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While it seems like most of today's Wear OS watches come from Fossil, premium watch maker Citizen is finally introducing a device running Google's wearable OS. Citizen may be a major name in the watchmaking world, but the CZ Smart seems perfectly average for a smartwatch — although that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Verizon releases new Stream TV app and Android TV box with upgraded content-discovery UI
There's also a new remote that will never get lost
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Verizon might be known for making questionable 5G claims, but the nation's largest wireless provider also makes Android TV devices. It released the first Stream TV box back in February, and now a sequel is available. The next-gen Stream TV comes in a sleek new form factor and runs Verizon's new Android TV skin that emphasizes content-discovery.
Destiny 2 is going free-to-play for everyone on Stadia, no subscription required
Plus two new games and the return of the Immortals Fenyx Rising demo
Stadia has been consistently adding new games and features since its launch late last year, and today, the cloud gaming service has a few more announcements. Destiny 2 will be free for everyone — Pro subscription or not — starting later this week. In addition, a number of new titles are arriving in the Stadia Store, such as PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands.
Forget foldables — Oppo's latest concept phone is rollable
It uses a motorized scroll mechanism to expand and contract
There are a lot of weird phones out there, but I've never seen one quite like this before. Oppo's new concept phone, the Oppo X 2021, might at first appear to be a standard 2020 phone with a 6.7" display. One quick swipe on the side, however, and the screen expands to a more tablet-like 7.4" size. Magic? Almost — it's thanks to a flexible screen and a motorized scroll mechanism.
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Smart homes are great — until the inevitable outage occurs. Nest owners were affected by a behind-the-scenes issue that impacted a number of products and services including thermostats, Nest Protect devices, and more. It took the team about four hours to investigate, but the issues have now been resolved.
Nvidia updates the Shield TV with AI upscaling fixes, stability improvements, and more
The best Android TV box gets even better
Google TV may be the hot new thing, but Nvidia's Shield TV is still one of the most popular Android TV devices out there. We called it the best Android TV box at the time of release, and it's getting even better thanks to a new update rolling out now.
Stadia's new messaging capabilities are rolling out widely now
Google's newest messaging platform that people actually want
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Stadia has been in the news lately for generously giving out Stadia Premiere bundles to YouTube Premium subscribers, but that's not the only thing Google's cloud gaming service is giving away. It has now implemented a new messaging system, allowing users to send written messages back and forth between friends who are also on Stadia.
This year's best premium Chromebook, the Acer Spin 713, is on sale for just $549 from Best Buy ($80 off)
3:2 display, plenty of power, and a convertible design 👌
With so many people working and learning from home these days, Chromebooks are a hot commodity. Acer's Chromebook Spin 713 would be a great choice even without being in our current predicament. It's a premium device with the hardware to match, but right now, Best Buy is offering it for a full $80 off, making this laptop a steal at $549.
The new Chromecast remote is available on the Google Store in case you've already lost yours
And now we know it has an accelerometer
It's been a few weeks since Google released its new Chromecast with Google TV, and if you picked one up and are anything like the average American, you've probably spent some of that time searching to find the remote. Thankfully, there's a solution if your Chromecast remote has been permanently misplaced: Google is now offering individual Chromecast remotes for sale on the Google Store — and the listing has revealed a slightly-surprising spec.
Security cameras from Kasa, Yi, and more start at just $21 in Amazon's Deal of the Day
Some seriously good deals to save on home security
Security cameras are one of the most vital parts to a good home security system, but they can be expensive. Luckily, today's Amazon deal includes a number of high-quality cameras from reputable manufactures like Kasa and Yi at prices starting as low as $20.99 — with savings ranging as high as 67% off.For roughly twenty bucks, you can get a 1080p indoor camera from YI that includes night vision, 2-way audio, and motion detection. Plus, like almost every camera available in this sale, it's compatible with smart assistants from companies like Amazon and Google. If an outdoor cam is what you're after, you can save a whopping 67% on YI's 1080p cloud cam that has waterproofing, a built-in siren, and optional 24/7 emergency response.
OSOM plans to release its first privacy-focused product next year
Essential may be dead, but OSOM is starting a life of its own
Essential may not be around anymore, but that doesn't mean the talented team that made up the company is taking a break. Essential's head of R&D, Jason Keats, founded OSOM Products earlier this year with a handful of former employees on board. Now a new interview has revealed a glimpse into the future of OSOM — and it's a vision that's focused pretty much entirely on user privacy.
Save 15% off portable power products in Jackery's 8th anniversary sale
Some super solar-powered savings
Portable power can always come in handy whether you're a constant camper or not, and Jackery makes products to fill a wide variety of use cases. Today, the company announced a sale to celebrate being in business for eight years. Customers can save 15% off products storewide from now until November 18, with the deals available from Amazon as well as Jackery.com.From the Jackery Explorer 160 to the top of the line Explorer 1000, there are options for everybody. The Explorer 160 is a portable power station designed to reliably charge mainstream electronics, small appliances, and more. It's compact, lightweight, and perfect for day trips, camping, and emergency preparedness. Normally $139.99, it's marked down to just $118.99 on Amazon and Jackery.com. You can even bundle it with a SolarSaga 60 panel to sap energy from the sun for $271.89 — down from $319.98.
Killing off beloved products can be difficult to do, but Google has gotten pretty good at it over the years. The company even put up a cemetery filled with its own products for Halloween last year. Now it looks like another tombstone needs to be installed, because Google has announced that it's sending Expeditions, its educational VR tour app, on one last outing — and it isn't coming back.
Get a Note20 for $750 or a Note20 Ultra for $1,000 from Microsoft right now
Just in time to jot down your holiday wishlist
Samsung's Note phones are some of the most powerful devices around, and right now you can snag some major savings on the Note20 and Note20 Ultra. Microsoft is currently offering the standard Note20 for just $749.99 and the Note20 Ultra for $999.99 — some of the lowest prices we've seen on these two daily driver-worthy devices.
Samsung is already rolling out December's security patch to One UI 3 beta testers
I guess this is like opening a present early?
Samsung has never been super speedy with major Android OS upgrades, but the company has been blazing new trails with its security patch releases recently, often beating Google itself to the punch. We're still in the middle of November, but Samsung is already rolling out next month's December security patches to certain devices enrolled in the One UI 3 beta.
Google introduced dark mode with Android 1o last year, but it's taking a while to update all of its apps with support for the feature. Google Maps started rolling out dark theme just a couple months ago. Now Google Analytics is joining the lights-out league with a dark theme of its own — plus a few other new features.
Apple TV app for Sony Android TVs arrives in the Play Store
It's only compatible with select models, though
Google may have introduced Google TV earlier this year, but Apple TV has been around long before that. Problem is, there hasn't been any Apple TV Android app, and that includes for Android TV devices — at least, until now. Select Sony ATV models are receiving an update that installs the Apple TV app, which includes access to Apple TV+, Apple TV channels, new and popular movies, and personalized and curated recommendations. A month after its announcement, the app has now arrived in the Play Store.
Here's how to tell when your Google Photos storage will run out
Cross your fingers and click this link
It was only a matter of time before Google stopped giving out unlimited photo storage for free. The company announced the change yesterday, and along with the news came a nifty new feature to help give users an estimate about how long their existing storage plan will last. Here's how to find when you'll have to start forking over money to Google for more storage.
Samsung's new Exynos 1080 chipset promises big improvements for the midrange
It's Samsung's first 5nm processor
Samsung's Exynos chipsets may not be as common as Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors here in the US, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're inherently worse. The company unveiled its new Exynos 1080 chip today, and it promises big gains in areas like 5G, on-device AI, and battery performance.
Instagram and Messenger jump on the ephemeral chat bandwagon with Vanish Mode
Sorry, you didn't read this subhead in time and it's gone now
Everyone wants to disappear sometimes — or at the very least, make some embarrassing comment of theirs disappear. Facebook is making that a bit easier by borrowing a feature from Snapchat that makes it possible to send messages that don't stick around. The new "vanish mode" for Messenger and Instagram promises to make messaging a more "spontaneous" experience, and it's starting to roll out now.