Twitter may have resumed verifying users

Twitter took heat all through 2017 for bungling its delicate balance between protecting free speech and enforcing its policies to protect users from harassment. One of the flashpoints was the unintended validation Twitter gave to users it ‘verified,’ which ended up including a number of white supremacists and other terrible people. The platform stopped allowing public requests to get the coveted blue checkmarks in mid-November while it re-evaluated the process. But over the last few days, at least one user has been quietly verified.

As Fast Company reported, author Michael Wolff of the recent Trump book Fire and Fury got his blue checkmark sometime last weekend; Checking the Internet Archive, it happened sometime between January 3rd and January 7th. Given that Wolff’s book was published on January 5th, it’s unclear if Twitter planned to validate his account alongside the release or if it was the first new checkmark to get noticed.

Which would mean that Wolff would be among the first Twitter began verifying with an assumedly new set of rules. It’s worth pointing out that a week before, the platform stripped one user’s blue badge after her terrible (and allegedly unlawful) actions were brought to light by Chrissy Teigen and John Legend (naturally).

Engadget reached out to Twitter to confirm and will update when we hear back.

Update: Twitter responded to request for comment, saying that while public submissions have been paused, the company is still verifying with the help of ‘trusted partners.’

“Per our last update, we have paused public submissions for verification while we focus on a new authentication and verification program. However, our teams around the world continue to work closely with trusted partners to verify select accounts,” a Twitter spokesperson told Engadget over email.

Source: Fast Company

JBL adds Google Assistant to its Everest line of headphones

Samsung-owned Harman International just announced three new models for its JBL Everest line of wireless headphones. The over-ear 710GA, on-ear 310GA and in-ear 110GA all include Google Assistant (hence the GA designation), giving you voice control over your music, phone calls and notifications. All three models will be available this spring for $250, $200 and $100, respectively.

Once you’ve connected either model to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth 4.1, you can use Google Assistant by touching a sensor on the ear cup or earbud. You can then say things like, “volume up,” “tell me about my day” or “play some pop music.” The over-ear 710GAs have a 25-hour battery, the 310GA boasts a 20-hour battery, while the 110GAs have an 8-hour rating. These aren’t the first headphones optimized for Google Assistant, of course. That honor belongs to the Bose QC35 over-ear model.

“Adding the Google Assistant models to the Everest line is another step we’re taking to pair JBL’s legacy of award-winning sound with a growing line-up of voice-controlled devices,” said Harman’s Jessica Garvey in a statement. “Having Google Assistant on JBL Everest GA headphones means you can stay connected to more of what matters to you, whether that’s enjoying music, getting information about the world around you or managing your daily tasks – just by using your voice.”

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Optoma’s 4K projector uses Alexa to set the mood for movie night

Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant is already finding its way into TVs, so why not projectors? Optoma certainly thinks it makes sense — the company has launched what it says is the first projector with Alexa built-in. The UHD51A is a capable 4K projector with 2,400-lumen brightness, a 500,000:1 contrast ratio and accurate colors with HDR, but the real star of the show is the ability to control the rest of your smart home. If you’re ready to watch a movie, you can dim the lights and start the popcorn with spoken commands.

There’s also a built-in Android-based media player and a pair of 4K 60Hz-capable HDMI ports. The projector won’t be a trivial purchase when it ships late in the first quarter for $1,699, but it could be a better deal if you were already thinking of getting an Alexa-equipped speaker and would rather consolidate two purchases into one. And if you don’t need the AI companion, the UHD50 will offer the same performance at a lower $1,499 price tag.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Source: PR Newswire

Everything NVIDIA unveiled in under 10 minutes

NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang is very excited about autonomous cars, video games, and really everything that uses a GPU. His enthusiasm was so high that he spent two hours on stage last night waxing poetic about everything NVIDIA has accomplished in the past few years and introduced it’s super-quick Xavier SOC for self-driving AI and a partnership with Volkswagen. That’s great if you have a few hours to spare, but if you’re in a hurry, check out our supercut of the event.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Hisense shows a 150-inch 4K ‘Laser TV’ projector

One last surprise at the Hisense CES 2018 press conference was this short-throw projector, a 150-inch version of the 4K Laser TV projector it launched last year. The company didn’t mention a release date or price tag, but president Liu Hong Xin opened this event by stating the company plans to press forward with the technology. Besides the $10,000 100-inch model on the market, it will also demonstrate 80- and 88-inch versions in its booth on the show floor.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Live from the HTC Vive press event at CES 2018!

HTC Vive is one of the most promising virtual reality platforms at the moment, and today at CES 2018 we’ll get to see what the company has planned for the future. It’s not clear if there will be any new hardware unveiled, but we’ll definitely learn more details about HTC Vive’s latest headset, the Focus. Of course, that means there will be a bunch of never-before-seen VR experiences, so let’s hope there are some good, mind-blowing ones. We’ll be liveblogging the event at 1PM PT/4PM ET — bookmark this page to keep up with the action as it happens.

TCL taps Roku’s wireless speaker tech for its Alto soundbar

After Roku announced its wireless speaker platform last week, it’s no surprise we’re seeing new devices at CES with the tech built in. TCL already bakes Roku into some of its televisions, and now it’s using Roku Connect for a new soundbar. The audio device will be part of TCL’s Alto line, a collection of gear that company will offer that includes both “standard and smart solutions.”

In terms of the Alto soundbar, the audio device will use Roku Connect to link up with other AV gear and offer Roku’s Entertainment Assistant to lend a hand. While the soundbar will work with any TV, TCL (unsurprisingly) says it pairs best with the company’s own Roku TVs to make the most of voice control. Should you splurge for an all-TCL setup, you can expect things like being able to control all of the things without having to reach for the physical remote. And as you might expect, voice search will be available as well, so you can flip through those Roku options by getting chatty.

From the looks of the images, it appears TCL will offer a subwoofer bundled with the Alto soundbar. However, the company’s announcement doesn’t mention that piece or audio equipment. Ditto for a launch date or pricing info — two things we’ll be sure to ask about when we (hopefully) take a closer look later this week.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

TCL’s 6-Series Roku TVs sport a metal design, 4K and Dolby Vision HDR

Building off of the success of its budget-friendly P-Series TVs, TCL is teaming up with Roku again on new 4K HDR sets for 2018. First up, the company has introduced its 6-Series premium line, which feature a slim, metal design, Dolby Vision and will be available in 55- and 65-inch models. The 6-Series also come with a new Roku TV voice remote, 802.11ac WiFI, Ethernet and three HDMI 2.0a ports. TCL says that its latest TVs are designed to be a powerhouse in image quality, with things like a Contrast Control Zone Technology and an HDR Pro Gamma that’s meant to reproduce the smallest of details in the darkest and brightest scenes.

TCL’s 5-Series, meanwhile, doesn’t sport the metal design but you’ll still find Dolby Vision support, the same HDR Pro Gamma, 240Hz Natural Motion and the same networking features and ports as the 6-Series. In addition to that, the 5-Series, which will come in 45- to 65-inch models, are powered by a wide-color imaging tech that TCL says is intended to display true, vivid colors, brighter highlights and increased contrast.

5-Series

Lastly, as part of its ongoing relationship with Roku, TCL also announced the Roku Smart Soundbar, which can be paired to a TV or simply be used as a standalone speaker.

Unfortunately, there are no pricing details for any of these devices at the moment, but we do know the 5-Series and 6-Series are set to hit stores this coming spring. As for the TCL Roku Smart Soundbar (pictured below), that won’t be available until the fall.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Watch Samsung’s CES 2018 event right here at 5PM ET

Ready to see what Samsung will be announcing this year at CES? The company’s big event is happening today at 5PM ET / 2PM PT. We’ve got the YouTube livestream embedded below, and we’ll be live blogging the event as well if you want more detail or commentary. Keep this post open for a peek at TVs, laptops, smart appliances and more.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

AT&T reportedly won’t sell Huawei phones after all

Huawei’s flagship phone, the Mate 10, was rumored to be coming to the US this February. The Chinese smartphone maker was reportedly in talks with AT&T to sell its phones, but it looks as if the deal has stalled. According to The Wall Street Journal, AT&T has walked away from the deal.

Huawei was expected to announce its agreement with AT&T this Tuesday at CES in Las Vegas, which would have been its first partnership with a major US mobile provider, according to The Wall Street Journal. The deal would have helped the number three phone maker compete even more with Samsung and Apple.

While AT&T declined to comment on the matter to WSJ, Huawei told Engadget that “Over the past five years Huawei has proven itself by delivering premium devices with integrity globally and in the U.S. market. On Tuesday Huawei will introduce new products to the U.S. market, including availability. We look forward to sharing more information with you then.”

Via: CNBC, The Wall Street Journal