Latest Technology

The deadline for Europe to make a call on the Google -Fitbit merger has been pushed out again — with EU regulators now having until January 8, 2021, to take a decision. The latest change to the provisional deadline, spotted earlier by Reuters , could be the result of one of the parties asking for more time. Last month the deadline for a decision was extended until December 23 — potentially pushing the decision out beyond a year after Google announced its intention to buy Fitbit, back in November 2019 . So if the tech giant was hoping for a simple and swift regulatory rubberstamping its hopes have been diminishing since August when the Commission announced it was going to dig into the detail. Once bitten and all that . The proposed Fitbit acquisition also comes as Alphabet, Google’s parent, is under intense antitrust scrutiny on multiple fronts on home turf. Google featured prominently in a report by the House Judiciary Committee on big tech antitrust concerns earlier this mo...

Marshall’s new Major IV headphones ($149.99) combine lightweight comfort with wireless charging, and up to 80 hours of playback for an iconic headset that’s affordable and flexible. At home or on the go, these are a great option with unique features that you won’t find anywhere else in the headphone market. Basics This is the fourth iteration of Marshall’s Major on-ear wireless headphones, and they offer a number of improvements new to the lineup, including a new folding clip design that makes them even more compact when packed for travel – and that allows them to rest comfortably on a charging pad to enable another new feature, wireless charging using the Qi standard. Marshall has also greatly improved battery life, advertising an insane 80 hours of usage time on these, way up from the 30+ promised in the last generation. They still feature square earcups with that iconic Marshall look, but the detail on each is flat instead of pebbled faux leather (that remains on the headband). ...

The noise-cancelling over-ear headphone category is an increasingly competitive one, and consumers have never been more spoiled for choice. Shure entered the market this year with the Aonic 50, a premium-priced headset ($399) that offers active noise cancelling, Bluetooth connectivity and USB-C charging. Shure’s reputation for delivering top-quality sound is definitely part of the package, and there’s a lot more to recommend the Aonic 50 as well. Basics Shure offers the Aonic 50 in either black or brown finishes, and they have physical controls on the right ear cup for volume, turning noise cancellation on and off, power, activating voice assistances and skipping tracks. There’s a USB-C port for charging, and a 2.5mm stereo connector on the left ear cup for using the included cable to connect via wire, which allows you to use them even while the internal battery is depleted or the headset is powered down (albeit without active noise cancelling obviously). The Aonic 50 also comes w...

PopSockets will support Apple’s MagSafe technology, TechCrunch has confirmed — meaning you’ll soon be able to pop on and off these ubiquitous iPhone accessories without worrying about the sticker on the back losing its adhesiveness over time and needing a rinse. MagSafe, Apple’s charging brand, is now the company’s new system for iPhone wireless charging and easy-to-attach accessories, introduced today at Apple’s iPhone event. Thanks to the new array of magnets positioned around the wireless charging coil, the iPhone will be better aligned when connected with Apple’s MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger — designed for wirelessly charging the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 plus Apple Watch, respectively. Apple launches new ecosystem of accessories and wireless chargers with MagSafe But the system also enables a range of MagSafe accessories that work with iPhone 12. Apple is introducing its own accessories, with new silicone, leather and clear cases that easily snap on the back o...

Two Screens for Teachers , which as you may guess is about getting teachers a second screen to use at home, has put together enough funds to get every educator in the Seattle Public School system a new monitor who needs one. They’re hoping it will spur others to pony up for a similar treatment at their local schools. The idea of running a class with 30 kids while also juggling teaching materials and administrative stuff all on a single laptop screen is anxiety-inducing just to think about, and thousands of teachers have been doing just that for months. Teachers deserve two screens, and Two Screens for Teachers aims to get them just that Two Screens for Teachers was announced in September as a way to connect those educators who need a second monitor (which is to say, most of them) with people who want to pay for it — it’s that simple. Thousands of monitors have already been distributed, but the waiting list is more than 20,000 people long, the kind of scale where the needle on...

Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro heaps improvements on the already-formidable power of its camera system, adding features that will be prized by “serious” photographers — that is to say, the type who like to really mess around with their shots after the fact. Of course the upgrades will also be noticeable for us “fire and forget” shooters as well. The most tangible change is the redesign of two of the three lens systems on the rear camera assembly. The Pro Max comes with a new, deeper telephoto camera: a 65 mm-equivalent rather than the 52 mm found on previous phones. This closer optical zoom will be prized by many; after all, 52 mm is still quite wide for portrait shots. The improved wide-angle lens, common to all the new iPhone 12 models, has had its lens assembly simplified down to seven elements, improving light transmission and getting its equivalent aperture to F/1.6. At this scale practically every photon counts, especially for the revamped Night Mode. Perhaps a more consequential (an...

Apple just announced the iPhone 12 , and it features some new capabilities hidden in the rear of the phone. Thanks to alignment magnets, you can snap accessories to the back of your phone. And the company is releasing new accessories that work with this magnetic back, including new cases, a wireless charger and a card holder. Apple’s iPhone 12 starts at $799, sporting 5G and a magnetic adapter There are many layers tucked in the back of the device, such as a magnetometer, a copper-graphite shield, two shields, multiple layers of magnets, an NFC antenna and more. But the company isn’t just adding magnets for the sake of adding magnets. It opens up a whole new ecosystem of accessories, including Apple-branded accessories. Apple is introducing two wireless chargers. This is the second time the company is announcing a wireless charger. But Apple had some production issues with its previous attempt, the AirPower charger. The new MagSafe charger is a simple wireless charger that...