OnePlus wants to cover everything in a sandstone finish

OnePlus has identified four objects as being especially slippery — cups, sneakers, soap, and the iPhone 6s — and the vendor has come up with a novel solution to fix the problem. It involves covering the aforementioned devices with the sandstone finish found on the back of the OnePlus One and OnePlus 2:

• The Sandstone Cup, for when you want some extra grippy security for liquids around your computer but also a way to exfoliate your lips sometimes.
• The Sandstone Sneakers, for when you would rather your pumped up kicks stay on the ground when attempting a roundhouse kick.
• The Sandstone Soap, because ain’t nobody got time to mess around with that slippery stuff but it also gives you hands as smooth as baby sea lion.
• And the Sandstone iPhone Case, because you know why.

And yes, OnePlus sells an actual sandstone case for the iPhone 6s.

#GetSandstoned at OnePlus

Tesla Model 3 is the super electric car you can afford to drive

In a movie set in the a post apocalyptic future, it’ll be the Tesla Model 3 that we see dotted about the landscape. That’s because this is going to be the first real mass-market electric car that does it all.

The Tesla Model 3 was shown off by Elon Musk, where its specs and pricing were revealed. We’re in for a real treat for that $35,000 price when it finally begins shipping in late 2017.

The Tesla Model 3 looks like a smaller, sportier version of the Tesla Model S with bonnet design cues from the original Roadster. The Model 3 will be powerful, kicking out at least a 6-second 0-60mph time and that performance won’t affect range which should be at least 215 miles on a charge.

Crucially, by the time this lands, Tesla says it will have doubled the number of Superchargers worldwide and will be throwing in charging for free. Also as standard the car will feature Autopilot for assisted driving and future proofing for the self-driving roads to come.

Safety is another point of focus in the Model 3 with 5-star safety ratings guaranteed in all categories. The five seater interior looks minimal with a tablet screen and little else, but that’s likely to keep weight and costs low.

You can pre-order a Tesla Model 3 now with a $1,000 deposit.

READ: Riding shotgun with Batman: We’ve driven in the Batmobile

Cruising around in the Tesla Model 3

Tesla offered up rides in its news Model 3 to attendees of tonight’s event. While the car won’t be in the hands of regular folks anytime before the end of 2017 (hopefully), the automaker gave anyone that wanted a ride, a trip up and down the street in a pre-production version of the car.

Since I wasn’t allowed behind the driver’s seat (boo), the entire experience is from that of a passenger.

The Model 3 is zippy. Zero to sixty in six seconds is nothing compared to a Model S, but for a family sedan, it’s impressive. During the ride, the driver took us up and down a closed street stomping on the gas both times after navigating a disco-light and smoke-machine infused parking lot. The entire drive lasted only a few minutes. As soon as the cars are production ready, Tesla will probably offer more than a quick jaunt down the street.

In the very short time in the car, there were a few things I noticed.

The only display measures just 15-inches horizontal (the Model S has a 17-inch vertically orientated unit) dropped into the center of the dash. That’s it. There are no gauges directly in front the driver. The speedometer is in the top left-hand corner of screen. It did seem to be in the driver’s field of vision. But hopefully during phase 2 of the car’s path to production, Tesla adds a HUD (heads-up display) so the information is directly in front of the person behind the wheel.

The only other thing on the screen was a map of the area and media player. I’m sure there will be more information about what will be displayed as the car gets nearer to production.

On stage, CEO Elon Musk said the car would fit five passengers. Like most sedans, it’s more like four adults and child or very short, petite friend. I saw them cram five journalists in a car, it wasn’t something you’d want to recreate on a long drive. Still, since there’s no engine under the hood or in the trunk, the automaker was able to move the seats out. At six-foot three inches, I was comfortable in the back seat, which is something I don’t get to say very often in a mid-size sedan.

One thing that probably helps make the interior feel roomy was the roof. It’s entirely glass with a single crossbeam between the front and back seats breaking up the flow. At night, on the open road, it’s probably a great way to enjoy the stars. During the day though, especially a hot one, it’ll be interesting to see how cool Tesla can keep the car. Also, I hope everyone likes wearing sunglasses.

The sleek exterior of the car isn’t outlandish. The design, especially the profile is actually more reminiscent of the Model X than the Model S. But whichever Tesla it borrows its looks from might not really matter. Within an hour of the unveiling, the automaker had already pre-sold north of 130,000 cars to excited Tesla fans. Most of those are folks put down a $1,000 deposit on a car without actually seeing it.

They’re in for a long wait, but if the prototype that’s shuttling people up and down the street in Los Angeles is the base of the upcoming car, they’re probably going to be happy with their decision.

Google’s ‘Mic Drop’ Gmail joke was a catastrophe

Like all jokes on April Fools’ Day, some are received better than others. Pranksters usually mean well, but there’s always someone that pushes the envelope a little too far, upsetting the recipient. Google fell into this trap today after launching a new “feature” for Gmail users called Mic Drop. It added a secondary “Send” button to the web interface, which would exchange a humorous GIF with all of the thread’s participants. More importantly, it also muted the chain so that the user couldn’t see any follow-up emails in their inbox. Just like a classic mic drop, really.

Many people tried Mic Drop accidentally, or pressed the button without knowing its full effects. It triggered a small but significant backlash in the Gmail Help Forum, with numerous users asking for a disable option. One user claims to have lost their job after using the feature to send draft documents to their boss. The GIF wasn’t appreciated and the user never received their replies, which included important corrections. Unsurprisingly, this led to a “very angry voicemail” in the morning.

Google has now reacted and pulled the feature from Gmail. A spokesperson told Engadget: “Well, it looks like we pranked ourselves this year. Due to a bug, the Mic Drop feature inadvertently caused more headaches than laughs. We’re truly sorry. The feature has been turned off. If you are still seeing it, please reload your Gmail page.” The nature of the bug and its effect on Mic Drop remains unclear. While killing the prank was undoubtedly the right move, for some the damage has already been done. It sets a downbeat and cautionary tone for the rest of April Fools’ Day — especially when viewing the countless jokes carefully crafted by Google.

Source: Google (Blog Post), Gmail Help Forum

Catch all of the Android April Fools’ Day jokes right here

From hilarious to cringe-worthy, we have ’em all here.

Despite the general public displeasure with all things on the Internet come April 1, the big companies in the tech space just can’t help themselves. Year after year we get tons of April Fools’ Day jokes, gags and pranks. Most are flops and some are worth a chuckle, and no matter how well they go over we’re rounding them all up right here.

Google Photos emoji search

You can search for pictures in Google Photos by typing out a name, place or object … but why not emoji? Well, even though this is a bit of a joke, it actually works in Google Photos. Drop a dog, pumpkin or whatever other emoji you want to search, and you’ll get proper photo results in return.

‘Drop the mic’ in Gmail

Some email threads go on too long, and really need a “drop the mic” moment where you can shut everyone else up. Now with the latest development by Google, you have a specific “Drop the mic” button that’ll put in a well-timed animated gif to put a stop to all of that, and swiftly archive the conversation. Just like the emoji search in Google Photos, this one is actually available to use in Gmail on the web.

Inbox by Google gets emoji Smart Replies

Again with the emoji, this time in Inbox’s genuinely useful “Smart Reply” feature that intelligently selects phrases for you to reply to emails with. Why not let Inbox choose a few poop emoji for you to respond to that terrible email with?

Google Cardboard Plastic

Sure, virtual reality is cool and all, but Google is already gearing up to tackle the next big breakthrough with Google Cardboard Plastic. By being the first headset for Actual Reality, Google Cardboard Plastic offers the most immersive experience yet. Because after all, as Google puts it: what’s realer than real? Probably nothing.

T-Mobile

The Un-carrier is debuting Binge On Up, a “revolutionary new hands-free device that lets you watch whatever you want and do whatever you want.” Aimed at solving consumer pain points like Netflix Neck and YouTubular Degeneration, the device offers Theater Mode, Dual View, and Real Reality, through which you can binge-watch your favorite shows during everyday menial tasks. Here’s what John Legere thinks of Binge On Up:

Verizon

Verizon has announced that it is working on a new wearable camera called OccuCam that will connect your eyes directly to social networks, letting your friends and family see what you’re seeing at any given time. After all, what’s better than sharing all your precious moments with your friends, family, and that guy who won’t stop commenting on your tweets?

The carrier is also working on apps to augment the experience:

• Cat Watch — Kooky technology instantly recognizes every time a cat comes into view and instantly blasts it directly to all your social channels, so everyone you know can marvel at the cat’s hilarious antics.
• Cheat-ID — Players – you’re warned. Cheat-ID knows when you’ve been looking at an attractive individual just a tad too long, whether they’re a coworker, an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend from high school, or even the hot server at the fast-food drive through. Wandering eye? Cheat-ID will automatically alert your spouse or significant other about the potential for trouble.

ASUS ZenFone Max charges your Tesla

ASUS likes to tote the size of the battery in the ZenFone Max, and today it shows off just how powerful it is by powering up a Tesla Model S with a comical-looking charging adapter. Electricity, how does it work??

Do you have a favorite Android-related April Fools’ Day joke on the Internet this year? Let us know in the comments!

Huawei’s revenues increase by 37 percent in 2015

Huawei has recorded revenue of ¥395 billion ($61.10 billion) in 2015, an increase of 37 percent from last year. Net profit increased 32 percent to ¥36.9 billion ($5.7 billion), with operating margins at 11.6 percent. The revenue increase represents Huawei’s strongest growth since 2008, aided by the uptake of 4G in China and the vendor’s momentum in the global smartphone segment.

Huawei’s consumer devices business recorded a growth of 72.9 percent, with over 100 million shipments in 2015 allowing the manufacturer to edge out local rivals Lenovo and Xiaomi. The vendor’s telecommunications unit also saw a healthy 21.4 percent increase.

With the P9 slated to debut later this month, it doesn’t look like the vendor is going to let up anytime soon.

iFixit shows you what’s inside an iPhone SE

Now that Apple has produced an updated small iPhone, naturally the next question is what’s inside? iFixit stands at the ready with spudgers, screwdrivers and other tools for their latest teardown. Not just an iPhone 6s in the body of an iPhone 5s, the iPhone SE blends components from both devices, plus some custom pieces to make it all work together. For extra angles, Creative Electron has contributed some X-ray looks at the device while Chipworks drops in their usual detailed breakdown of components.

Source: iFixit, Chipworks

Tesla unveils its $35,000 Model 3

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated on many occasions that introducing high-end vehicles was a means to eventually bring an affordable electric vehicle to market. Today the automaker finally unveiled the physical manifestation of that plan. The $35,000 (before federal tax credits) Model 3 sedan made its world debut at an event in Los Angeles. On stage, Elon Musk announced that the car will have at least 215 miles of range, 0-60 in under six seconds, and every single one will have Supercharging as a standard feature. Even before the car was unveiled, Elon says pre-orders have already topped 115,000.

Pre-orders of the Model 3 started today all over the globe. Potential customers lined up at Tesla dealerships and placed $1,000 deposits for a car (limit two per person) they might not take delivery of until 2018.

Musk noted earlier that this is phase one of the car’s rollout and while tonight’s event showed off the car, the automaker will be adding more features in the future as it gets closer to production.

When it does hit the street, it’s closest competitor will be the Chevy Bolt. Both cars have a range of over 200 miles and a pre-tax credit price in the mid $30,000 range. What the Model 3 has over the Bolt is Tesla’s Supercharger stations. In addition being able to charge at any level 2 charging station, it can reap the benefits of charging quickly at the Tesla stations.

The Tesla Model 3 https://t.co/aUsSmLKqEm

— Engadget (@engadget) April 1, 2016

LIVE on #Periscope: First ride #Model3 https://t.co/w5yfiiwFuv

— Tesla Motors (@TeslaMotors) April 1, 2016

Verizon plans $20 upgrade fee, even if you paid for your new phone

Eyeing up the small but nimble iPhone SE? If you’re on Verizon, you’ll want to make the switch sooner rather than later. According to a memo leaked to MacRumors, the company is planning to introduce a $20 dollar upgrade fee, irrespective of whether you’re paying full price for the phone upfront or own it outright. The memo says this fee is there to cover “our increasing support costs associated with customers switching their devices,” which sounds incredibly suspect.

This fee would also come into effect if you bought your hypothetical new iPhone from Apple direct. Both Sprint and AT&T charge (up to $36 and $15, respectively) for their customers switching phones — so unfortunately it’s just another carrier wringing out money for whatever excuse it can. Check the full memo below.

Via: The Verge

Source: MacRumors

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Now Available to Download From iTunes

Disney today released Star Wars: The Force Awakens onto digital platforms, including iTunes, Disney Movies Anywhere, and other Digital HD platforms. The company first confirmed the release date in early March, also announcing the long-awaited film will launch at physical retailers on April 5.

The iTunes version of the film has the same bonus content as the standard retail editions set to launch next week, including a table read of the script and a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the film’s creatures. Fans who purchase the film on April 5 will have a handful of retailer exclusive editions to choose from, some of which include bonus content unavailable elsewhere.

iTunes Extras: Discover the complete story behind the film’s making in Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey, revealed through in-depth footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers in this feature-length documentary. In The Story Awakens: The Table Read, cast members reflect on the memorable day they all came together for the first time to read the movie’s script. Plus Crafting Creatures, Building BB-8, Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight, a host of Deleted Scenes, and more.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is available to download from the iTunes Store for $19.99 in HD, with the SD version to follow on April 5 for $14.99. [Direct Link]

Tag: Star Wars
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