Chris Velazco
Engadget
New York, United States
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Recent articles by Chris:
Lenovo Japan president weighs in on how weird concepts make it to market
We've previously established that the NEC Lavie Mini -- that 8-inch laptop that doubles as a gaming machine -- is a charmingly weird concept that stands a solid shot making it production. → Read More
Samsung Galaxy S21 series first look
Despite trying times, Samsung never let up with its high-profile smartphone launches last year -- we got the Galaxy S20 series early on, followed by the Note 20 series over the summer, and then the fast-tracked S20 Fan Edition just after that. The market started to change rapidly around the company, but to its credit, Samsung managed to stay in high gear all the same. Well, it's starting to look… → Read More
ASUS made its next wave of dual-screen laptops more practical
Dual-screen laptops have a tendency to feel more like novelties than proper workhorse machines, but ASUS was clearly proud of the approach it took with its original ZenBook Duo and Pro Duo. As usual, the ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is the flagship of the bunch and can be configured with up to an Intel Core i9 processor, up to 32GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage in the form of a PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD and one… → Read More
Lenovo's updated ThinkBook Plus packs a more practical E Ink screen
Pop quiz, hotshot: when's the last time you seriously thought about buying a laptop with a standard screen on one side and an E Ink display on the other? The big draw here is that the second display is, well, bigger: last year's ThinkBook Plus packed a 10.8-inch E Ink screen while this year's model uses a more spacious 12-inch panel that matches the 13.3-inch main screen's 2560x1600 resolution.… → Read More
The Tula is a stylish portable audio recorder with AI noise cancellation
You probably haven't heard of Tula before, but you may be familiar with founder David Brown and his other microphone brand: Soyuz. The Tula is different: it's a surprisingly flexible portable recorder that promises quality audio and clever features for $199. The first thing you'll notice about the Tula is its design -- while not nearly as ostentatious as a Soyuz, it shares a sense of old-school… → Read More
Samsung's smart home vision includes more intelligent fridges and vacuums
CES wouldn't be CES if Samsung didn't have a slew of new appliances to announce, and the longer the company invests in its vision of a connected home, the more we at Engadget wind up writing about refrigerators and vacuums. Samsung's smart Family Hub fridge, for instance, packs all of the same nifty storage options found in the company's Bespoke refrigerators, and once again lets you peek inside… → Read More
LG's rollable phone is a tantalizing response to Samsung's foldables
For the last two years, it's been an open secret that LG has been working on a smartphone with a rollable screen -- that is, a device with a display that starts out phone-sized and stretches out into a tiny tablet. The company avoided going into any further detail about the phone, but we've been able to confirm that it will be called the LG Rollable when it eventually launches. When building its… → Read More
Drone Racing League embraces sports betting in partnership with DraftKings
Since the dawn of the drone era, enterprising pilots and enthusiasts have found ways to make money off their passion for flying. Thanks to a new partnership between the Drone Racing League and DraftKings, though, gamblers can now make money off of other people’s passion for flying. While DraftKings can legally operate its daily fantasy sports business in 43 states, the company stresses that… → Read More
WhatsApp: Let us share your data with Facebook or else
“As part of the Facebook Companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information (see here) with, the other Facebook Companies,” the updated privacy policy reads. → Read More
JBL's latest soundbar offers Dolby Atmos for $400
It was just last year that we got our first look at JBL’s first Dolby Atmos soundbar, so it’s little surprise the Harman-owned brand is taking at another, somewhat more sophisticated stab at one for 2021. Enter JBL’s new Bar 5.0 MultiBeam, a $400 soundbar that uses multiple angled speakers, beamforming and that virtual Atmos tech to produce what JBL claims is “immersive, 3D” audio. For the… → Read More
OnePlus's cheap new Nord phones will arrive in the US on January 15th
Remember the Nord N10 5G and N100? The mid-to-low-end smartphones OnePlus announced last October after the launching the original (and well-received) Nord? The $299 N10 5G and the $179 N100 will go on sale in North America at 10AM Eastern on January 15th — unlocked phone fans can get them from OnePlus directly, but T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile will also offer both models. “The OnePlus Nord N… → Read More
Samsung will reveal its next flagship smartphones on January 14th
Samsung confirmed today that its latest Galaxy Unpacked event -- and its first major smartphone launch of the year -- will take place virtually at 10AM Eastern/7AM Pacific on Thursday, January 14th. Samsung has already opened preorder reservations for its Galaxy smartphones, and a well-informed employee at the Samsung flagship store in Bengaluru, India confirmed the launching timing to Android… → Read More
Everything we know about Samsung's Galaxy S21 so far
2020 is thankfully in the rearview mirror, which means -- among other things -- a year of new hardware to look forward to. While we'd normally have to wait a little longer for news of high-profile smartphone launches, 2021 is already shaping up to be a little different. For whatever reason, Samsung is planning to unveil its latest flagship devices very soon, so to prepare, we've collected… → Read More
T-Mobile warns customers of second data breach in less than a year
As if 2020 weren't bad enough, some T-Mobile customers are winding down the year with word of a data breach. According to reports from BleepingComputer and AndroidPolice, T-Mobile has within the past few days begun to notify affected subscribers of "malicious, unauthorized access" to some of their account information. "We also immediately reported this matter to federal law enforcement and are… → Read More
Report: MediaTek takes over as world's largest smartphone chipset vendor
Move over, Qualcomm: According to a new report from research firm Counterpoint, MediaTek has overtaken the San Diego-based chipmaker to become the world’s biggest vendor of smartphone chipsets by market share. While Qualcomm (understandably) held onto its title as the biggest purveyor of 5G-friendly chipsets, Counterpoint’s data suggests that more than 100 million MediaTek-powered smartphones… → Read More
Big-name talent and bad CG made for the worst holiday special ever
The original “film” was created in four months in 2002 by a barebones team of animators on a budget of about $650,000, and director Colin Slater hoped it would be the first in a line of extremely popular, extremely cost-effective holiday specials. The moment RSK:BiS made its broadcast debut on Kids WB that year, it was very clear Slater’s vision wasn’t going to pan out. To add an extra-thick… → Read More
Deepfake Queen Elizabeth II will deliver 'alternative' Christmas message
Just about every year since 1952, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has delivered a Christmas address to the masses, and 2020 will be no different. Shortly after she gives her remarks, however, British broadcaster Channel 4 will air an “alternative message” from the Queen, brought to life by deepfake software and an actress with a pseudo-regal affect. “On the BBC, I haven’t always been… → Read More
Peloton to acquire fitness equipment maker Precor for $420 million
In a press release, Peloton today confirmed its plans to acquire Precor, a maker of home and commercial-grade workout machines, for $420 million. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2021. → Read More
Commerce Department cuts off China’s biggest chipmaker from US tech
US Department of Commerce added dozens of Chinese companies to its Entity List this morning, but one looms especially large. Citing concerns over national security, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation — China’s single largest chip maker — has now effectively been blacklisted from buying components from US tech suppliers. “We will not allow advanced U.S. technology to help build… → Read More
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 color schemes pop in newly leaked images
Then there's the larger Galaxy S21 Plus, which shares most of its specs with its smaller sibling and unfortunately) comes in all the same colors minus that charming pink. → Read More