Geek News

There's long been a conspicuous feature gap between Qualcomm's mobile processors: You typically have to choose between a do-it-all beast like the Snapdragon 845 or settle for the good-enough features of midrange parts like the Snapdragon 600 series . The company is trying to bridge that divide today. It's introducing the Snapdragon 700 series, which promises some of the features from the 800 line without the pricey hardware. It's providing only a handful of details as we write this, but they'll give you an idea of what to expect. Most notably, the 700 range will include the 800's AI Engine and Spectra image processing. If you're using an AI-savvy device or thrive on mobile photography, you could have the same experience as someone toting the latest flagship phone. Qualcomm is also promising recent (if expected) additions like Bluetooth 5.0 and Quick Charge 4.0 support, as well as new variants on its Kryo CPU cores and Adreno graphics. You can expect as m...

Flight delay alerts are helpful, but they usually depend on airlines notifying you in a timely fashion... and they're not always quick on the draw. Google, however, is happy to fill that gap. It's updating its Flights feature with not only explanations for delays, but predictions. Its machine learning system will use historic flight status info to forecast delays, and flags them when there's at least an 80 percent confidence the prediction will come true. The company stresses that you should still show up on time (you don't want to miss a flight due to pessimism), but this could give you a hint of trouble before you set foot in the airport. The update could also be valuable if you're thrifty -- Google has started outlining the amenities for frugal fares on American, Delta and United flights. Check the details and you can avoid rude surprises if you're expecting to choose your seat or stow luggage overhead. This won't make that ultra-basic flight any more...