Articles by Alexandra Burlacu
New Wink Hub 2 Plays Nice With Alexa, Makes Smart Home Smarter - And Simpler
Wink has announced a new smart home hub simply called Wink 2, bringing a number of neat upgrades over the original Wink. In addition to better connectivity and more features, the new Wink 2 also sports Alexa integration.
Lenovo Layoffs Cut Deeper Into Moto: 1,000 New Job Cuts
The Moto division is shrinking under Lenovo, with a new round of layoffs now confirmed. Following the 3,200 job cuts last year, Lenovo is axing another thousand jobs at Motorola Mobility.
Google Pixel 3 Laptop Reportedly In The Works, Rocking 'Andromeda' OS Merged From Android And Chrome
Rumors of a hybrid Andromeda OS merging Chrome OS and Android have been circling for a while now, but more information is now available. A new report now details an Andromeda-powered Pixel 3 laptop set for Q3 2017, with intriguing specs in tow.
Plex Cloud Taps Amazon Drive To Ditch Your Home Media Server: Unlimited Storage, Nothing To Install [Video]
Plex has tapped into Amazon Drive to offer unlimited storage and more convenience to users through its new Plex Cloud service. Here's the deal.
Renault And Nissan Team Up With Microsoft For Connected Cars Initiative: Azure Cloud To Power Advanced Navigation System
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has joined forces with Microsoft to accelerate development of self-driving car technology, connected services and more, tapping Microsoft Azure. At least 10 connected and autonomous vehicles should hit the market by 2020, targeting the mainstream.
Microsoft Edge Users Are Safe From Hackers: Windows Defender Isolates Browsing Sessions To Keep Exploits At Bay
Microsoft announced a new security feature called Windows Defender Application Guard, which can keep Microsoft Edge locked away from the rest of the OS. Using virtualized containers, the feature would compromise system integrity even in case of an exploit.
Amid Heavy Criticism Over His Pro-Trump Investments, Oculus Founder Gets Two Top Executives On His Side
Oculus cofounder Palmer Luckey stirred great controversy by financially supporting an anti-Clinton group, and his actions affected Oculus as well. Two top company executives, CEO Brendan Iribe and head of content Jason Rubin, have weighed in on the matter, expressing their support for Luckey.
Despite Privacy Concerns, Google Allo Scored More Than 1 Million Downloads Already
Google Allo made its debut just a few days ago, but it already raked in more than 1 million installs on Google Play. The number may not be as high as that of Google Duo, but it's still impressive considering the controversy Allo stirred over data collection and privacy concerns.
Uber Safety Features Require Drivers To Take Selfies For Real-Time ID Check Using Microsoft Cognitive Services
Uber has added a new safety feature requiring drivers to take selfies before logging on to the platform and accepting rides. Is this the company's way of avoiding background checks and admitting its drivers swap and share accounts?
Oculus Boycott: Developers Drop Support For Oculus After Founder Palmer Luckey Backs Pro-Trump Political Group
Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey has been funding a pro-Trump, anti-Clinton meme generator, sparking controversy on the VR scene. A number of developers have announced an Oculus boycott, dropping Oculus support as long as Luckey is involved.
Apple Releases iOS 10.0.2 To Fix iOS 10 Issues With Lightning EarPods, App Extension And Photos Bugs
Some iOS 10 issues just got a fix with Apple's latest update. Rolling out now, iOS 10.0.2 fixes bugs that affected the Lightning EarPods controls, caused Photos to crash and prevented app extensions from being enabled.
Apple Watch Rules The Smartwatch Market: The Apple Watch 2 Should Only Bolster Leading Position: Kantar
New data from Kantar Worldpanel reveals that Apple dominates the smartwatch market, leading sales in the U.S. and the four biggest markets in Europe. With the new Apple Watch Series 2 now boasting even better specs and features, Apple should see further growth.
Build Your Own Flying, Crash-Friendly LEGO Drone With These Simple Kits From Flybrix [Video]
LEGOs are already pretty awesome (unless you step on one), but what if you could make them fly? Now you can, with simple DIY kits to build a working, flying drone made of LEGO.
Facebook Messenger Features Improve With Group Chat Polls And Payment Reminders: Now Out On Android And iOS
Facebook Messenger has added two new features: group chat polls and A.I.-triggered quick payment buttons. Here's how the two features work and how they aim to make things easier.
Google Pixel Advertising Goes Big - Literally: Are You Ready For The Oct. 4 Unveiling?
Google is going big with its Pixel advertising -- literally big. In addition to teaser clips, a dedicated website and other ads before the big unveiling on Oct. 4, Google is taking over an immense electronic billboard at Times Square, New York.
iOS 10 Issues: 'Bug' Causes Poor Battery Performance In Older iPhone 5s, 6 and 6s
Apple's latest iOS 10 seems to have a bug that dramatically reduces the battery performance of the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, and iPad. Apple has yet to acknowldge the issue or provide a fix, but here are a few temporary workarounds to help conserve battery life in the meantime.
Edward Snowden Warns Against Google Surveillance: 'Don't Use Allo'
Want a messaging app with a side of surveillance? That's Google Allo for you, according to Edward Snowden, who warns against using the app.
iPhone 7 Plus Gets Camera Portrait Mode With Apple's Latest iOS 10.1 Beta: What Does It Bring?
Apple's latest iOS 10.1 beta brings a neat camera feature for the iPhone 7 Plus. Using the smartphone's dual rear cameras, iOS 10.1 enables the Portrait mode Apple touted at its recent iPhone launch event.
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Pledges $3 Billion To Cure Disease, But Don't Expect Wonders Overnight
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative just announced plans to invest $3 billion to help cure, prevent and manage disease. The ambitious project is a long-term effort, so it's important to realize that it will take time to materialize.
MacOS Sierra Issues: Common Problems Of The New OS And How To Fix Them
Apple has released macOS Sierra and packed it with plenty of cool features and improvements, but some issues still slipped through the cracks. Here are the most common macOS Sierra issues and how to fix them.
Apple Buying McLaren Would Make Sense, But McLaren Refutes Rumors: 'No Takeover, No Strategic Investment'
The rumor mill has been buzzing about a purported Apple acquisition of McLaren, but the automaker flatly denied any such rumors. McLaren would have been a great fit for Apple, but rumors of a takeover or strategic investment are 'completely untrue.'
Tesla Patches Security Bugs After Hackers Demonstrate Wireless Attack Remotely Controlling A Moving Tesla Model S
Chinese security researchers recently demonstrated a remote hack of a Tesla Model S, accessing the car's control system and disrupting various actions. Tesla has now released an update to fix the software bugs that allowed the white-hat hackers to remotely control the car.
Instagram Save Draft Feature Now Open To All: Prepare Your Posts For Later Release
Instagram users, rejoice! The 'Save Draft' option that Instagram has been testing is now ready to roll out to all users.
US Sets Unprecedented Guidelines For Self-Driving Cars: Safety First [Video]
In an unprecedented, but long-overdue move, the U.S. Department of Transportation has outlined some safety guidelines for self-driving cars. The 116-page document aims to set the stage for the safe testing and deployment of driverless cars.
Google Pixel Pricing: Is The 5-Inch Phone Too Expensive At $649? Financing Options May Be Offered Sans Google Fi
The smaller, 5-inch Google Pixel will reportedly start at $649, which means the larger and higher-end Pixel XL will be even more expensive. However, Google will reportedly offer financing options without requiring Fi.
Ahoy! Autonomous Boats Are 'Self-Sailing' Through Amsterdam Canals Next Year
MIT has teamed up with Amsterdam's AMS Institute and two universities for Roboat, a $27-million, five-year autonomous boat program. Researchers will start testing self-sailing boats in Amsterdam next year, ferrying goods and commuters.
GoPro Hero5 Release And Specs: Waterproof, Voice-Controlled And Aggressively-Priced
GoPro has officially unveiled its new Hero5 line, introducing two impressive action cameras and a neat new cloud service. The new Hero5 Black and Hero5 Session are waterproof, voice-controlled and aggressively-priced, so here's what you need to know.
Having iPhone 7 Lightning EarPods Remote Control Issues? Apple Is Working On A Fix
iPhone 7 users have been complaining of a glitch rendering the Lightning EarPods remote control useless if the headphones are left inactive for a few minutes. The issue is intermittent and seemingly random, but Apple is aware of it and promised to fix it soon.
With Google Trips, You're Going Places: Meet Your New Personal Travel Guide [Video]
Google Trips is a hot new app for Android and iOS, aiming to serve as your personal travel guide so you can worry less about organizing your trip and more about having fun. Here's what this free app has in mind.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Replacement Units Start Reaching US Owners
Samsung promised to ship the safe Galaxy Note 7 replacement units by Sept. 21, and it's making good on its word. U.S. customers have already started receiving their replacements, with more to follow soon.
