A new MacBook Air likely won’t be revealed until later in 2018

Although Apple still could still reveal a new MacBook Air during the company’s developers conference in June, component suppliers claim Apple won’t go into production on the new model until the second half of 2018. The thin-and-light notebook was originally slated to enter manufacturing in the second quarter, but now component suppliers claim Apple won’t even accept shipments of the necessary hardware until the third quarter. 

The problem is twofold. Not only will customers not see a new MacBook Air until the back half of 2018, but components suppliers already have the necessary parts poised and ready for Apple’s picking. Thus, these companies have a high material inventory and really have no room for additional components until the MacBook Air goes into production. 

According to supply chain sources, Apple provided no reason for the MacBook Air delay. But there’s speculation that the company faced a problem with a “key component,” such as the processor, that forced Apple to adjust the new design. Given the new MacBook Air production is now aligned with the next iPhone, we wouldn’t be surprised if the new MacBook Air will have a configuration with built-in LTE connectivity to combat the new “always connected” Windows 10 PCs. 

The new MacBook Air models are expected to feature Intel’s latest eighth-generation processors. These will likely be the “U” chips given that they’re designed for low power consumption in ultra-thin laptops. The current MacBook Air models on the market, launched in June 2017, rely on older fifth-generation Core i5-5350U and Core i7-5650U processors, so the MacBook Air needs a serious processor upgrade at the very least. 

Rumors claim that the next MacBook Air will have a starting price of $899, or perhaps even $799, which is a nice little drop from the current $999 starting point. Apple reportedly wants to get more MacBook Airs in the hands of mainstream customers who are looking for a thin and light premium solution but don’t want to pay premium prices. The current $999 starting point gives you the Core i5 processor, a 1,440 x 900 resolution, 128GB of storage, and 8GB of system memory. 

With production of the MacBook Air moved back to the third quarter, Apple likely won’t introduce the device in June, but rather toward the end of the year when it unveils the next iPhone. As previously stated, Apple’s smartphone will go into production in the third quarter as well, according to industry sources, which will have Chinese manufacturers competing with each other as they scramble to beef up their workforce to handle both products. 

As for what will be revealed at Apple’s developers conference in June, the company is expected to introduce the new MacBook Pro, which will serve as the hardware launch platform for MacOS 10.14. The company is also expected to showcase iOS 12 for the iPhone and the latest iPad launching at the conference. Apple’s tvOS 12 and improvements to the CarPlay platform are also expected, although the next HomePod release likely won’t be revealed until the MacBook Air and iPhone event later this year. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• Infiniti finally warms up to CarPlay as it builds a new infotainment system
• Apple could release a new, cheaper MacBook Air this year
• Dell XPS 13 vs. MacBook Pro 13
• Entry-level MacBooks may make an appearance in June at WWDC 2018
• iPhone X: Here’s everything you need to know about Apple’s best phone yet

Where to buy a used VR headset

VR is expensive. Buying used might be the solution.

Google Daydream, Samsung Gear VR, and the PlayStation VR are taking the world by storm when it comes to amazing VR experiences. The only problem for some people is the price of getting started. For instance, the PlayStation VR is about $349 on Amazon for a bundle with Skyrim. But what if we don’t have that kind of money?

No worries, we’re here to walk you through all your buying used options!

What to consider before buying a used VR headset

Do you have everything that’s required?

You’ll need to make sure you have a dedicated VR space, which is extremely important. Your entire gaming experience can be ruined if you find yourself trying to play in the smallest space possible because you keep running into walls or furniture!

For the PlayStation VR you’ll obviously need to have a PlayStation 4 to run the device. A PlayStation Pro is recommended for the best PSVR experience, but you can still get a good quality of gameplay on the PlayStation Slim. Not just that, but the PlayStation Slim goes for about $299 which is $100 cheaper than the Pro.

Now with the Google Daydrea you will need to ensure that you have a device that is supported to run the headset.

Last but not least the Samsung Gear VR also requires supported devices you can check out here by clicking “Compatibility” on the menu bar.

Cleanliness

Let’s just get right to it: Buying a used VR headset thethe somewhat akin to buying a used pair of headphones. It’s been tight against someone’s face and they’ve likely sweat into it with perhaps an eye goober or two has slipped into the mix. Or their house is a lot like mine where there is a little gremlin who’s super interested in everything they can’t use. So, from jelly-fingers to other human eye-gunk you need to be okay with where your headset has been and know how to clean it off.

• The Google Daydream is extremely easy to clean and disinfect. Since most of the surface is hard plastic, most times you can wipe down with disinfectant wipes and call it a day.
• The PlayStation VR is a bit more of a pain to clean, but it’s still very possible.
• The Samsung Gear VR has replacement parts available should you need to replace foam for more cleanliness. Other than that, here’s how to clean your device.

Working condition

Is the used VR headset that you’re considering in working condition? If at all possible, test it to make sure. This will be nigh-impossible if you’re buying online, so you should ask for photos of the hardware working and more detailed photos of the hardware (ports and all) to make sure it’s not damaged.

Also, be wary when you come across sellers who are marketing their equipment “as is.” If there aren’t enough photos to suggest that the hardware is not damaged and in good working condition, ask for more. If the seller refuses, no soup for you.

Better yet, most of us have smartphones now (all the cool kids, anyway), so ask the seller to send you a short video of the equipment in action.

Buy only from trusted sellers

Until VR really takes off, Craigslist just isn’t going to be a valid source for used VR headsets. If you’re purchasing your used VR headset online from sites like eBay or Swappa, make sure you’re buying from trusted sellers and only those with great track records.

Where to buy used VR headsets

Here are the few places we’ve found used VR headsets and so far:

• Swappa: Google Daydream, PlayStation VR, Samsung Gear VR,
• eBay: Google Daydream, PlayStation VR, Samsung Gear VR
• Amazon: Google Daydream, PlayStation VR, Samsung Gear VR
• Call your local GameStop.

We all know GameStop is not one to cut prices down as cheap as buying it from a private seller, but you can get a console for a discount that can come with a warranty.

Where else?

Have you found used VR headsets from any reputable sellers that we may have missed? Out the back of a hatchback in an alley doesn’t count! Sound off in the comments below!

Updated April, 2018: We’ve updated links and information about buying used headsets as well as price updates!

Today’s best deals you won’t want to miss

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

Today you can get big discounts on the Canon EOS 77D DSLR camera, the Nintendo Switch, the Apple Watch Series 3, and more! Don’t pass these up.

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Samsung reveals mid-range Galaxy A6 series with 18:9 Infinity Displays

Currently no word on pricing or availability.

Samsung’s Galaxy A series is well-known for offering quality phones at affordable price tags, and today Samsung’s Indonesia website gave us a look at new two phones coming soon to this lineup — the Galaxy A6 and A6+.

Looking at the two phones, their overall designs are pretty similar to one another. Both phones have 18.5:9 Infinity Displays, resulting in a narrow screen with slim bezels. The regular A6 has a 5.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1480 x 720 whereas the larger A6+ has a 6-inch one set at 2200 x 1080.

Both the A6 and A6+ have rear-mounted fingerprint sensors, face recognition, Bixby Home, Vision, and Reminder (no Bixby Voice, here), 32GB of internal storage, mysterious octa-core processors, and “breathtaking surround sound.”

Look inside the handsets, however, and you’ll find some notable spec differences. The A6 has a single 16MP rear camera, 16MP front camera, expandable memory up to 256GB, 3GB of RAM, and a 3,000 mAh battery. On the other hand, the A6+ has dual 16MP + 5MP rear cameras, 24MP front camera, expandable memory up to 400GB, 4GB of RAM, and a 3,500 mAh battery.

Samsung’s yet to announce pricing or availability for the Galaxy A6 and A6+, but since the phones are living loud and proud on the company’s official website, it shouldn’t be too much longer before this info is made available.

See at Samsung

Xiaomi expected to go public with $10 billion IPO

If true, this will be 2018’s largest IPO to-date.

Depending on where you live, Xiaomi is either huge in your country or hardly known at all. The 8-year-old company is currently the fifth largest smartphone brand in the world, and according to people familiar with the matter, is expected to go public with an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of 10 billion USD.

Assuming this turns out to be true, this would make Xiaomi’s IPO the largest the world has seen so far in 2018. That may sound like exciting news for potential investors, but the way Xiaomi’s going to handle itself as a public entity could present them with a difficult decision.

The majority of Xiaomi’s earnings will come from software and services — not hardware.

As noted by Radio Free Mobile, Xiaomi will initiate a hardware margin limit of 5%. In other words, Xiaomi plans on earning little-to-no money on hardware and instead will rake in its cash through software and services. Xiaomi’s often credited as being China’s Apple, and while its hardware may take a lot of inspiration from the iPhone, MacBook, etc., this profit strategy is anything but.

Some of the services Xiaomi makes money through include advertising in its apps and paid subscriptions for digital book and video content. The company’s work here shouldn’t be discredited, but purposefully limiting itself to just 5% for hardware sales is an interesting move.

It’s expected that Xiaomi will submit plans for the IPO by the end of this week and go public as early as June, but at this time, the company’s yet to officially comment on any of this speculation. When that happens, we’ll be sure to let you know.

The T-Mobile / Sprint merger could be great for consumers, but it probably won’t be

Atari VCS pre-orders start May 30th, but it won’t ship until 2019

Nearly a year after it was first revealed, retro gaming enthusiasts will finally be able to order the Atari VCS beginning May 30th via an IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign.

Atari will be offering two versions of the gaming system: a “time-limited” Collector’s Edition featuring the faux wood-front panelling and the $200 Onyx Edition, which is just black. Oddly, it doesn’t appear that either of these options will include a controller as the announcement reads “other packages will include the Classic Joystick and Modern Controller.”

We’re also finally getting a hint at the system’s capabilities. Atari announced on Monday that it has partnered with AMD for the console’s processor. The VCS will support 4K resolutions, HDR and 60fps gameplay. It will offer both internal and external storage, built-in WiFi, USB 3 and Bluetooth 5 capabilities.

The company is still tight-lipped as to what you’ll actually be able to do with the VCS, however. The system will come pre-loaded with Atari Vault, a 100-plus game collection of classic Atari games like Asteroids, Centipede and Missile Command. It will also reportedly be able to support “a full range of popular modern titles” though nobody knows what those will entail as of yet.

After the IndieGoGo campaign has concluded, Atari expects to begin shipping the VCS in the Spring of 2019.

Oculus is bringing live VR theater to your face

When you think about it, VR is ideal for the theatrical world: you’ll always have the best seats in the house, and you can interact with the play without stepping on a stage. And now, Oculus wants to take advantage of that creative freedom. In an interview with CNET, the company’s Yelena Rachitsky revealed that the company is working on an immersive theater format where VR lets you interact with live actors. The concept isn’t strictly new (there have been VR performances before), but Oculus’ approach would maintain that interactivity without being limited to performances that happen in one place.

Oculus hasn’t divulged the inner workings of the format, but it’s currently slated to debut sometime in 2019. It’s probably not going to dissuade you from attending real-world plays, but it doesn’t have to. This is more about enabling theater that would be impractical in real life, and giving you a reason to try VR that sits between passive experiences like movies and the intensity of games.

Source: CNET

Sonos filing hints at upcoming smart home theater speaker

If you’ve been planning on upgrading your home theater, you might want to hold off a little longer. According to a new FCC filing, Sonos could be coming up with a new smart home theater speaker in the near future. Variety reports that the model number has “S14” in the name and, importantly, features a HDMI port.

Sonos’ most recent home theater offering was the Playbase, a soundbar designed to sit directly underneath your TV. Sonos released its flagship soundbar, the Playbar, all the way back in 2013, so it’s definitely time for an update. The FCC filing doesn’t reveal a lot of details, but according to Variety, the speaker in the document is described as a “high-performance all-in-one home theater smart speaker and part of Sonos’ home sound system. This might mean that it’ll have a voice control interface, similar to the Sonos One.

The addition of a HDMI port is a new one for Sonos too. The company’s other soundbars both use optical out for audio, which makes for a simpler setup, but does limit functionality. If the new soundbar supports HDMI 2.1, it would then support lossless audio formats like Dolby Atmos.

Source: Variety

Senate Democrats plan to force vote on net neutrality May 9th

Democrats in Congress have been against the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality rules from the beginning. They’ve had the signatures in favor of restoring the rules since January, along with a companion House bill (with 80 co-sponsors). Senator Edward J. Markey also introduced a formal Congressional Review Act “resolution of disapproval” in February. Now, Markey tweeted that Democrats will force a floor vote restore the rules on May 9th.

Of course, this last-ditch attempt to save net neutrality can only help congressional supporters of as they move into mid-term elections. “We’re in the homestretch in the fight to save net neutrality,” Senator Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “Soon, the American people will know which side their member of Congress is on: fighting for big corporations and ISPs or defending small business owners, entrepreneurs, middle-class families and every-day consumers.”

Still, even if the Senate passes the Democrat’s proposal, notes Politico, it’s unlikely it would get through the House or avoid a Trump veto. A senatorial aide told the site that Democrats are also organizing another day of action in support of net neutrality, as well.

Source: Senator Edward J Markey/Twitter

A fond farewell to our sister sites in Germany and Spain

When I started at Engadget in 2010, I saw the site as an opportunity: a publication with millions of readers that would pay me to write for a living. After months of rigorous training and countless hours spent in IRC with some of the most genuine and intelligent people I’d ever met, I started to see Engadget as a family, a global community of passionate, creative writers and editors who truly care about their audience and their work.

Sadly, the Engadget community is about to get a little bit smaller. Starting tomorrow, Engadget’s German- and Spanish-language sites will cease publication. While we are sad to see them go, this isn’t the end of the road. The writers and editors at both sites will go on to do great things and their archives will live on here at Engadget.com. Engadget.com and our sister sites in China, Japan and the UK will continue to bring you the world’s best technology news and reviews.

I won’t dwell on what brought us here. Instead, I’ll just say thank you. To our readers, our writers, our editors and our friends in Spain and Germany, it has been a wild ride. Your passion and dedication won’t be forgotten.

They say nothing lasts forever, but we’ll always have IRC.

Good luck out there!

Source: Engadget Germany, Engadget Spain