Author: News Room
Google has pulled a surprise with Android 16 by releasing the test build of its next major mobile OS update months ahead of the usual schedule. The cadence of public updates is also changing, and instead of a third-quarter release, a stable update will be released midway through the year. Now, this is the Developer Preview version of Android 16, which means it is targeted strictly at developers, manufacturers, and enterprises making mobile software. You should not install it on your daily-use phone. But if you’ve got a spare phone lying around and can’t wait for the public beta testing,…
It’s been said that Albert Einstein’s genius came from his ability to freely wonder and ask child-like questions way before he even tried applying science-based solutions. It seems some within the R&D department at Mercedes-Benz might be similarly inspired: The German automaker is currently developing a special solar paint which, when applied on the surface of vehicles, can harness enough energy from the sun to power up EVs. The energy generated by the paint’s solar cells can be used for driving or fed directly into a high-voltage battery. “The photovoltaic system is permanently active and also generates energy when the…
Apple’s AirTag is a fantastic device for keeping track of your possessions, but most of us don’t have a stockpile of CR2032 batteries lying around for when your tracker goes kaput. Fans have hoped the next iteration of the AirTag would come with a rechargeable battery, but Mark Gurman said in his Power On newsletter (via MacRumors) that the AirTag 2 would still use a coin cell battery. That’s disappointing news, but it’s not a deal breaker. Replacing an AirTag battery isn’t hard to do and the batteries are able to last more than a year, depending on usage. With…
Wicked and Gladiator II didn’t quite recreate the phenomenon that was “Barbenheimer,” but it got pretty close. The movies combined for a $205 million weekend, with Wicked pulling in $114 million in the U.S. and $165 million worldwide and Gladiator II making $55.5 million. That’s on par with 2019, when Frozen II pushed the box office to $204.9 million , and the best weekend since 2013, when The Hunger Games: Catching Fire drove all titles to a $226.5 million weekend. The results are another reminder that box office competition doesn’t always lead to cannibalization, and the money is likely to continue to pour into the box office over…
On today’s You Asked: Why do so many movies considered to have great transfers to 4K Blu-ray look so noisy? Is there a problem with Hisense TV stock, just ahead of the holidays? How many calibrations should a TV get? Check that TV model again? John in the U.K. writes: How highly would you rate the 55-inch Samsung Neo QLED QN55D? I entered myself into a competition draw via Dolby. First, I think there may have been a typo there? I’m not aware of a QN55D — at least not in the North American market — and I don’t know…
During the ’80s, the Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends cartoon was endlessly rerun long after the show was canceled. To a generation of kids, that was their Spider-Man, until 1994 when Fox Kids debuted Spider-Man: The Animated Series. That cartoon premiered 30 years ago this month, largely thanks to the massive success of X-Men: The Animated Series. Fox already had that show and Batman: The Animated Series for superhero fans, but the network was convinced to give Spidey a shot as well. That led to one of the best adaptations of Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko’s signature creation. Spider-Man…
World War II was one of the most dramatic events in history, and it’s been memorialized in countless works of fiction, including the just-released film Blitz. These various works tackle every aspect of the war, from what life was like at home to what was happening on every front in the war. The U.K. was on the fron line of the war for basically its entire duration, so while there have been plenty of American takes on World War II, the war meant something different for those living closer to the conflict. We’ve pulled together five movies and TV shows…
A snowstorm made an appearance on Thursday Night Football. Despite the terrible playing conditions, the Cleveland Browns (3-8) found a way to pull off the 24-19 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3). Browns running back Nick Chubb rushed for 59 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score with 57 seconds left. Eleven NFL games will be played in Week 12 on November 24. The best game will be played on the “Frozen Tundra” as the Green Bay Packers host the San Francisco 49ers. NFL fans looking to stream every game should sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube TV. Below,…
Movie industry executives are sanguine that this weekend’s releases of Wicked and Gladiator II can provide a repeat of last summer’s “Barbenheimer” box office miracle. Some have even, optimistically, nicknamed the future phenomenon “Glicked.” It seems Hollywood’s plan for the future is the juxtaposition of films that are monumentally different in tone. It’s a return to the “double features” that were once regularly booked in America’s theaters. If you’re looking for similarly incongruous double bills, look no further. ‘Melancholia and Coronets’: Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) and Melancholia (2011) Could anybody possibly watch Lars von Trier’s magisterially downbeat disaster film, Melancholia,…
Connections is one of the best puzzle games from the New York Times. The game tasks you with categorizing a pool of 16 words into four secret (for now) groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. The puzzle resets every night at midnight and each new puzzle has a varying degree of difficulty. Just like Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare your scores with friends. Some days are trickier than others — just like other NYT Games favorites The Mini and Strands. If you’re having a little trouble solving today’s puzzle, check…