Singapore plans to open its skies to drone taxi test flights in 2019

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To use some retro slang, the idea of taking an autonomous flying taxi to work sounds pretty far-out. In fact, it could be a whole lot closer than you think. At least, that’s our takeaway from the news that Volocopter, a German company specializing in electric multirotor helicopters, is gearing up to run inner-city tests of its self-driving air taxis in Singapore. They will take place starting in the second half of 2019.

The tests are intended to validate and verify the ability of the company’s flying vehicles, and will culminate in public demo flights. They are being supported by Singapore’s Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation Authority, and Economic Development Board. This follows tests of the Volocopter air taxis in Germany, along with one autonomous flight in Dubai that took place in 2017.

“The tests in Singapore will happen in an urban environment and under completely different climatic conditions than here in Germany,” Alex Zosel, co-founder of Volocopter, told Digital Trends. “Those two aspects will allow us to learn a lot and prepare for deployment in cities. Furthermore, in Singapore, we will be looking at testing potential commercial routes. To enable these routes, we will also work on airspace integration in the lower airspace above the city, a crucial aspect for implementing this new way of mobility.”

Volocopter’s vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) air taxis look a whole lot like a helicopter, but they function technologically like a drone — albeit one with 18 rotors instead of the usual four that are found on a quadcopter. They are capable of carrying two people for distances of just under 30 kilometers. The taxis are electrically powered, emission-free, and fly quietly enough to make them a viable technology for use as a mass-market mobility service in cities.

As to how long the rest of us will be waiting until we can ditch the subway for an autonomous flight to work, Zosel is optimistic. “We expect the first commercial air taxi routes to open in 3 to 5 years,” he said. “By the time I retire — so in 12 years — I want there to be full Volocopter infrastructure systems in at least 10 cities worldwide.”

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Trump refuses to give up his iPhone, despite report that spies are listening in

President Donald Trump is known to call friends and advisors late at night, but it turns out that when he does, someone else may be listening too. According to a new report from the New York Times, American intelligence suggests that Chinese and Russian spies are “often listening” to Trump’s calls — and may well be using that information to figure out how best to work with the president when it comes to administration policies.

It’s well-known that the President is advised to steer clear of using everyday Android or iPhone devices, and aides have reportedly warned Trump against using his iPhone on multiple occasions. Despite the fact that Trump has reportedly given in to pressure and uses his secure landline more often these days, he still refuses to give up his iPhone — and could be using it to discuss classified information. According to the report, Trump has three phones — two with limited functionality, aimed at preventing eavesdropping, and one iPhone that’s like any other iPhone out there.

The report notes that American spy agencies have learned that China and Russia were eavesdropping on Trump’s phone calls from human sources inside foreign government agencies. Agencies have also said that they’ve determined what China is hoping to learn by listening in on these calls:  Things like who he generally listens to, what kinds of arguments sway his opinion, and more. It seems as though the Chinese have put together a list of individuals with influence over Trump in the hopes of eventually being able to use them. The Chinese government is also relying on Chinese businessmen to feed arguments to Trump’s trusted friends with the hopes that those arguments will eventually be delivered to Trump by people he trusts. It’s not currently believed that Russian spies are using the same methods given Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

China’s methods of influencing the president aren’t new. For decades, officials have attempted to sway the president’s opinions by creating an informal network of businesspeople and academics who can be fed ideas and then bring them to the White House. What’s new, however, is that officials previously weren’t able to rely on eavesdropping on the president’s phone calls.

Following the New York Times story, Trump tweeted that he “only [uses] government phones,” and that he only seldom uses government cell phones. He then clarified in a follow-up tweet that he “rarely” uses a cell phone, and that when he does, it’s a government-issued phone. Ironically enough, both tweets were sent from an iPhone.

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Yoga Book C930 vs. Surface Go

Riley Young/Digital Trends

Knowing how much to spend on a device that can function as both a tablet and a laptop isn’t easy. There are ultra-affordable options that do the job just fine and fancier options two, or even three times the cost that make you wonder whether it’s worth spending extra for whatever it is they offer.

To find out which is the best option for most, we pitted the Yoga Book C930 against the Surface Go in a battle that compares not just how they look, feel, and perform, but whether their price tags accurately reflect worth.

Further Reading

Laptop reviews

The best 2-in-1 laptops

The best laptops

Design

Both of these convertible laptop/tablets look fantastic, but in their own, distinct way. The Surface Go is a clear evolution of its predecessors, with Microsoft building on its pedigree with a more shapely, but thin, and portable device. It has a professional and clear silver/grey aesthetic, and the Alcantara coating on the ($130 add-on) type cover is as lovely on the wrists and fingers as ever.

The Yoga Book C930, however, looks like a revolution. The Surface Go feels like a product of today, while the Yoga Book feels exceedingly futuristic. It has a gorgeous aesthetic of its own, including a beautiful watch-like hinge, and a funky “knock-knock” method for opening its cover.

When you do open it, you get a look at the laptop’s dual-screen design which includes a standard QHD, IPS display in the lid and a far-from-conventional E-Ink display at its base. That does mean it lacks a physical keyboard, so you’ll be typing on a touchscreen with some basic haptic feedback. That does take some getting used to and ultimately most people in the Digital Trends offices who tried it thought it was cool, but not something they’d be willing to trade a physical keyboard for. Even if it can double as an e-reader or drawing tablet.

The Surface Go’s keyboard is nice too, with arguably a more satisfying feel to it even if its layout did take some getting used to.

Port selection is somewhat limited on these devices, with just a pair of USB-C 3.1 (Gen 1) ports and a microSD card reader. The Surface Go does at least have a 3.5mm headphone jack, but it has only a single USB-C connector, microSDXC card reader, and Surface Connect port.

Performance

Riley Young/Digital Trends

With Lenovo is still yet to officially launch the Yoga Book in the states, we don’t have exact pricing information for its various incarnations. We can say though, that the model we reviewed started $1,000 and featured a Core i5-7Y54 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of SSD storage. Far from a powerhouse, but adequate for day-to-day use.

We’re disappointed not to see eighth-generation CPUs from Intel used as part of its configuration, especially the new Y-Series range. That does mean the C930 could start to feel outdated in a couple of years. Its display may not though. As well as having a unique configuration, they are also quite beautiful. Its top IPS panel has a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 for a crisp image and even the E-ink display is 1080p — although it isn’t backlit.

The Surface Go does have a Y-series chip, but it’s not one of the newest ones. Instead, it packs a Pentium Gold 4415Y which has the same HD 615 graphics core as the Core m3 CPU in the base model Yoga Book, but it’s substantially slower elsewhere and wouldn’t hold a candle to the Core i5 model. But then again, its starting price is just $400, so you can’t expect the same kind of hardware. Its memory and storage are more comparable though, with 4GB and 64GB of SSD space respectively. Every configuration has an 1,800 x 1,200 resolution PixelSense display which delivers crisp, and precise imagery with great brightness and solid color support.

For $550, you can upgrade to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Though our review unit sported the heftier configuration, the Surface Go wasn’t a particularly great performer. It could handle single, basic tasks well enough, but a dozen browser tabs would bring it to its knees and gaming beyond the absolute barebones indies isn’t an enjoyable experience.

When we compared these two devices in our C930 review, the Lenovo notebook came in significantly faster than the Surface Go in memory and CPU performance tests. It falls behind other devices like the Dell XPS 13, but performance is strong enough with the Lenovo device that we don’t have any major concerns. Still, it’s hard to ignore the pricing disparity. You get less with the Surface Go, but for what it’s designed to do (and at that price point), it offers more value for your money.

Portability

Riley Young/Digital Trends

In the 10-inch form factor you have some of the most portable devices in the world and these two devices exemplify that ideal. The Yoga Book C930 measures just 10.25 x 7.1 0.39-inches and weighs 1.71 pounds. The Surface Go though, isn’t far off iPad-like portability, measuring just 9.65 x 6.90 x 0.33-inches, and weighing as little as 1.15 pounds.

Despite the weight disparity, we’re arguably more impressed with the Yoga Book’s weighting since it does pack a pair of displays in almost the same physical space. Its battery is quite comparable too. Lenovo claims eight-hours of battery life in general usage. Our intensive Basemark benchmark ran for just over three hours before the battery died. That’s slightly better than the Surface Go. Microsoft claims up to nine-hours of media viewing in its specifications which proved quite accurate in our testing, but it came in just under three hours in the Basemark test. The Yoga Book C930 has better overall battery life, though we would have liked to have seen more life in a charge from both devices.

Neither have the equation solved, but Surface does it best

Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

Comparing two devices with a big gap in their price tags is no easy task, as typically the more expensive device is better. The question is, is it worth the added expense? In this case, it’s close, but we’d say no. The Yoga Book C930 is more expensive in its base configuration than even the top specced Surface Go with the optional Type Cover accessory. It does offer more, but not enough. For simple day-to-day portable computing, the Surface Go is a better buy.

The Surface Go is the smaller and more portable of the two devices too, and though the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 does have some great features, the lack of a reliable keyboard holds it back. There’s also much more competition at its inflated price point and though we like the dual-screen solution, it’s hard to recommend it over more capable devices at similar costs.

For low-power computing on the go, the Surface Go isn’t the best device, lacking strong performance or battery life, but we’d still recommend it over the Yoga Book for most people.

Overall winner: Microsoft Surface Go

Editors’ Recommendations

• Lenovo Yoga Book C930 review
• Lenovo Legion Y730 vs. Dell G3 Gaming Laptop
• Lenovo Yoga C930 Review
• Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) review
• HP Spectre x360 13 (Late 2017) Review

Lenovo Yoga C930 vs. HP Spectre x360 13

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

If you’re looking for a laptop these days, chances are it’s also a 2-in-1. Ranging from less than $1,000 and to over $2,000, you can find a premium 2-in-1 laptop that rivals any other form factor on the market. In fact, unless you’re looking for a hardcore gaming system or workstation with a very high-end discrete GPU, there’s usually not a real reason to settle for “just” a clamshell notebook.

Two outstanding cases in point are Lenovo’s latest premium 2-in-1, the Yoga C930, and HP’s Spectre x360 13, which has been on our best 2-in-1 list for some time now. Given that the Yoga C930 was just released, does it have enough to take over the top spot?

Design

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The Yoga C930 doesn’t stray too far from Lenovo’s usual conservative and rather businesslike aesthetic. It comes in a Mica or Iron gray colorways that won’t stand out too much in a coffeehouse or conference room. The Yoga C930 also maintains the line’s solid build quality and thin (0.57 inches) and relatively light (3.0 pounds) chassis, particularly considering it packs in a 13.9-inch display. It’s a 360-degree convertible, of course, and that means it depends on its hinge to flip through four modes — but it’s no ordinary hinge. The iconic watchband hinge from the previous versions is gone, replaced with a new, longer “sound bar” that houses speakers for some awesome Dolby Atmos audio. The Yoga C930 is, in other words, like a finely crafted sedan that’s meant to ferry around four or more adults in comfort — and without drawing any undue attention.

The Spectre x360 is more like a sports coupe, with some shiny angles that are meant to catch the eye. HP offers its premium 2-in-1 in three distinct color schemes, and all of them are gorgeous. There’s the bold Dark Ash Silver, the lovely Rose Gold, and the more traditional Natural Silver from which to choose. The Spectre x360’s aesthetic is also more angular and modern than the Yoga, with shiny chrome accents that add some flair without too much ostentation. The Spectre 360 isn’t quite as solidly built as Lenovo’s 2-in-1, but it’s also slightly thinner at 0.54 inches and lighter at 2.78 pounds, with a robust convertible hinge that spins the display with confidence.

As 2-in-1s, both notebooks offer a wide range of input options. We liked the Spectre x360’s keyboard better thanks to greater travel and a lighter, springier mechanism. The Yoga C930’s was a bit shallow and wasn’t nearly as comfortable for our longer typing sessions. Lenovo’s touchpad is better, though, being larger and sporting Microsoft’s Precision Touchpad protocol compared to HP’s choice to use Synaptic drivers. In addition, the Lenovo Active Pen (which is stored and recharged in a slot on the rear edge) also offers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity versus the HP’s 1,024 levels, but the latter’s is larger and more natural.

The Spectre x360 is a far more striking notebook that manages to walk that fine line between being a standout good looker and attracting the wrong kind of attention. It’s also well built, if without the tank-like rigidity of the Yoga, and HP’s keyboard is much better. The Spectre x360 wins this round, narrowly. We’ll note that HP has just announced a refresh of the Spectre x360, and it looks to take the current model’s design and make it even more stunning.

Performance

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Both the Yoga C930 and the Spectre x360 utilized Intel’s quad-core 8th-generation CPUs, and so they offer similar performance in both synthetic benchmarks and real-world usage. Both, therefore, are excellent productivity machines that can handle anything the typical user can throw at them. The Spectre x360’s PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) is slightly faster, but not so much so that it’s likely to be noticeable unless you’re working with really huge files.

The Yoga C930 offers a 13.9-inch IPS panel at either Full HD or 4K resolutions, and the latter supports Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR) as well. The Spectre x360’s display is the usual 13.3 inches, and HP also offers Full HD and 4K options (albeit without HDR support) along with a Sure View privacy screen that keeps sensitive information invisible to unwanted onlookers.

In our testing, we found Spectre x360’s Full HD display to beat out the Yoga C930’s, which was below average for this class. HP’s panel was better for viewing text, images, and video, and overall we just preferred it to Lenovo’s somewhat lifeless version. We’re sure that the 4K HDR option is probably a winner, but we haven’t had an opportunity to give that one a try.

With performance being very similar, the choice here is down to display quality. If you’re looking for a Full HD notebook, then the Spectre x360 is most worth your money. The next version of the Spectre x360 will sport the absolute latest Whiskey Lake 8th-generation CPUs, though, and so they’re likely to up the performance delta a bit.

Portability

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The Yoga C930 is slightly thicker and heavier than the Spectre x360, and that’s not too surprising given its larger display. They’re both highly portable, though, and the differences aren’t going to be that noticeable once you toss them into a bag and carry them around. The Spectre x360 will be slightly more comfortable in tablet mode, though, if you’re carrying it around — and that’s not nothing.

Battery life is a mixed bag for these two thin and light notebooks. The Yoga C930 lasted longer in our aggressive Basemark web benchmark and web browsing tests, but the Spectre x360 lasted longer when looping an Avengers trailer from the SSD. But again it’s something of a wash since both 2-in-1s will likely last you a full working day.

The Yoga C930 and Spectre x360 are closely matched here, although the HP edges out the Lenovo as a tablet. When the next version of the Spectre x360 arrives, expect battery life to be significantly in its favor, though.

Conclusion

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The least expensive Yoga C930 costs $1,300 for a Core i7 CPU, 12GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a Full HD display. The price jumps to $2,200 for a version with a Core i7, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 4K HDR display. The Spectre x360 is quite a bit less expensive, starting at $1,150 ($950 on sale) for a Core i5, 8GB of RAM, a 256GH SSD, and a Full HD display. With a Core i7, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 4K display, you’ll spend $1,800 ($1,600 on sale).

Not only does the HP Spectre x360 look better and has a much better keyboard, but it’s also available at a lower price than the Yoga C930. Lenovo’s latest effort is a good one, but it can’t beat out the kind of 13-inch 2-in-1s, the Spectre x360.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Lenovo Yoga C930 Review
• HP Spectre x360 13 (Late 2017) Review
• Eve Technology Eve V review
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• Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) review

Android creator’s alleged sexual misconduct swept under the rug by Google

James Leynse/Getty Images

When Android creator Andy Rubin left Google in 2014, he was hailed as a hero who changed the mobile landscape forever. While he may well have done so, what was not made public was that he had been accused of sexual misconduct by a woman who said he coerced her into performing oral sex in a hotel room in 2013, according to The New York Times.

The Times cites two Google executives with knowledge of the incident. After Rubin was accused of sexual misconduct, Google investigated the claim, which it found to be credible. Google founder Larry Page subsequently asked for Rubin’s resignation.

The report notes that while Google could have fired him for sexual misconduct, it gave him a $90 million exit package, amounting to $2.5 million per month for two years, then $1.25 million per month for two years after that.

This was not the first time Rubin ran in trouble. The Times notes that security staff once found bondage sex videos on Rubin’s work computer, and he dated other women at the company while married to his wife. In 2011, he had a consensual relationship with a woman at Google who was not his subordinate, however, the pair did not report the relationship to Google human resources, despite rules requiring them to do so. Rubin and his wife divorced in August.

In 2013, Google combined the management of the Chrome and Android divisions, and Rubin lost a power struggle to Sundar Pichai, who went on to become Google CEO. Around that time, Rubin was reportedly also casually seeing another woman from the Android division. They started seeing each other in 2012, but in 2013, the woman reportedly wanted to break things off with Rubin, but was concerned that doing so would affect her career. They agreed to meet at a hotel, where Rubin pressured her into oral sex. The incident ended their relationship, but she waited until 2014 to report it to Google HR, after which Google began investigating. Shortly after the investigation began, Google awarded Rubin a stock grant worth around $150 million. It’s unclear if the board members who approved the grant knew about the investigation at the time.

That $150 million grant was enormously helpful for Rubin in negotiating his exit package later. That’s because Google wanted to avoid any kind of wrongful termination lawsuit, which could have brought negative attention to the company.

The news about Rubin may not be all that surprising — The Information reported late last year that Google had investigated Rubin for an inappropriate relationship. After the report, Rubin took a leave of absence from Essential, a smartphone company he founded after leaving Google.

After the news circulated on Thursday, October 26, Pichai and Vice President of People Operations Eileen Naughton sent an email (which was obtained by CNBC) to employees saying that the company was “dead serious about making sure we provide a safe and inclusive workplace,” and that it had taken a number of steps over the past few years to ensure a safe environment, including “taking an increasingly hard line on inappropriate conduct by people in positions of authority: In the last two years, 48 people have been terminated for sexual harassment, including 13 who were senior managers and above. None of these individuals received an exit package.”

Updated on October 25, 2018: Google released an emailed statement to employees.

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The best Huawei Mate 20 Pro cases to keep your stunning flagship safe

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

With a new and powerful processor, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and four camera lenses, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro may be the Android phone to buy if you’re looking to score a device boasting the biggest technological advances around. But with a price tag that exceeds $1,000, as well as import taxes, you’re going to be wondering if you ever want to take such a valuable but fragile phone into the dangerous outside world. A protective case that can stop your expensive phone from becoming an expensive paperweight is probably a good investment. Here are the best Huawei Mate 20 Pro cases to keep your phone safe.

Olixar Ultra-Thin Clear Case ($10)

While you may want to keep your phone protected, you probably don’t want to stop anyone from being able to see its beautiful glass design. That’s where this case from Olixar comes in. It’s made from completely clear TPU, so you can always show off your phone’s design. The flexible TPU is protective, and the soft material provides great shock-absorption — and it’s durable too. It’s formed to fit your phone perfectly, and a raised front bezel protects your phone’s display against abrasive surfaces and dirt. It’s basic, and it won’t provide the level of protection a larger case would, but it’s cheap and it gets the job done.

Buy it now from:

Olixar Amazon Mobile Fun

Spigen Rugged Armor ($25)

If you’re looking for something a little more protective, then take a look at Spigen’s Rugged Armor case. It’s made from TPU, which adds plenty of resistance to drops and shocks — and that’s compounded by the addition of air cushions protecting each corner. It has a cool sci-fi style with carbon fiber panels, so it’ll look good pretty much anywhere. It also has raised bezels that mean your phone shouldn’t be resting directly on any surfaces. It’s not the cheapest for a TPU case, but Spigen’s reputation is extremely good, making the Rugged Armor case a great choice for everyday use.

Buy it now from:

Spigen Amazon

Tech21 Evo Luxe Vegan Leather Case ($50)

Tech21 is one of the best names in the business for drop protection, and with a case like the Evo Luxe, it’s easy to see why. It’s made from premium faux leather, which feels great and looks even better, imparting an executive and sleek style. It contains FlexShock, a material Tech21 claims absorbs the energy from impacts extremely well, and can survive drops of up to 12 feet. It’s fairly slim too, and doesn’t add much weight. However, it’s very much on the expensive side — especially since this isn’t real leather. Still, it’s extremely good protection, and it looks amazing.

Buy it now from:

Tech21

Official Smart View Flip Case ($38)

You don’t just need to look at third-parties to get your case — Huawei offers some great options too. This Smart View flip case really caught our eye. Thanks to the synthetic leather material, it’s super-stylish and looks great anywhere, from the boardroom to the gym — and the cover flips across the display for all-around protection. The real magic here, though, is in the clear window on the front, which displays the time, weather, notifications, and more. The window is a nifty little feature, and it allows you get updates at a glance, without needing to uncover your phone. It’s not as protective as a rugged case, but it’s still a great option if you like the utility and style.

Buy it now from:

Walmart Mobile Fun

UAG Monarch Series ($60)

If you want some serious protection, you need look no further than UAG’s Monarch series. Made from a combination of top-grain leather and metal alloys, the Monarch case boasts five layers of protection and exceeds twice the military standards for drop and shock protection. It has a soft, impact-resistant core as well as a honeycomb traction grip that’ll help you keep hold of your device. There’s even a raised bezel to protect your screen, and oversized button covers. UAG’s so proud of it, the case also comes with a 10-year limited warranty. It’s certainly expensive, but if you’re outdoors a lot and you need some truly fantastic protection, then you should invest in this case.

Buy it now from:

UAG

Editors’ Recommendations

• Huawei Mate 20, Pro, and X: Everything you need to know
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Microsoft’s Andromeda might still exist after being spotted in a presentation

Image from Reddit u/silentcrs

References to Microsoft’s upcoming rumored Andromeda folding device have been spotted in an official presentation, according to a post on Reddit. Though making just a brief appearance, the mention further hints that the device exists and that Microsoft is still actively developing the project.

The Reddit post comes from someone who attended a Microsoft enterprise-focused presentation explaining how Windows development has shifted to DevOps. Aimed at Microsoft’s union of people, process, and products, line two of a presentation slide (above) highlights a dependency tracker and proposed references for developers to test hardware on Andromeda.

Other places in the slide also make references to Windows Core OS (WCOS,) which is the rumored modular Windows revamp that many believe will power the Andromeda device. There also seems to be a dual reference of Andromeda and QSEEW (Qualcomm secure execution environment), pointed out by a user on Twitter.

“They did not bring anything up verbally about it. The state is ‘proposed,’ which means it’s not been committed to any Windows branch yet, but clearly, it’s something they’re working on,” explains the Reddit posting.

The references are indeed rather vague, hinting that Microsoft is again now showing mixed feelings about the new device. Earlier in this year, Microsoft Chief Product Designer Panos Panay effectively killed hopes for Andromeda device, telling publications, “We can’t bring new categories into the world and not be a place where customers need it.”

Microsoft is obviously heavily invested in Andromeda and a rash of evolving patents have proved the device is something that being worked on and possibly changing. Most recently, a patent from October 11 shows that Microsoft could be considering Andromeda as a new computing form factor utilizing a single flexible display. That is a big change from before, where patents showed that Microsoft wanted to use a 360-degree hinge on the device.

Patents don’t always hold up to be true and more time is clearly needed for things to fully wrap out here, but the hype for Andromeda is now somewhat more real. A reveal might not be coming right away, but since Microsoft is now dropping hints to developers in official presentations, Andromeda might surface soon enough.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Microsoft patent points to a 2-screen device for 3-way video calls
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• Microsoft will take charge of your Windows 10 device in a monthly lease
• Microsoft’s latest patent application hints to ‘page flipping’ on Andromeda

Google patent hints at more smart garments with improved haptic feedback

Google’s wearable efforts may be a little hit-or-miss, but the company continues to work hard on developing wearable tech that can be used in everyday life. In fact, Google has been awarded a patent related to providing haptic feedback to users while wearing an “interactive garment.”

According to the patent, while mobile devices like smartphones aren’t all that easy to integrate into day-to-day life, wearable solutions like smart clothing are easier. The problem with them, however, is that they can be difficult to manufacture and may lack good functionality. Many of them may provide haptic feedback, but they usually only have one point of haptic feedback, which may or may not be felt by the user. That’s the issue Google is trying to solve here, by instead incorporating multiple vibration motors into a garment to ensure that haptic feedback is felt by the wearer.

Haptic feedback in a smart garment could come in handy for a variety of reasons. For example, it could be used to alert the user of an incoming notification, or it could be used when the user taps on touch-sensitive parts of the smart garment to alert the user to the fact that the input has been received.

The patent notes that the tech could be used in a jacket, shirt, or pants, though it could ultimately end up in any worn garment.

Google is no stranger to the concept of smart garments. Towards the end of last year, in partnership with Levi’s, the company unveiled the Commuter Trucker Jacket, which made use of Google’s Project Jacquard software. The jacket had touch-sensitive sensors built right into it, and allowed wearers to do things like control music playback, get information about their commute, and so on. Project Jacquard mostly uses a plastic sensor in the sleeve, though the patent notes that touch-sensitive surfaces could end up being more integrated into a jacket. It’s possible that the new patent hints at more offerings like Levi’s jacket, though the likes of Google routinely file for patents that they ultimately never end up using.

And, of course, Google has been working hard at further developing its wearable tech offerings, largely through improving Wear OS, its smartwatch operating system.

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AMD’s Radeon RX 590 inches closer to launch to take on Nvidia’s GTX 1060

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

AMD‘s Radeon RX 590 is now all but officially confirmed. Though AMD has not yet announced the card, the Radeon RX 590 made an appearance at the Eurasian Economic Union certification office after third-party manufacturer PowerColor submitted the graphics card for regulatory approval. The government listing shows two product codes, an AXRX 580 8GBD5-3DH/OC and a second AXRX 690 8GBD5-3DH/OC. The second product code is believed to be for the Radeon RX 590, while the first code may be for an overclocked version of AMD’s current RX 580 with more video memory, according to TechRadar.

This isn’t the first time that we’re hearing about the Radeon RX 590. Previously, the chip was spotted going through 3DMark’s benchmark tests. The results of those earlier leaked benchmarks put the performance of AMD’s Radeon RX 590 directly in between the performance of Nvidia’s competing GeForce GTX 1060 and GTX 1070 cards. This should give most gamers quite a bit of graphics performance, but if the early benchmarks are to be believed, the Radeon RX 590 still won’t be able to top Nvidia’s flagship GTX 1080 card. As such, the Radeon RX 590 is expected to be a competitive mid-range graphics card, and if AMD is able to price the new GPU aggressively, this could be a big win for gamers or those wanting a virtual reality-compatible system.

From the performance benchmarks, it appears that AMD is pushing for faster clock speeds with the RX 590. The graphics card clocked in at 1,545MHz, compared to the RX 580’s 1,340MHz. The new RX 590 is expected to share the same 8GB GDDR5 memory and 2,000Hz memory bus clock speed as the Radeon RX580. Though we don’t know when the RX 590 is expected to be announced, earlier reports suggested that AMD could refresh its Radeon RX 500 lineup in 2019. The new cards could be built on a new 12nm manufacturing process as part of AMD’s Polaris 30 architecture.

To compete against the Radeon RX 590, rival Nvidia may also be working on a more affordable GPU option that delivers more performance to counter AMD in the mid-range space. Earlier this week, we reported that Nvidia may be refreshing its GTX 1060 card with faster GDDR5 video memory to give it a performance boost.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Nvidia’s new GTX 1060 6GB could counter AMD’s rumored RX 590
• Leaked benchmarks suggest rumored AMD GPU could be king of midrange graphics
• AMD RX 500 graphics card refresh may launch in 2019 with die shrink, clock boost
• The best graphics cards
• Nvidia vs. AMD

Billy Crudup and Gugu Mbatha-Raw Join Apple’s Upcoming Morning News Drama

Apple’s morning show drama starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston is in the casting stage, and Billy Crudup and Gugu Mbatha-Raw are the show’s latest additions, reports Variety.

Crudup will play Cory Ellison, a “forward-thinking president of the network news division,” while Mbatha-Raw will play Hannah Shoenfield, a “whip-smart and charming” booker of talent.

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Mbatha-Raw is known for “Black Mirror,” “A Wrinkle in Time,” “Irreplaceable You,” and “The Cloverfield Paradox,” while Crudup is known for his roles in “Spotlight,” “Jackie,” “Alien: Covenant,” and “Justice League.”

The as of yet unnamed morning show drama will also feature Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, and, as announced earlier this week, Steve Carell, best known for “The Office.”

The upcoming show is based on Brian Stelter’s non-fiction book “Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV.” It will explore the drama-filled lives of the men and women who star on morning talk shows.

Apple has already signed on to air two 10-episode seasons of the show, which is being produced by Witherspoon and Aniston.

Apple has more than a dozen original television shows in the works, the first of which could debut in March 2019 through a rumored video service that Apple is planning to launch. At least some of the content included in the upcoming video service could be free to watch through the Apple TV app.

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