meters (roughly six and half feet). Plus, it’s MagSafe-compatible by default. The LifeProof Wake is available for iPhones (iPhone 11 onward), Samsung Galaxies (Galaxy S20 and newer) and Google Pixels (Pixel 4a and up).
LifeProof’s other cases aren’t too bad either. If you want a clear see-through case instead, LifeProof’s SEE series is a good option (those cases are made out of 50 percent recycled plastic), as is the NEXT series (they’re made out of 55 percent plastic and blocks out dirt, dust and snow). The FRE series (50 percent recycled plastic) doesn’t have a clear case option, but it’s also the sturdiest of the bunch: It’s the only one that’s waterproof from two meters for an hour.
Casetify Ultra Compostable
Engadget
Casetify is mostly known for making durable yet stylish phone cases, but it has several eco-friendly options, too. The latest is its new Compostable line, which is made with a 100 percent compostable and plant-based material called “Ecotify.” Basically, it’s a blend of bamboo, biopolymers and starch.
The regular Compostable line has a drop-protection of around four feet, while the Ultra Compostable line, with its extra corner bumpers, has a drop-protection of about 6.6 feet. My recommendation would be to go with the more durable Ultra Compostable option, even if it does cost about $5 more.
Unfortunately, Casetify’s Compostable line is only available for iPhones the (iPhone 7 and up). Casetify does make other kinds of sustainable cases for both the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy handsets (Galaxy S20 and newer), but they’re not compostable. Instead, they’re made from 65 percent recycled materials. Plus, Casetify offers the option to return your old case, which they’ll then reuse or up-cycle to create a new one, thus reducing waste.
The biggest perk of Casetify’s cases is that they’re very customizable. Not only can you pick out your favorite bumper colors and designs (Casetify regularly partners with brands and illustrators to come up with unique styles), but you can actually add engravings to them too. You can also choose to add even more protection with thicker bumpers (Casetify says the “Bounce Case” offers a 13-foot drop protection).
Fossil’s latest smartwatches now let you choose Alexa over Google Assistant
You don’t have to use Google Assistant if you’re wearing a Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch. As promised in January, Gen 6 smartwatches now officially support the new Alexa watch app. Set it up and you can launch Amazon’s assistant either from the screen (including through a tile) or by configuring one of the pushers. This will be helpful if your smart home revolves around Alexa, of course, but it also provides some choice if you don’t want to be tied to one AI helper.
This is the first Amazon-made Alexa app for a Wear OS device, Fossil said. It’s available for Fossil, Michael Kors and Skagen models, and Fossil promises to improve it over time.
Alexa won’t be quite as convenient as using Google Assistant. You’ll still have to tap the screen to invoke Amazon’s assistant where Google will be available just by holding the home button. This is a start, though, and it may make Fossil Gen 6 alluring if you like Alexa but don’t want to buy a Fitbit smartwatch to put it on your wrist.
Samsung’s 2TB 980 Pro SSD drops to a new low of $250
If you’re lucky enough to have gotten your hands on a PS5, you may be looking for a drive with which to expand your console’s storage. We have a whole guide that explains how to do that and which SSDs are our favorites, and one of those drives is down to a new record low right now. Samsung’s 980 Pro SSD in 2TB is on sale for $250, which is 42 percent off and $30 cheaper than its previous best price.
Buy Samsung 980 Pro (2TB) at Amazon – $250
The 980 Pro is one of Samsung’s best SSDs with PCIe 4 connectivity and an M.2 2280 form factor. You can plug it into laptops and desktops if you’re more of a PC gamer, but you’ll need to provide a heatsink if you want to hook this drive up to the PS5. You can buy one separately, or grab the 980 Pro with one bundled for $300. We also like the 980 Pro’s fast performance, supporting speeds up to 7,000 MB/s, and its nickel coating which should help control temperature levels.
A couple of other drives that made it into our PS5 storage guide are discounted as well. The Patriot Viper VP4300 in 2TB is on sale for $330 — just clip the on-page coupon for $50 off to get the lower final price. This is actually our favorite drive for the PS5 thanks to its sequential read speeds of up to 7,400 MB/s and two included heatsink options (aluminum and graphene). Also on sale is the Seagate FireCuda 530 in 1TB, which you can get for $190. This drive supports speeds up to 7,300 MB/s and also comes with a heatsink.
Buy Patriot Viper VP4300 (2TB) at Amazon – $330Buy Seagate FireCuda 530 (1TB) at Amazon – $190
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Samsung will bring Galaxy S22 features to older phones
You won’t need a Galaxy S22 to use some of Samsung’s latest software tricks. Samsung is promising to bring One UI 4.1 to many of its Galaxy phones and tablets from recent years, including its more advanced camera features. You’ll have access to the Expert RAW editing app, more advanced object removal and simpler photo sharing. You can expect Google Duo live sharing and a Grammarly-equipped keyboard, too.
The One UI 4.1 update will first come to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3. However, it will also come to the Galaxy S21, S20 and S10 families, the Galaxy Note line (from the Note 10+ onward), unnamed Galaxy A handsets and all previous foldable phones. Galaxy Tab S7 FE and further unspecified Tab S models will also receive the new software.
Samsung didn’t provide a specific timeline for the rollout, although that’s likely to vary by device, country and carrier. The plan also suggests you might be out of luck if you use a Galaxy Tab A or other affordable tablets. Nonetheless, it’s welcome news for many users who’d rather not buy new hardware just to catch up on One UI features.
Lenovo’s latest ThinkPad update is bringing fresh CPUs and better connectivity
After kicking off the year with a bunch of new laptops back at CES 2022 followed by more recentupdates at MWC, Lenovo is finally capping off its refresh cycle this spring with improved components for the ThinkPad X13 and L-series lines.
The focus of Lenovo’s latest updates is to provide faster performance featuring new processors (both Intel and AMD, depending on the specific model), improved video conferencing thanks to Dolby Voice and better connectivity via Wi-Fi 6E. Also, every new ThinkPad X13 and L-series notebook is getting a 15 percent larger touchpad and can be configured with 4G LTE, with the ThinkPad X13 getting an upgrade to sub-6Ghz 5G as well. And to reduce the company’s impact on the environment, Lenovo is switching to new packaging made from 90 percent recycled material along with more components like speaker housings and AC adapters being made from post-consumer recycled plastics.
Lenovo
The new ThinkPad X13 Yoga 2-in-1 supports up to a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU, with the more mainstream clamshell X13 getting additional support for AMD Ryzen Pro 6000 chips with Radeon 600M graphics. Lenovo is also introducing optional FHD IR cameras to the mix, which work with Windows Hello facial recognition while including a dedicated camera shutter for increased privacy. The standard X13 offers two different batteries: a default 41Whr power pack, and a larger 54.7 Whr cell that Lenovo says boosts longevity by up to 40 percent.
One the ThinkPad L line, all three sizes (13-, 14-, and 15-inch models) can be equipped with up to 12th-gen Intel i7 processors or AMD Ryzen 5000 Pro CPUs, up to 32GB of RAM, and 1TB PCIe SSDs. The smallest ThinkPad L13 and L13 Yoga will also be available in either Thunder Black or a new Storm Grey paint job, with Lenovo updating both L13s with slightly taller and brighter 16:10 500-nit displays. And for people worried about people peeping over their shoulder, the L13 even supports an optional Privacy Guard screen.
Lenovo
As for the ThinkPad L14 and L15 Gen 3, the company has redesigned their chassis with thinner bezels, which reduces weight and increases the system’s overall screen-to-body ratio. And unlike their smaller siblings, you get a total of three battery sizes: 42 Whr, 57 Whr, and 63 Whr.
So while it’s not a complete overhaul, both the ThinkPad X13 and ThinkPad L lines are getting some very handy boosts for 2022, especially for people looking for better mobile productivity. The ThinkPad L-series is slated to go on sale beginning in April with prices starting as low as $799 for the L13, with the X13 following later in June starting at $1,119.
Microsoft’s DirectStorage will speed up game loads on Windows 10 and 11
“Windows games can ship with DirectStorage” starting today, Microsoft has announced. DirectStorage is the tech giant’s fast game-loading technology that was introduced with the Xbox Series X and S consoles. In September 2020, Microsoft revealed that it will also make the DirectStorage API available on Windows, allowing games for PCs to take advantage of the technology.
DirectStorage leverages the speed of modern NVMe SSDs, which can deliver multiple gigabytes per second, to load games faster than before. As Microsoft explains, current storage APIs weren’t optimized for modern games’ data loading methods and create bottlenecks that lengthen loading times even for those who have an NVMe SSD. In addition, most gaming assets need to be decompressed before they’re sent to the GPU for rendering. DirectStorage solves those issues by processing multiple I/O requests needed to load assets into batches and by using the best current (and future) decompression technologies.
Microsoft released a developer preview of the technology in mid-2021, but as The Verge reports, there are no available games with DirectStorage support yet. One of the first titles to take advantage of the technology is Square Enix’s Forspoken, which will be released for Windows and the PS5 in October. Other developers may have only just started working on incorporating the technology into their games. It may take a while for more titles to come with DirectStorage, especially since not everyone has upgraded to NVMe SSDs yet. It’s worth noting, though, that while Windows 11 unlocks the technology’s full potential, even gamers on Windows 10 will still see some improvements while playing games that support it.
The tech giant will present an introduction to DirectStorage at GDC on March 22nd and is expected to give tips and tricks developers can use to get started. Forspoken developer Luminous will also be talking about how it integrated the technology into the game at the same event.
The Morning After: You should clean your AirPods
We’re approaching spring-cleaning season, and tech sometimes needs a refresh, too. True wireless earbuds — and most wearable devices — can accumulate a worrying amount of dirt, oils and, well, detritus. So how do you clean them without breaking, damaging or scratching them? We made a guide for that, synthesizing official guidance from Apple, Samsung, Sony and the rest with real-world tips and cleaning tool recommendations.
The good thing is the more often you clean them, the less disgusting they’ll be. And don’t worry — no pictures of ear wax-caked buds. I know it’s early. No one wants to see that.
This week on the site, we’ve updated our robot vacuum guide, and we’ll be tackling how to recycle your old gadgets, how to clean and care for your displays and how to prep your grills for BBQ season.
— Mat Smith
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iPhone SE review (2022)
Small phone, powerful processor.
Engadget
Apple’s approach to making a more affordable iPhone has been to stuff premium processors into older cases. With the new iPhone SE, the company has stuck to that strategy. With a home button, substantial top and bottom bezels and rounded corners, it’s nearly identical to the 2020 model. And at this point, it’s starting to feel borderline retro. When basically all smartphones have done away with home buttons, this year’s iPhone SE feels anachronistic. However, it has Apple’s latest cutting-edge processor, the A15 Bionic, a surprisingly capable camera, and it’s just $429. Tempted? Read on for our full review.
Apple’s iOS 15.4 comes with mask-friendly Face ID unlock
The company has also released iPadOS 15.4.
Apple has begun rolling out iOS 15.4. One of the most notable upgrades is the option to unlock your device while wearing a mask without needing to enter a passcode or use an Apple Watch. Once you’ve installed iOS 15.4, you need to activate it manually in the Face ID and Passcode section of the Settings menu.
Twitter ditches its tabbed timeline mere days after rolling it out
“We heard you.”
Just days after introducing a feature that made an algorithmically generated feed the default for iOS users, Twitter is changing things back to the way they were before. “We heard you,” the company said. “Some of you always want to see [the] latest tweets first. We’ve switched the timeline back and removed the tabbed experience for now while we explore other options.”
CD sales rose for the first time in 17 years
The music industry made almost as much from CDs as digital downloads in 2021.
According to the Recording Industry Association of America’s annual sales report, revenue from CDs grew by 21 percent to $584 million in 2021. That marked the first annual increase in CD revenue in the US since 2004. A lot of this may be due to how many record stores reopened and artists sold music at shows again after COVID-19 put everything on hold in 2020. However, CD sales were close to the totals for digital music sales. Sales for digital tunes dropped by 12 percent to $587 million — only $3 million more than CD revenue for 2021.
‘SNL’ star Pete Davidson will be on Blue Origin’s next spaceflight
Scheduled launch: Later this month.
Blue Origin’s next crewed spaceflight is scheduled for March 23rd and, as reports suggested, Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson will be one of the passengers. It will be New Shepard’s fourth flight with humans on board and its 20th overall. Davidson seems to be the famous face on this launch, following the likes of William Shatner and Good Morning America host Michael Strahan.
Discovery will combine HBO Max and Discovery Plus following TimeWarner merger
The unified platform will launch sometime after the $43 billion deal closes.
Months after announcing their proposed $43 billion merger, WarnerMedia and Discovery have answered what will happen to HBO Max and Discovery Plus once they form the imaginatively named Warner Bros. Discovery. Discovery Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels said the company plans to combine the two platforms into one unified streaming service. Wiedenfels said he expects it’ll take a few months for Warner Bros. Discovery to “do it in a way that’s actually a great user experience for our subscribers.” In the meantime, HBO Max and Discovery Plus customers should expect at least some form of bundling.
Kawasaki made a rideable robotic goat
I won’t be taking questions at this time. Thank you.
Kawasaki
Bex can carry approximately 220 pounds of cargo. Or human.
《小蒂娜的奇幻樂園》上市即支援 PlayStation、Xbox、PC 全平台聯機
《小蒂娜的奇幻樂園》上市即支援 PlayStation、Xbox、PC 全平台聯機，PS5 和 PS4 上的《邊緣禁地 3》玩家也將能參與跨平台遊玩。