Tesla made a phone battery pack that mimics Supercharger monuments

Tesla dropped an electric semi truck and a new Roadster at a recent event, but it apparently launched another product that didn’t get any stage time. The automaker has released, of all things, an external battery pack (the Powerbank) with USB, microUSB and Apple lightning connections that can charge your Android phone or iPhone on the go. Maybe that’s not as strange as it sounds, considering Tesla has a Gigafactory that pumps out batteries, including one for homes called Powerwall. In fact, the Powerbank uses a single 18650 cell with 3,350mAh capacity that’s also found in its Model S and X electric vehicles. (Obviously, though, the cars are powered by more than one cell.)

But you likely wouldn’t buy a $45 battery pack with those specs if it weren’t designed by Tesla when there are numerous cheaper alternatives. That’s probably why the company made sure it looks like a Tesla product through and through. It was designed after Tesla Design Studio’s Supercharger monument and wouldn’t look out of place inside one of the EV-maker’s cars. Unfortunately, you can’t get one anymore, no matter how much you’re willing and able to shell out $45 for the portable battery: it’s already marked sold out on the company’s website. You’ll just have to cross your fingers and hope Elon Musk and his team decide to produce another batch.

Via: 9to5mac

Source: Tesla

The Morning After: Weekend Edition

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Welcome to the weekend. We’ll recap this week’s news highlights (take another look at Tesla’s new sports car) and check out notable stories from Friday.

Time for a new gift idea.Apple’s HomePod smart speaker delayed

Google and Amazon are already duking it out in the smart speaker market, but Apple won’t join them this year. The company announced on Friday that HomePod needs “a little more time before it’s ready.” Now it’s scheduled for release in the US, UK and Australia in early 2018.

What’s next, parkour?Watch Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot nail a backflip

We’ve grown accustomed to seeing Boston Dynamics’ impressive line-up of robots strutting about in periodic video updates, each more terrifying than the last. But, every once in a while, the company unleashes a clip so awesome you can’t help but watch.

It’s way more than one election.Bad Password: Digital democracy’s steep decline

This week, columnist Violet Blue explains why we need to pressure Facebook, Google and other leading tech companies for information on what they’re doing to keep democracy-unraveling propaganda at bay.

Temptation.LG has steep Black Friday discounts on its premium OLED TVs

LG’s 2017 OLED TVs are as impressive as they are expensive, but this week the company is cutting prices by as much as $1,000. The 55-inch B7A will be available for $1,500, while a 65-inch will cost $2,300 — keep an eye out for the lower pricing starting on Sunday.

Get to know Moira.Try the new ‘Overwatch’ hero this weekend for free

Blizzard just delivered the newest Overwatch character (and a major nerf for Mercy) in an update, and it’s all just in time for a free play weekend on all platforms so you can see how the game has changed recently. Whether you’re intrigued by its eSports potential or not, you at least have a couple of days to play without spending any money.

Zero to sixty in 1.9 seconds.Tesla reveals a new Roadster, due in 2020

Elon Musk calls this four-seater “a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars.”

It can’t be worse than ‘The Emoji Movie.’The Rock is Chicago’s only hope in ‘Rampage’

After years of chatter, we’re finally getting a look at the movie adaptation of the classic arcade game Rampage.

But wait, there’s more…

• Surface Book 2 review: Microsoft gets closer to the ‘ultimate laptop’
• Hollywood strikes back against illegal streaming Kodi add-ons
• Walmart will test Tesla Semi trucks for transporting merchandise
• What you need to know before buying an EV
• This week’s tech titan 404s | Engadget Today
• Amazon’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ prequel will need to forge its own identity
• HTC Vive Focus hands-on: a promising start for next-gen mobile VR

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Inside the creative maker spaces proving China can do more than manufacture

On an overcast morning in outer Shenzhen, China, 50-year-old Dutchman Henk Werner, wearing sandals, cargo shorts, and a black backpack, arrives via moped taxi at Artop Group, a design and manufacturing firm.

Gone are the days of designing elsewhere and manufacturing in China.

After crossing a small bridge over a koi pond in the lobby, Werner peruses products throughout Artop’s compound: rice makers, cameras, bamboo keyboards, smart pens, hearing aids, RFID devices, sports car consoles, and 3D everything: 3D toy printers, 3D chocolate makers, you name it.

A snippet of conversation catches his attention: An Artop employee telling a dancing robot panda, “Wǒ gǎnmào le” (“I have a cold”). The panda responds, “Nǐ yīnggāi kàn yīshēng” (“you should see a doctor”), then presents nearby options on its interactive screen.

Fine print on the iPhone 7 reads “designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.” It’s how consumer electronics traditionally get made – and increasingly, it’s not the case. Gone are the days of designing elsewhere and manufacturing in China. Now it’s all happening here.

China’s New Makers

Werner, who runs the Troublemaker makerspace, is exploring partnerships with Artop.In non-mother-tongue English, they discuss maker trends. Given proximity to suppliers, Artop’s innovative director Savio Lai says design and manufacturing happen concurrently in China, not sequentially.

“In the U.K., people have the idea, but they don’t know how to do the manufacturing,” he told Digital Trends. Because Chinese have manufacturing experience, designs more closely resemble finished products. But Chinese manufacturing is changing. “Lots of mass production companies are facing trouble because everybody wants personal products,” Lai says.

Joshua Bateman/Digital Trends

Troublemaker and Artop provide similar services, but scale differentiates them. Founded 18 years ago, Artop Group has more than 1,000 employees and provides inventors with capital. Troublemaker launched last year, doesn’t have any payrolled employees, and hasn’t yet funded a project. With a chuckle, Artop general manager Jeffrey Zhu says in Mandarin, “You have one designer. We have 200.”

The two firms can collaborate, however. After developing prototypes at Troublemaker, inventors need resources Artop provides – financing, expertise, product certifications, and distribution connections. These services do come with a price, though. Werner presses them on manufacturing costs and lead times.

“Mass production companies are facing trouble because everybody wants personal products.”

He also raises trust concerns. “Not everybody has a positive experience working in China,” he says. To prevent copycatting – long a problem with Chinese companies — product designers outsource different processes and parts to multiple manufacturers. Werner stresses non-disclosure agreements. He bluntly tells Artop, “People put several years of their life into the product and they don’t have the power to stop you if you do something wrong.”

Werner regularly meets with programmers, engineers, angel investors, venture capitalists, investment bankers, and component suppliers. It’s not always fruitful, however. “Meetings like this take half a day, maybe more, and you don’t know what you get out of it, if anything,” he says.

It is gratifying, though. “I work a lot, but 90 percent of the time I don’t have a feeling I’m working, because I like to do it,” he says. He departs Artop for a lunch that is part recruitment, part career counseling.

Who Are Today’s Troublemakers?

Troublemaker clients “have ideas and passion, but not the money,” Werner says. One client is perfecting the unicycle. “This guy wakes up with a unicycle between his feet and goes to bed with it.  Rides one every day.  No one else in China will do it the way he will,” Werner says of the inventor, who needs funding and business advice.

Troublemaker is nestled in the heart of Huaqiangbei Road, renowned for electronics and components. The company’s shared floor — which has conference rooms, a café with foosball, and outside patio — is adorned year-round with “Merry Christmas” signs, trees, wreathes, and faux gifts.

Troublemaker provides desks and a workshop, which has hand tools, 3D printers, a CNC machine, laser cutter, vacuum laminator, welding machine, and mini assembly line. A half-dozen “gurus” – electronics engineer, industrial designer, structural designer, software engineer, front-end web developer, automotive engineer – offer services à la carte.

Henk Werner

Client agreements range from daily to monthly. There’s no application process and profit is secondary.  “I’m not that commercial,” Werner says. “Everything is started at improving the lives of people involved.”

Clients predominantly develop hardware projects such as educational robots, in-ear audio devices, diaper sensors for incontinent patients, and even a bowling ball launcher for children and people with disabilities. They come from Australia, China, Europe, Korea, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Most are in their 30s, but not all.

Werner says of one client, Kevin Norman, “I love the guy. 70 years old, but still trying to do something good for the world.”

Prior to being interviewed, Norman, a self-described Colorado farm boy, ventures outdoors to smoke. “I’m a bad man,” he says. Norman is designing a video course and educational robot to teach children Python, a programming language.

Silicon Valley reigned supreme in the 80s, but Shenzhen is the world’s electronics hub today.

In the 1980s, Norman programmed video games. He transitioned into educational science and was manufacturing in China by the 2000s. Sporting glasses, saggy jeans, and an orange button-down, Norman tells Digital Trends, “That was kind of a very bizarre experience. I had never been out of the United States except to Canada.”

Upon retirement in 2014, Norman commenced this project. “I like designing things, building things,” he says. Needing a 3D printer, he joined Troublemaker on day one. He also appreciates bouncing ideas off others. “I need a certain amount of interaction,” he says.

Norman says Silicon Valley reigned supreme in the 80s, but Shenzhen is the world’s electronics hub today. Any part he needs, he strolls across the street to buy. “This is where it’s happening,” he says.

Norman says government officials are making Shenzhen the “Silicon Valley of the world.” Additionally, citizens are participating. He cited a local innovators fair, where high turnout shut down the nearest subway station. “You don’t see a hundred thousand people going to a trade show, dragging their children in San Francisco. Maybe at football games you get 100K, but you don’t get it for tech shows.”

Fostering creativity

Troublemaker’s Werner came to China six years ago as an LED consultant and sourcing agent. “I fell in love with the people and food,” he says. Walking in the middle of a side street, Werner is unfazed by oncoming scooterists, exemplifying either his adaptive abilities or inattention to his surroundings.

Ahead, a mid-20s tattooed woman in a tank top emerges from a building. Jiahui “Eve” Tan lives in a 3-bedroom apartment with two roommates, three turtles, two cats, one dog, and a hamster. In her spacious bedroom, the freelance art teacher exhibits recent projects – epoxy houses with LED lights, seashells with miniature figurines.

To engender creativity in children, Troublemaker offers workshops. The first course was on robots. Going forward, Werner wants to cover wastewater treatment, renewable energy, indoor farming, and 3D printer design.

“You need people who have the passion and creativity to just do things.  A lot of people just don’t do things,” Werner says.

Tan laments rote learning used in Chinese classrooms. “Students cannot be creative, cannot design sketches,” she says.

“You need people who have the passion and creativity to just do things.”

In a modest dining room with white walls and high ceiling, they discuss her future over rice, cabbage, spicy pork, herbal iced tea, and watermelon. They discuss potentially holding art classes at Troublemaker. Like the morning meeting, however, nothing is finalized.

With four children, Werner never had time to learn Mandarin. A woman speaking the mother tongue calls. He thinks she’s a telemarketer before handing Tan the phone. It’s the police. In China, foreigners must register housing details with authorities. Werner is a month overdue.

It’s 2:30 pm. By 5:00 pm, he must cross a city that is geographically 1.6 times the size of Los Angeles or risk being barred from leaving the country. Werner appears unbothered. After repeated prompting from Tan, he acknowledges the urgency and sets out.

Although registration takes but five minutes, the trek devours three hours. “I should make time for these things,” he says.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Microwaves will be obsolete by 2027. Here’s what’s going to replace them
• Puff, Puff, recharge. E-cigarettes are booming, and China is ground zero
• Introduce your kids to the magic of 3D printing with Toybox
• You shot the perfect photo. Here’s how to get the perfect print
• Bored this winter? You can now build yourself a humanoid robot assistant

Bloomberg: Verizon’s new NFL streaming deal will stretch to TV

Since 2010, Verizon’s wireless arm has had an arrangement for streaming NFL games to phones (and, after they became a thing, also tablets), but Bloomberg reports it will stretch to TVs soon. According to unnamed sources, both parties are close to a new deal that will not only include all sizes of screens but also drop the company’s exclusivity. That’s key even for people who don’t have Verizon because until now, it has kept internet TV services like DirecTV Now and Sling TV from streaming NFL games to mobile devices. On Verizon’s end, expanding and adding content from sources like the NBA and NFL is expected to “prime the pump” according to Bloomberg, for the whole Oath media unit (which Engadget is a part of.)

Source: Bloomberg

Catch a glimpse of the whips of tomorrow with these Tesla Roadster pictures

Only Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, could somehow manage to upstage an electric semi truck with a 500 mile per charge range — and yesterday Musk did just that. On November 16, in Hawthorne, California Musk finally revealed the much-anticipated the 1,000-horsepower Tesla Semi, however, the faster, more powerful second-generation Roadster arguably stole the show. Unfortunately, the latest and greatest Roadster isn’t set to hit the market until 2020 (barring any manufacturing delays). That said, these drool-worthy Tesla Roadster photos should whet our whistle in the interim.

The first iteration of the Tesla Roadster rolled out in 2005 when car manufacturer, Lotus, agreed to sell Tesla Elise shells. Tesla then equipped said shells with electric motors and lithium-ion battery cells. Soon after, the electric vehicle was capable of traveling more than 200 miles on a single charge, making it the first all-electric car to do so. And with a 3.9 second 0 to 60 mph time, this efficient vehicle packs some serious acceleration to boot. Nonetheless, the latest Roadster makes even these remarkable statistics seem laughable.

The new all-wheel drive Roadster boasts a 200kWh battery pack and can blast from 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds. Similarly, the model has a 4.2 second 0 to 100 mph time, and conquered the quarter-mile in 8.9 seconds. Although these numbers are all currently unconfirmed, if these stats hold up under independent analysis these would be record-shattering.

During Thursday’s unveiling Musk also stated that the latest Roadster is more than capable of reaching a top speed of 250 mph. Musk himself even spoke a little point-blank smack directed squarely at the traditional combustion engine auto industry: “The point of all this is just to give a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars.”

On the inside, the Roaster will be able to accommodate four passengers and if the mood to go convertible strikes, the removable glass roof fits in the trunk. While the electric car charging infrastructure is still in its infancy at this point, the Tesla packs a massive 620 mile per charge capacity to shore up any qualms whatsoever about range.

Unlike the affordable Model 3, the Roadster will come with a slightly heftier price tag. Currently, the base model Roadster will cost $200,000 with a necessary $50,000 deposit required upfront. It is important to note that the first 1,000 models — known as the oh-so exclusive Founder’s Series — will require the full $250,000 upfront.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The new Tesla Roadster promises to give a ‘hardcore smackdown’ to gasoline cars
• Truck? What truck? Tesla Semi overshadowed by insane new Tesla Roadster
• How does the new Tesla Roadster stack up against today’s supercars?
• Lose your lunch watching Tesla’s new Roadster launch in ‘Maximum Plaid’ mode
• Tesla Model 3: Performance, specs, and news

Google Pixel Buds vs AirPods: Two very different sets of Bluetooth earphones

From operating systems to smartphones, competition between Apple and Google has effectively defined an era of technology. With the release of the AirPods last December, Apple established a firm grip, if not a stranglehold, on the market for fully wireless buds. Meanwhile, Google just dropped the Pixel Buds, which aren’t completely wireless but do boast some neat, unique features.

Frankly, these two sets of earbuds are quite different. For starters, Apple’s AirPods are fully wireless, meaning zero strings attached, and they’re one of the few to cut all the cords while retaining great usability. Google’s Pixel Buds are tethered, meaning, while they do connect to your phone wirelessly, a wire connects the buds. And that’s just for starters. We don’t expect anyone to find themselves choosing strictly between the two (at least, not if they did their homework), but because it’s Apple and Google, comparisons will be inevitable. With that in mind, here’s a thorough rundown of both buds to help you get a handle on their strengths and weaknesses.

Apple AirPods

Google Pixel Buds
Dimensions
0.65 x 0.71 x 1.59 inches (earbuds), 1.74 by 0.84 by 2.11 inches (charge pod)
0.8 x 0.8 x 0.8 inches (earbuds), 2.6 x 2.6 x 1.1 inches (charge pod)
Weight
.14 ounces each (earbuds), 1.34 ounces (empty charge pod)
0.25 ounces each (earbuds), 1.5 ounces (empty charge pod)
Sensors
Dual optical sensors, motion-detecting accelerometer, speech-detecting accelerometer
Accelerometer, capacitive touchpad
Microphone
Dual beam-forming microphones
Microphone
Battery life
About 5 hours listening or 2 hours talking (earbuds), 24 hours total (with charge case)
About 5 hours (earbuds), 24 hours total (with charge case)
Connectivity
Bluetooth (earbuds), Lightning (charge pod)
Bluetooth (earbuds), USB-C (charge pod)
Audio formats
MP3, AAC, & SBC codec when streaming
MP3, M4A, AAC, WAV, WMA(v9)
Compatibility
iPhone 5 and later, iPad mini 2+, iPad Air+, iPad Pro, iPod Touch (6th gen) (iOS 10+); Apple Watch (WatchOS 3+); MacOS Sierra or later
Android devices (Android 5.0+), Apple devices (iOS 10+); see requirements for Google Assistant & Translate here

Waterproofing
No
No
Price
$159
$159
Available from
Apple
Google
Our review score
4 out of 5 stars
3 out of 5 stars

Design

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

While the fact that one pair connects the buds by a wire and one doesn’t is the biggest difference, there are many others when it comes to design. The tall, thin AirPods (available in white, and white only) represent the pinnacle of Apple aesthetics, bathed in a glossy finish with no interruptions other than chrome tips and small holes for the speaker units and microphones. The AirPods are designed to hang from your ears, which seems precarious (and looks a bit odd), but they actually do a relatively impressive job of staying put, even through mild exercise. The AirPods’ little charging pod is sleek and small, looking a bit like a floss container. Multicolor LEDs indicate the battery life, and a magnetic clasp keeps it closed. The earbuds also snap into place magnetically, which works well, in our experience.

The Pixel Buds, by contrast, don’t emanate quite the same aura of class and style. The earpieces themselves — the part that inserts into your ears — feel well made, but the plasticky finish on the outer pads feels slightly cheap. The buds don’t fit the ear canal particularly well, readily leaking sound in and out, though at least they stayed put in our testing. The braided tether (reminiscent of a referee’s whistle cord), is comfortable if not altogether stylish, though its designed to wrap around the top of your ears, which never felt right for us. On the bright side, at least they’re available in three cool colors (white, blue, and black). The Pixel Buds case is square, and bigger than the AirPods’ case. It looks and feels cool, with a soft woven texture, but the case doesn’t close very easily — you’ve got to wrap the cable around the outside and it always wants to peek out. It doesn’t help that the whole case (especially the lid) feels flimsy. As with the AirPds, LEDs indicate battery life, and magnets snap it shut.

Winner: Apple AirPods

Setup

Apple’s AirPods are an absolute cinch to setup, especially for iPhone users, pairing to your phone automatically in seconds. With just a flip of the case’s lid, the buds show up in your phone’s Bluetooth menu, and a quick tap to connect gets you rocking. For iCloud users, all of your Apple devices should automatically recognize the buds, and sound switches between them with a swipe and a click. For non-iOS phones, a small button on the back of the case forces the buds into pairing, again requiring you to simply open the Bluetooth menu and connect.

Google attempted a similarly simple connection process, but in practice things aren’t quite so easy with the Pixel Buds. Many reviews (including ours) report trouble auto-pairing to Android devices (compatible with Android 6.0 or higher), the Pixel 2 phone included. In theory, a pop-up display should automatically tell you you’re connected quickly after opening the case. If that doesn’t work, however, you’ll need to hold down the nearly invisible pairing button inside the case, which is also how you connect to iPhones. Even then, we had some trouble getting the buds to show up in our Bluetooth menu, though others have reported having an easier time with it.

Winner: Apple AirPods

Battery life

This is an easy one, as Google has aped Apple here. Both pairs offer five hours of playback time per charge, and a total of 24 hours with the charging case off the grid. While we’ll call this a tie, we will say that five hours per charge is great for truly wireless earbuds, but not so for tethered buds, most of which offer 8-10 hours or more per charge at this price point.

Audio quality

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

When it comes to both the AirPods and the Pixel Buds, audio performance is decidedly average. The AirPods sound extremely similar to the EarPods (you know, the basic pair that comes with a purchase of any Apple mobile device) — perhaps a bit better in the treble department, but not much. The Pixel Buds offer more bass, which probably suits the casual listener better, but it didn’t particularly impress us. Sound isolation is not a strong point for either product, which means sound from the outside world will leak in.

Bottom line: If you’re a true audio lover in search of the best possible sound quality for the money, you probably shouldn’t buy either pair of these headphones. There are plenty of superior tethered options at or below this price point, including the V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless for one. If you insist on fully wireless buds, The Headphone from Bragi offers much better sound, though without a charging case its six hours of playback time will be more limiting.

Winner: Tie

Features and functionality

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Here’s where stuff gets interesting. As we mentioned before, the AirPods and the Pixel Buds are largely aimed at different audiences (and not just because some people have iPhones while some people have Androids or Pixel 2s). All the AirPods’ features are designed to improve ease of use, while the Pixel Buds aim higher but, unfortunately, forget about the little things.

The AirPods are packed with neat tricks that just work. Take one out, and music playback will automatically pause, thanks to the buds’ accelerometer. Take both out, and the AirPods will enter sleep mode, saving precious battery life until reinsertion (once replaced, they activate quickly). If one AirPod dies, the other can keep going — a nice feature, considering many will just use one bud for taking phone calls. Want to check battery life? Just hold the charge pod near your iPhone and it’ll tell you how much juice is left in both the buds and the case.

As you might expect, Siri is here too. Tap the outside of an AirPod to activate her, then speak to her as normal. She’ll notify you of phone calls, set alarms, and answer questions; her music control abilities are limited to Apple Music, though.

The Pixel Buds are equipped with impressively accurate onboard touch controls; tap to play and pause music, or swipe to control volume. The big draws here, though, are twofold: Google Assistant integration and instant language translation. Tap and hold the right earbud to activate Assistant (you’ll need a paired device running Android 6.0 or later), and the Assistant can do everything you’re used to. It responds quickly and understands commands without issue.

The translation function is slick, too. Tap and hold the right bud like you would for Assistant, and say “help me speak [insert one of 40 supported languages].” It’ll open a special version of the Google Translate app on your phone, which you’ll then hold up between yourself and the person who’s speaking the language you need translated. The Translation function works well, but there’s a huge caveat: It only works with Google Pixel phones. If you’ve got one, great! If not, we don’t recommend buying one just to use these headphones. Perhaps just as importantly, you can use Google Translate on any Android phone without the Pixel Buds at all, greatly reducing the benefit there.

The Pixel Buds have more features and more ambition, but the AirPods’ features are more universally useful and better implemented. Point, Apple.

Winner: Apple AirPods

Availability, compatibility, and price

The AirPods work with both Apple devices (iOS 10+) and Android devices. When connected to Android, Siri is disabled, but you can double tap on either earbud to play and pause music. Similarly, the Pixel Buds are compatible with both Apple (iOS 10+) and Android (5.0+); predictably, on iOS, Google Assistant won’t work, though Siri will.

Both sets of earbuds are available at their respective websites (though the Pixel Buds were on backorder at the time of publication) and both cost $159. Nothing more to see here.

Winner: Tie

Conclusion

The Pixel Buds offer inoffensive audio quality, impressive Google Assistant integration, and a few neat tricks for Pixel owners. Unfortunately, the AirPods are simply better, eschewing cables and coming complete with lots of useful — and, more importantly, reliable — features. As we’ve mentioned multiple times, we don’t think the two products are even really competitors. They’re that different. But if, for some reason, you’re forced to choose one or the other (and you don’t own a Google Pixel phone), the AirPods come out on top every time.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Google Pixel Buds review
• Google’s new Pixel Buds earphones are wireless, but not like Apple’s AirPods
• Apple AirPods review
• Samsung Gear IconX 2018 review
• Everything you need to know about Apple’s AirPods

Weekly Rewind: Bill Gates’ smart city, a robo pillow, our Black Friday favorites

A lot can happen in a week when it comes to tech. The constant onslaught of news makes it nigh impossible for mere mortals with real lives to keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve compiled a quick and dirty list of this week’s top tech stories, from Bill Gates’ smart city to a movie shot on an iPhone — it’s all here.

Count down to Black Friday with our favorite deals available right now

Calling Black Friday the Super Bowl of commerce is like calling the sun “kind of hot.” Every year, on the morning after Thanksgiving, consumers across America wake up at the crack of dawn, bellies full of half-digested turkey, and sprint to their favorite stores hoping to nab items at ridiculously low prices.

While there are some people who revel in the consumer chaos, most of us are just looking to save a little bit of cash as we head into the holiday season. So if you’re trying to avoid the madness altogether, join us as we count down to Black Friday with our favorite deals available right now.

Read: Count down to Black Friday with our favorite deals available right now

Shot on an iPhone, Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Unsane’ is set for a 2018 release

Iconic director Steven Soderbergh is no stranger to employing unique, abnormal methods to produce films. After bursting onto the scene — and winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival — at age 26 with 1989’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape, he has made a litany of unorthodox movies. These include the surreal pseudo-biopic Kafka and films like Schizopolis and Bubble, which defy traditional narrative structure.

With Unsane, set to release in March 2018, Soderbergh is up to his old tricks — or, more accurately, he’s breaking out some new ones. Deadline reports that Soderbergh apparently shot the film on his iPhone (no, we don’t know what model). The film is a thriller, so perhaps it’ll turn out to be one of those found footage-style affairs.

Read: Shot on an iPhone, Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Unsane’ is set for a 2018 release

Lamborghini Urus ‘Super Sport Utility Vehicle’ will pack a tremendous punch

The Lamborghini Urus is unlike any car in the automaker’s illustrious 54-year history — and not just because it’s an SUV. You might remember the 1980s LM002, which made the Mercedes-Benz G-Class look pedestrian by comparison. While the LM002 was a sledgehammer of a truck, the Urus is shaping up to be as precise as a surgeon’s scalpel. And, it’s poised to become the brand’s best-selling model by a long shot.

We’re just a few weeks away from the Urus’ debut, so official details about it are beginning to trickle out. Here’s everything we know about the first Lamborghini off-roader of the 21st century.

Read: Lamborghini Urus ‘Super Sport Utility Vehicle’ will pack a tremendous punch

Sky watchers, get your popcorn ready: A guide to the Leonid meteor shower

Right on the heels of the first total solar eclipse to hit the United States in nearly 40 years is yet another celestial treat. The annual Leonid meteor shower will peak late in the evening on Friday, November 17 and into the early morning hours of Saturday, November 18. If the conditions are just right in your neck of the woods, you won’t want to miss it.

While some companies are already working on creating massive artificial meteor showers, using microsatellites and a series of ornate “pellets,” the naturally occurring events are certainly more impressive to behold. That said, here’s everything you need to know about the (shooting) star-studded event.

Read: Sky watchers, get your popcorn ready: A guide to the Leonid meteor shower

The 6-inch OnePlus 5T costs $500 and you can unlock it with your face

The OnePlus 5T will be available starting on November 21 in countries all over the world, including the U.S, Canada, France, Spain, Germany, U.K., China, and Hong Kong. There’s only one color option, and it’s Midnight Black.

The best thing about OnePlus phones, however, has historically been the price. In the U.S., it will set you back $500, or 500 euros in Europe, or 450 british pounds in the U.K. It’s $20 more in the U.S. than the OnePlus 5, but it stays the same in many other countries overseas. That’s still a lot of money considering the low price of the original OnePlus One, but you’re getting performance and specifications that match most $650+ flagship smartphones.

Read: The 6-inch OnePlus 5T costs $500 and you can unlock it with your face

Bill Gates is building his own city, and he’s loading it with smart tech

Bill Gates used his smarts to become one of the most successful people on the planet, so it only makes sense that he would make a smart city. Earlier this month, a group headed by Gates’ investment group Cascade Investment LLC purchased a large plot of land just outside of Phoenix, Arizona to build this vision of a smart future.

The vision for Gates’ smart city is one with “high-speed digital networks, data centers, new manufacturing technologies and distribution models, autonomous vehicles, and autonomous logistics hubs,” according to a statement from Belmont Partners, the real estate developer on the project. Few people live in the area now, but Belmont said in a statement the projected population of the smart city will be comparable to Tempe, Arizona, which is home to more than 182,000 Arizonans.

Read: Bill Gates is building his own city, and he’s loading it with smart tech

Somnox is a robotic pillow that lulls you to sleep by ‘breathing’

Thanks to the plethora of stories about sex robots in the news, you would be forgiven for misunderstanding us when we tell you that the key to a good night’s sleep may be going to bed with a robot. In fact, we’re referring to the Somnox sleep robot, a newly launched soft robotic pillow that is designed to be the perfect sleep companion to help you get some quality shut-eye.

The kidney-shaped huggable bot breathes steadily along with you, providing a physical sensation that, its creators claim, will subconsciously influence your own breathing rhythm. If that’s not enough, it can also offer up some soothing audio to help you relax.

Read: Somnox is a robotic pillow that lulls you to sleep by ‘breathing’

With hydraulic stilts and solar power, this ‘hurricane-proof’ home defies nature

After a decade of relatively tranquil seas, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was literally one for the books. Nearly two months after Irma ravaged Puerto Rico, more than half of the country is still without electricity — a true testament to the power of this storm system. Unfortunately, as surface ocean temperatures continue to rise, we can only expect more powerful storms in the future. With this in mind, perhaps this ingenious floating “hurricane-proof” home will allow humanity to better weather the challenges of an increasingly tempestuous planet.

Architect Koen Olthuis and housing startup Arkup recently unveiled a series of “livable yachts” at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Olthuis’ architectural firm, Waterstudio, has produced floating structures for the past decade. We’ve covered flood-proof homes in the past, but these floating structures have been designed to handle not only rising waters but also the powerful winds (up to 156 miles per hour) associated with Category 4 hurricanes.

Read: With hydraulic stilts and solar power, this ‘hurricane-proof’ home defies nature

The RipRow balance board will whip you into mountain biking shape

What do you get when you mash up a pedal-free exercise bike, a rowing machine, and a balance board? Quite possibly something like the RipRow, the mountain biking training tool you never knew you wanted, but now may find yourself desperately keen to get hold of.

Now that we’re firmly out of summer and veering rapidly in the direction of winter, the thought of using your cold and wet weekends to go mountain biking suddenly becomes a lot whole lot less appealing for most of us. It’s also important to hold onto your core strength, coordination, balance, and sense of confidence on a bike during the off-season months. This is where the rugged-sounding RipRow comes into play. While stationary gym bikes have been around for a long time, a machine that’s built specifically with mountain biking in mind has been in much shorter supply. Until now, at least.

Read: The RipRow balance board will whip you into mountain biking shape

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Weekly Rewind: Laser TVs, heli-biking, 3D-printed Halloween costumes
• Weekly Rewind: Crowdfunding astronauts, flying cars, self-cleaning toilets
• Weekly Rewind: The new Moto, a 12-year-old’s lead-detection invention, and more
• Weekly Rewind: A spying Google Home Mini, the Nobel winner, ‘Star Wars’ spoilers
• Weekly Rewind: Translating headphones, tech flops, Tesla trucks, and more

Weekly Rewind: Bill Gates’ smart city, a robo pillow, our Black Friday favorites

A lot can happen in a week when it comes to tech. The constant onslaught of news makes it nigh impossible for mere mortals with real lives to keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve compiled a quick and dirty list of this week’s top tech stories, from Bill Gates’ smart city to a movie shot on an iPhone — it’s all here.

Count down to Black Friday with our favorite deals available right now

Calling Black Friday the Super Bowl of commerce is like calling the sun “kind of hot.” Every year, on the morning after Thanksgiving, consumers across America wake up at the crack of dawn, bellies full of half-digested turkey, and sprint to their favorite stores hoping to nab items at ridiculously low prices.

While there are some people who revel in the consumer chaos, most of us are just looking to save a little bit of cash as we head into the holiday season. So if you’re trying to avoid the madness altogether, join us as we count down to Black Friday with our favorite deals available right now.

Read: Count down to Black Friday with our favorite deals available right now

Shot on an iPhone, Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Unsane’ is set for a 2018 release

Iconic director Steven Soderbergh is no stranger to employing unique, abnormal methods to produce films. After bursting onto the scene — and winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival — at age 26 with 1989’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape, he has made a litany of unorthodox movies. These include the surreal pseudo-biopic Kafka and films like Schizopolis and Bubble, which defy traditional narrative structure.

With Unsane, set to release in March 2018, Soderbergh is up to his old tricks — or, more accurately, he’s breaking out some new ones. Deadline reports that Soderbergh apparently shot the film on his iPhone (no, we don’t know what model). The film is a thriller, so perhaps it’ll turn out to be one of those found footage-style affairs.

Read: Shot on an iPhone, Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Unsane’ is set for a 2018 release

Lamborghini Urus ‘Super Sport Utility Vehicle’ will pack a tremendous punch

The Lamborghini Urus is unlike any car in the automaker’s illustrious 54-year history — and not just because it’s an SUV. You might remember the 1980s LM002, which made the Mercedes-Benz G-Class look pedestrian by comparison. While the LM002 was a sledgehammer of a truck, the Urus is shaping up to be as precise as a surgeon’s scalpel. And, it’s poised to become the brand’s best-selling model by a long shot.

We’re just a few weeks away from the Urus’ debut, so official details about it are beginning to trickle out. Here’s everything we know about the first Lamborghini off-roader of the 21st century.

Read: Lamborghini Urus ‘Super Sport Utility Vehicle’ will pack a tremendous punch

Sky watchers, get your popcorn ready: A guide to the Leonid meteor shower

Right on the heels of the first total solar eclipse to hit the United States in nearly 40 years is yet another celestial treat. The annual Leonid meteor shower will peak late in the evening on Friday, November 17 and into the early morning hours of Saturday, November 18. If the conditions are just right in your neck of the woods, you won’t want to miss it.

While some companies are already working on creating massive artificial meteor showers, using microsatellites and a series of ornate “pellets,” the naturally occurring events are certainly more impressive to behold. That said, here’s everything you need to know about the (shooting) star-studded event.

Read: Sky watchers, get your popcorn ready: A guide to the Leonid meteor shower

The 6-inch OnePlus 5T costs $500 and you can unlock it with your face

The OnePlus 5T will be available starting on November 21 in countries all over the world, including the U.S, Canada, France, Spain, Germany, U.K., China, and Hong Kong. There’s only one color option, and it’s Midnight Black.

The best thing about OnePlus phones, however, has historically been the price. In the U.S., it will set you back $500, or 500 euros in Europe, or 450 british pounds in the U.K. It’s $20 more in the U.S. than the OnePlus 5, but it stays the same in many other countries overseas. That’s still a lot of money considering the low price of the original OnePlus One, but you’re getting performance and specifications that match most $650+ flagship smartphones.

Read: The 6-inch OnePlus 5T costs $500 and you can unlock it with your face

Bill Gates is building his own city, and he’s loading it with smart tech

Bill Gates used his smarts to become one of the most successful people on the planet, so it only makes sense that he would make a smart city. Earlier this month, a group headed by Gates’ investment group Cascade Investment LLC purchased a large plot of land just outside of Phoenix, Arizona to build this vision of a smart future.

The vision for Gates’ smart city is one with “high-speed digital networks, data centers, new manufacturing technologies and distribution models, autonomous vehicles, and autonomous logistics hubs,” according to a statement from Belmont Partners, the real estate developer on the project. Few people live in the area now, but Belmont said in a statement the projected population of the smart city will be comparable to Tempe, Arizona, which is home to more than 182,000 Arizonans.

Read: Bill Gates is building his own city, and he’s loading it with smart tech

Somnox is a robotic pillow that lulls you to sleep by ‘breathing’

Thanks to the plethora of stories about sex robots in the news, you would be forgiven for misunderstanding us when we tell you that the key to a good night’s sleep may be going to bed with a robot. In fact, we’re referring to the Somnox sleep robot, a newly launched soft robotic pillow that is designed to be the perfect sleep companion to help you get some quality shut-eye.

The kidney-shaped huggable bot breathes steadily along with you, providing a physical sensation that, its creators claim, will subconsciously influence your own breathing rhythm. If that’s not enough, it can also offer up some soothing audio to help you relax.

Read: Somnox is a robotic pillow that lulls you to sleep by ‘breathing’

With hydraulic stilts and solar power, this ‘hurricane-proof’ home defies nature

After a decade of relatively tranquil seas, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was literally one for the books. Nearly two months after Irma ravaged Puerto Rico, more than half of the country is still without electricity — a true testament to the power of this storm system. Unfortunately, as surface ocean temperatures continue to rise, we can only expect more powerful storms in the future. With this in mind, perhaps this ingenious floating “hurricane-proof” home will allow humanity to better weather the challenges of an increasingly tempestuous planet.

Architect Koen Olthuis and housing startup Arkup recently unveiled a series of “livable yachts” at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Olthuis’ architectural firm, Waterstudio, has produced floating structures for the past decade. We’ve covered flood-proof homes in the past, but these floating structures have been designed to handle not only rising waters but also the powerful winds (up to 156 miles per hour) associated with Category 4 hurricanes.

Read: With hydraulic stilts and solar power, this ‘hurricane-proof’ home defies nature

The RipRow balance board will whip you into mountain biking shape

What do you get when you mash up a pedal-free exercise bike, a rowing machine, and a balance board? Quite possibly something like the RipRow, the mountain biking training tool you never knew you wanted, but now may find yourself desperately keen to get hold of.

Now that we’re firmly out of summer and veering rapidly in the direction of winter, the thought of using your cold and wet weekends to go mountain biking suddenly becomes a lot whole lot less appealing for most of us. It’s also important to hold onto your core strength, coordination, balance, and sense of confidence on a bike during the off-season months. This is where the rugged-sounding RipRow comes into play. While stationary gym bikes have been around for a long time, a machine that’s built specifically with mountain biking in mind has been in much shorter supply. Until now, at least.

Read: The RipRow balance board will whip you into mountain biking shape

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Weekly Rewind: Laser TVs, heli-biking, 3D-printed Halloween costumes
• Weekly Rewind: Crowdfunding astronauts, flying cars, self-cleaning toilets
• Weekly Rewind: The new Moto, a 12-year-old’s lead-detection invention, and more
• Weekly Rewind: A spying Google Home Mini, the Nobel winner, ‘Star Wars’ spoilers
• Weekly Rewind: Translating headphones, tech flops, Tesla trucks, and more

Weekly Rewind: Bill Gates’ smart city, a robo pillow, our Black Friday favorites

A lot can happen in a week when it comes to tech. The constant onslaught of news makes it nigh impossible for mere mortals with real lives to keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve compiled a quick and dirty list of this week’s top tech stories, from Bill Gates’ smart city to a movie shot on an iPhone — it’s all here.

Count down to Black Friday with our favorite deals available right now

Calling Black Friday the Super Bowl of commerce is like calling the sun “kind of hot.” Every year, on the morning after Thanksgiving, consumers across America wake up at the crack of dawn, bellies full of half-digested turkey, and sprint to their favorite stores hoping to nab items at ridiculously low prices.

While there are some people who revel in the consumer chaos, most of us are just looking to save a little bit of cash as we head into the holiday season. So if you’re trying to avoid the madness altogether, join us as we count down to Black Friday with our favorite deals available right now.

Read: Count down to Black Friday with our favorite deals available right now

Shot on an iPhone, Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Unsane’ is set for a 2018 release

Iconic director Steven Soderbergh is no stranger to employing unique, abnormal methods to produce films. After bursting onto the scene — and winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival — at age 26 with 1989’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape, he has made a litany of unorthodox movies. These include the surreal pseudo-biopic Kafka and films like Schizopolis and Bubble, which defy traditional narrative structure.

With Unsane, set to release in March 2018, Soderbergh is up to his old tricks — or, more accurately, he’s breaking out some new ones. Deadline reports that Soderbergh apparently shot the film on his iPhone (no, we don’t know what model). The film is a thriller, so perhaps it’ll turn out to be one of those found footage-style affairs.

Read: Shot on an iPhone, Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Unsane’ is set for a 2018 release

Lamborghini Urus ‘Super Sport Utility Vehicle’ will pack a tremendous punch

The Lamborghini Urus is unlike any car in the automaker’s illustrious 54-year history — and not just because it’s an SUV. You might remember the 1980s LM002, which made the Mercedes-Benz G-Class look pedestrian by comparison. While the LM002 was a sledgehammer of a truck, the Urus is shaping up to be as precise as a surgeon’s scalpel. And, it’s poised to become the brand’s best-selling model by a long shot.

We’re just a few weeks away from the Urus’ debut, so official details about it are beginning to trickle out. Here’s everything we know about the first Lamborghini off-roader of the 21st century.

Read: Lamborghini Urus ‘Super Sport Utility Vehicle’ will pack a tremendous punch

Sky watchers, get your popcorn ready: A guide to the Leonid meteor shower

Right on the heels of the first total solar eclipse to hit the United States in nearly 40 years is yet another celestial treat. The annual Leonid meteor shower will peak late in the evening on Friday, November 17 and into the early morning hours of Saturday, November 18. If the conditions are just right in your neck of the woods, you won’t want to miss it.

While some companies are already working on creating massive artificial meteor showers, using microsatellites and a series of ornate “pellets,” the naturally occurring events are certainly more impressive to behold. That said, here’s everything you need to know about the (shooting) star-studded event.

Read: Sky watchers, get your popcorn ready: A guide to the Leonid meteor shower

The 6-inch OnePlus 5T costs $500 and you can unlock it with your face

The OnePlus 5T will be available starting on November 21 in countries all over the world, including the U.S, Canada, France, Spain, Germany, U.K., China, and Hong Kong. There’s only one color option, and it’s Midnight Black.

The best thing about OnePlus phones, however, has historically been the price. In the U.S., it will set you back $500, or 500 euros in Europe, or 450 british pounds in the U.K. It’s $20 more in the U.S. than the OnePlus 5, but it stays the same in many other countries overseas. That’s still a lot of money considering the low price of the original OnePlus One, but you’re getting performance and specifications that match most $650+ flagship smartphones.

Read: The 6-inch OnePlus 5T costs $500 and you can unlock it with your face

Bill Gates is building his own city, and he’s loading it with smart tech

Bill Gates used his smarts to become one of the most successful people on the planet, so it only makes sense that he would make a smart city. Earlier this month, a group headed by Gates’ investment group Cascade Investment LLC purchased a large plot of land just outside of Phoenix, Arizona to build this vision of a smart future.

The vision for Gates’ smart city is one with “high-speed digital networks, data centers, new manufacturing technologies and distribution models, autonomous vehicles, and autonomous logistics hubs,” according to a statement from Belmont Partners, the real estate developer on the project. Few people live in the area now, but Belmont said in a statement the projected population of the smart city will be comparable to Tempe, Arizona, which is home to more than 182,000 Arizonans.

Read: Bill Gates is building his own city, and he’s loading it with smart tech

Somnox is a robotic pillow that lulls you to sleep by ‘breathing’

Thanks to the plethora of stories about sex robots in the news, you would be forgiven for misunderstanding us when we tell you that the key to a good night’s sleep may be going to bed with a robot. In fact, we’re referring to the Somnox sleep robot, a newly launched soft robotic pillow that is designed to be the perfect sleep companion to help you get some quality shut-eye.

The kidney-shaped huggable bot breathes steadily along with you, providing a physical sensation that, its creators claim, will subconsciously influence your own breathing rhythm. If that’s not enough, it can also offer up some soothing audio to help you relax.

Read: Somnox is a robotic pillow that lulls you to sleep by ‘breathing’

With hydraulic stilts and solar power, this ‘hurricane-proof’ home defies nature

After a decade of relatively tranquil seas, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was literally one for the books. Nearly two months after Irma ravaged Puerto Rico, more than half of the country is still without electricity — a true testament to the power of this storm system. Unfortunately, as surface ocean temperatures continue to rise, we can only expect more powerful storms in the future. With this in mind, perhaps this ingenious floating “hurricane-proof” home will allow humanity to better weather the challenges of an increasingly tempestuous planet.

Architect Koen Olthuis and housing startup Arkup recently unveiled a series of “livable yachts” at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Olthuis’ architectural firm, Waterstudio, has produced floating structures for the past decade. We’ve covered flood-proof homes in the past, but these floating structures have been designed to handle not only rising waters but also the powerful winds (up to 156 miles per hour) associated with Category 4 hurricanes.

Read: With hydraulic stilts and solar power, this ‘hurricane-proof’ home defies nature

The RipRow balance board will whip you into mountain biking shape

What do you get when you mash up a pedal-free exercise bike, a rowing machine, and a balance board? Quite possibly something like the RipRow, the mountain biking training tool you never knew you wanted, but now may find yourself desperately keen to get hold of.

Now that we’re firmly out of summer and veering rapidly in the direction of winter, the thought of using your cold and wet weekends to go mountain biking suddenly becomes a lot whole lot less appealing for most of us. It’s also important to hold onto your core strength, coordination, balance, and sense of confidence on a bike during the off-season months. This is where the rugged-sounding RipRow comes into play. While stationary gym bikes have been around for a long time, a machine that’s built specifically with mountain biking in mind has been in much shorter supply. Until now, at least.

Read: The RipRow balance board will whip you into mountain biking shape

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Weekly Rewind: Laser TVs, heli-biking, 3D-printed Halloween costumes
• Weekly Rewind: Crowdfunding astronauts, flying cars, self-cleaning toilets
• Weekly Rewind: The new Moto, a 12-year-old’s lead-detection invention, and more
• Weekly Rewind: A spying Google Home Mini, the Nobel winner, ‘Star Wars’ spoilers
• Weekly Rewind: Translating headphones, tech flops, Tesla trucks, and more

Senators propose ‘USA Liberty Act’ to reauthorize NSA surveillance

The question of how to reign in monitoring enabled by Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has been in the spotlight ever since the Edward Snowden PRISM revelations. What exactly to do about it has gone back and forth, but the latest attempt to “reform” surveillance is here in the form of the USA Liberty Act, a bipartisan proposal introduced by Senators Mike Lee and Patrick Leahy (PDF). The Washington Post figures it has little chance of passage, however, it does contain language that would make government agencies get a warrant before searching information collected by the NSA under Section 702.

Even with that, there are critics saying it doesn’t go far enough. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) says that most importantly, it doesn’t stop the NSA from collecting data on innocent people. Further, its rules on “new reporting requirements, new defaults around data deletion, and new guidance for amicus engagement with the FISA Court” don’t go far enough, and won’t end so-called “backdoor searching.” Still, ACLU counsel Neema Singh Guliani called it an improvement over the House legislation, noting its warrant requirement.

Section 702 is supposed to let the NSA collect emails and communications of foreigners living overseas from US companies, but because those people communicate with Americans, all of that data is potentially accessible. This prospect of domestic spying without a warrant, as other agencies can ask for access the NSA’s data. It also needs to be reauthorized periodically, which is why lawmakers are considering this now.

Source: Patrick Leahy, USA Liberty Act