U.S. consumers aren’t adopting voice-based shopping as quickly as expected, according to a new report today from eMarketer. While consumers have been happy to bring smart speakers into their home, they continue to use them more often for simple commands — like playing music or getting information, for example — not for making purchases. However,
Month: February 2020
Email is garbage and we’re all buried in the stuff. Actually getting someone’s attention given the constraints that digital missives present is difficult. How do you snag someone’s eye when the Internet Age’s key communication channel is a mess? One option is to skip the inbox altogether, and send something physical instead. That’s where a
Gif: Twitter Have you seen that viral video of people farting in public, captured by China’s thermal imaging cameras that are on the hunt for coronavirus? It’s completely fake. China’s state media outlet the Global Times tweeted out the video, suggesting it showed people at train stations and airports in China, where health authorities are
With tens of millions of songs available for ad-free and offline listening, and an endless collection of curated playlists, there’s never been a better time to upgrade to Spotify Premium. But before you rush into taking out the run-of-the-mill $10-per-month Premium membership, take a look at all of the different options available. Who knows? You
Be warned: your at-home voice assistant is doing more than just listening. What if I told you that smart devices such as your iPhone and Google Assistant aren’t just listening to you, but persuading and manipulating your actions as well? Sounds like the plot to a cheesy 1980’s sci-fi movie right? As ridiculous as this
As Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurs cluster around the worldview that artificial intelligence is poised to change how we work, investors are deciding which use cases make the most sense to pump money into right now. One focus has been the relentless communication between companies and customer that takes place at call centers. Call center tech has spawned
Downtown Miami.Photo: Getty Miami might be fresh on the mind for some because—hello!—Jennifer Lopez and Shakira completely stole the show at the Super Bowl Sunday. However, Miami is always on our minds at Earther because of climate change. And a recent report has put it front and center yet again because it shows just how
[embedded content] Gaming charity AbleGamers has a new device that lets disabled players control their Xbox games directly through a wheelchair. It’s a breakthrough in gaming accessibility, and for those who qualify through AbleGamers’ grant program, the device is completely free. Dubbed the “Freedom Wing Adapter,” the device connects players’ power wheelchairs and the Xbox
You’ve just finished unboxing the shiny new 4K TV you bought in the run-up to Super Bowl 2020. What next? Mount it on a wall, maybe? While that may sound as complex as making a triple mochaccino with homemade cream on top, it’s about as quick and simple as brewing a cup of instant joe
The Super Bowl isn’t just a day for the best football players in the world to face off, or for fans to tune in to the game while gorging on extravagant spreads, or for advertisers to try and catch the attention of millions across the world with catchy commercials. It’s also a good opportunity to get
Rad Power Bikes RadRover Step-Thru review: Carry all the things “The RadRover Step-Thru will let you conquer grocery trips in comfort.” Excellent value Smooth ride Extremely versatile Step-Thru frame is accessible Heavy and bulky Seat adjustment tricky for short riders Rad Power Bikes‘ new RadRover Step-Thru e-bike improves rider accessibility over the RadRover, the popular
sebra/123RF If you have a stash of WMA files you might find playing them on some modern devices a little difficult. They certainly aren’t as versatile as MP3s. The best way to sort out that particular problem is to learn how to convert WMA to MP3 — it’s easier than you might think. Further reading There are
Will Robbins Contributor Senior citizens are not early adopters of new technology; many of our 65+ friends and family might not use much tech in the first place. That said, two-thirds of America’s 50 million seniors use the internet and more than 40% own a smartphone, according to a 2017 Pew study. So where’s the
Big changes ahead for BlackBerry and TCL at a time when the smartphone market continues to see slowing growth. The two announced today that they would end their four-year brand licensing and tech support partnership in August 2020, with TCL ceasing to make new models of BlackBerry handsets after then, but continuing to support models that
Miles Kirby Contributor Miles is the managing director of AV8 Ventures and is based in London. He is focused on investments at Seed and Series A. It’s a somewhat crude yardstick by which to measure innovation in deep tech, and the result perhaps reflects historic bias as much as it does actual leadership in innovation
[embedded content] Marvel fans have been waiting for more information about the three upcoming Disney+ shows, Falcon and Winter Soldeir, Loki, and WandaVision, and during the Super Bowl last night they got to see a trailer for all three. The 30-second teaser trailer didn’t reveal much about any of the shows, but it showed enough
Rather than change your home thermostat settings several times a day so everyone remains comfortable, switch to a Smart thermostat. With a smart thermostat like Google’s Nest Learning Thermostat, you can lose the hassle of manual adjustments, stay comfortable, and save money on heating costs. Also, you can use the smart thermostat’s smartphone app to
The first death outside China from the new coronavirus was recorded Sunday in the Philippines, as countries around the world evacuated hundreds of their citizens from the infection zone and Chinese authorities completed a new, rapidly constructed 1,000-bed hospital for victims of the outbreak. Chinese authorities also delayed the reopening of schools in the hardest-hit
Clockwise from top left: Angelica Alzona, Getty Images, Neanderthal Museum, H. Neumann and Emojipedia.Image: Various. Happy Super Bowl Sunday, everyone! I hope that the fans out there have a nice time today. I imagine Roku owners will be especially pleased, given that recently announced Roku and Fox deal. I will also be watching the Super
A new video appears showing the potential of hand tracking in VR. When Facebook announced that they were bringing native hand tracking to the Oculus Quest back in September during Oculus Connect 6, attendees gleamed with excitement. Since rolling out on standalone headsets through a December software update, users have been having a blast navigating
[embedded content] The glaciers of Antarctica have a tremendous influence on the climate worldwide, as their melting contributes to considerable sea-level rises. But it’s hard to know the extent to which glaciers are being affected by climate change because the region is changing so quickly. But scientists have a tool to help them in this
A survey by Sony is gauging interest in possible future additions to the PlayStation 4’s Remote Play, including expanding the feature to rival consoles. Remote Play allows PlayStation 4 owners to play games remotely on other devices, including the PlayStation Vita and PC, as well as on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. The 7.00
When Uber and Lyft went public, it wasn’t the drivers who got rich — it was the executives, investors and some early employees. In an era when it has become clear that tech executives and investors are frequently the only ones who’ll reap rewards for a company’s success, cooperative startups are getting more attention. Depending
Greg Epstein Contributor Greg M. Epstein is the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and MIT, and the author of The New York Times bestselling book “Good Without God.” Described as a “godfather to the [humanist] movement” by The New York Times Magazine in recognition of his efforts to build inclusive, inspiring and ethical communities for the
A second confirmed case of coronavirus was reported from Kerala on Sunday, the Union Health Ministry said three days after the first patient showing symptoms of the novel virus was tested positive and kept in isolation in the southern state. The coronavirus outbreak which has its epicentre in China’s Wuhan city has claimed more than
It’s the eve of one of the biggest sporting events of the year, with Super Bowl LIV set to kick off Sunday, February 2. The NFC champion San Francisco 49ers will take on their AFC counterparts in the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, the electrifying young quarterback who has led the Chiefs to the
Photo: Kazuhiro Nogi (Getty) As the deadly coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in China and around the world, several social media kingpins are fighting the outbreak on a different front: By curbing the spread of misinformation and fake claims online amid a public health emergency. False information on the coronavirus has only been proliferating on
Revenant is coming to Apex Legends‘ Season 4 after all, taking the place of Forge who was murdered by the robot assassin. Forge was revealed as the new character that was coming to Apex Legends through a developer livestream. However, with a cameo and files discovered at the backend of the Electronic Arts website, Revenant
Billionaire. Philanthropist. Beat Saber artist? Just a day after Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk drops a killer EDM track on Soundcloud, the creator behind Beat Saber tweets out that he wants it in the game. Billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk has his hands in seemingly everything, from electric cars and solar panels to sustainable
With such a bountiful choice of great games for Android phones in the Google Play Store, it can prove quite tough to decide what you should be playing. Don’t worry, we’re here with our hand-picked list of the best Android games that are currently available. Most of them are free, some cost a few bucks,