The Morning After: Wednesday, January 17th 2018


Welcome to the middle, and we've got more car news from the North American International Auto Show, which kicked off almost immediately after last week's CES. There is no rest. Also: a space junk laser.

Meanwhile, Apple's iPhone 7 Plus is the second-best-selling smartphone in China.
US Congress reportedly lobbied AT&T to dump Huawei smartphones

AT&T recently revealed it wouldn't carry Huawei smartphones, despite rumors that it would be the first US carrier to do so, raising suspicions that politics played a part in its decision. Reportedly, US lawmakers did indeed pressure AT&T to drop its plans to carry handsets from the Chinese company. Furthermore, senators and House members are also pressuring AT&T to end its collaboration with Huawei on standards for its next-generation 5G network. The government is telling companies that dealing with Huawei, China Mobile and other firms could harm their ability to procure government contracts.

Space junk laser.
Chinese scientists unveil plan to zap space junk with orbital lasers

There have been more than a few proposals for eliminating space junk, such as grabbing it, gobbling it and blasting it from Earth. The latest idea, however, may be the most dramatic... and the most effective. Chinese researchers have successfully simulated an orbital laser station that would zap small debris that's under four-inches long.

House bill now has 80 co-sponsors, and 22 state attorneys general take legal action.
The fight to restore net neutrality is picking up steam

Yesterday, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said that Senate Democrats now have a total of 50 votes in favor of restoring net neutrality. Today, the push back against the net neutrality repeal intensifies, as a companion House bill to reject the FCC's repeal now has 80 co-sponsors. What's more, 22 state attorneys general have also filed a lawsuit to block it from happening.

Android Auto, CarPlay, touchscreens, voice control and TV tuners, oh my.
Lamborghini's 650HP Urus is equal parts muscle and infotainment

Lamborghini's Urus is more than just an absurdly overpowered SUV; it's packed with technology both on the entertainment and safety sides, too. That means along with its 650-horsepower twin-turbo aluminum 4.0 liter V8 (whew), you also have the option for a pair of Android Auto tablets mounted to the back of the driver and passenger seats.

As you hoped, it oozes nostalgia.Watch the first footage from Kodak's reborn Super 8 film camera

Film may have had its day, but there's no denying it evokes a dreamy nostalgia that digital video can't match. Kodak got a lot of folks, including A-list Hollywood directors, excited about its hybrid Super 8 camera based on that idea and has now revealed the first footage that seems to deliver on its retro-tinged promise.

Bluetooth, USB-C and even more fine tuning?
Microsoft may be working on a new Xbox Elite controller

Microsoft's Xbox Elite controller is pricey but arguably the go-to choice for Xbox One owners who want a gamepad that fits their exact needs. And apparently, there's enough demand to merit a sequel. Here are some details that have already leaked.

But wait, there's more...

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you'll miss if you don't Subscribe.

Craving even more? Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter.

Have a suggestion on how we can improve The Morning After? Send us a note.

via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2EPPGUj"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Evernote cuts staff as user growth stalls

Image
Note-taking app Evernote has fallen on hard times of late, culminating in its latest spate of job cuts impacting 15 percent of its workforce (54 employees). CEO Chris O' Neil -- an ex-Googler who took the reins in 2015 -- announced the firings at an all-hands meeting earlier today, reports TechCrunch . In a message on the Evernote blog , O' Neill admitted he'd set "incredibly aggressive goals" for the company in 2018. He continued: "Going forward, we are streamlining certain functions, like sales, so we can continue to speed up and scale others, like product development and engineering." The layoffs follow an exec exodus just weeks ago and the company's recent brand refresh (complete with a refined logo and wordmark). But critics are more concerned about its product, especially the free tier, which they claim lacks the perks to...
Read more

The best air conditioner

Image
By Liam McCabe This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter . When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here . After six summers of researching, testing, and recommending window air conditioners, we've learned that quiet and affordable ACs make most people the happiest—and we think the LG LW8016ER will fit the bill in most rooms. This 8,000 Btu unit cools as efficiently and effectively as any model with an equal Btu rating, and runs at a lower volume and deeper pitch than others at this price. Little extra features like a fresh-air vent, two-axis fan blades, and a removable drain plug help set it apart, too. The LG LW8016ER is a top choice for an office or den, and some people will find it quiet enough for a bedroom, too. If our main pic...
Read more

We won't see a 'universal' vape oil cartridge anytime soon

Image
Pre-loaded cartridges of cannabis concentrate are currently among the most popular means of consumption, and for good reason. They're discreet to use and easy to handle, a far cry from the dark days of 2016 when we had to dribble hash oil or load wax into narrow-mouthed vape pens by hand. But, frustratingly, an ever increasing number of oil cartridge manufacturers employ one-off design standards so that their products won't work with those of their competitors, thereby locking customers into proprietary ecosystems. We've already seen this with nicotine vaporizers -- which has a seen a massive rise in "pod systems" in the last few years, each outfitted with a unique canister and battery built to be incompatible with those of their competition. Is it too late for the burgeoning cannabis industry to set a universal standard for their product designs? ...
Read more