Weare The Mast Head

Google Stadia may now have been put out of its misery by the search behemoth, but there are many of us still hanging on to our controllers.

And soon it might work with Nintendo Switch.

One of the final things Google did was give Stadia Controller owners a way to act as a standard Bluetooth controller. This should then mean that the controllers can be used on PCs and other devices. But the Nintendo Switch can be picky about which controllers it works with. Enter 8BitDo.

The company already makes controller adapters that plug into the Switch and then allow Bluetooth controllers to connect without issue. And while there’s still no support for the Stadia controller, that could change.

An owner of the 8BitDo adapter reached out to the company to ask about the possibility of the Stadia controller working, and sure enough, there might well be. 8BitDo has given gamers a beta software update that enables support for the Stadia controller, suggesting that the same update will eventually roll out to anyone who wants it.

The 8BitDo controller currently retails for around $20 so while we don’t recommend ordering one just yet, it looks like it might be worth picking up if you’re looking to use your Stadia controller with your Nintendo Switch anytime soon.

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Earnings reporting season is underway and Google is the latest to share their latest quarterly numbers. As someone who doesn’t pay much attention to how well the company is doing financially, I’m not here to tell you about their weird over-focus on Vision, AI, or Google Cloud, but I do have some Pixel-related news to share from today’s call.

Ultimately, the survival and expansion of the Pixel line of devices is important to us, because this is where we spend a lot of our time and what you care about. Talking about the billions of dollars Google makes every quarter, still trying to justify blindly firing 12,000 people because they didn’t have more than their billion dollar investor brethren, is not our skill.

So on a Pixel-related note, Google hosted its Q4 2022 earnings call today and CEO Sundar Pichai made big statements about their phones from last year. While he first said that Google would “focus more deeply on the Pixel line and our overall cost structure there,” he followed it up by confirming that “The Pixel 6a, 7, and 7 Pro are the best-selling generation phones [Google] is ever on“And they” gained share in every market [they] Works this year.”

This is all big news for Pixel fans. With the company’s recent cuts, a poor showing for the Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro could spell doom for a Pixel tablet, Pixel 8 phone, and the foldable we’ve heard about. They want to tell us that how well their new phones have sold is probably a sign that future Pixel devices are still on the way and will remain a core part of the company.

For those who missed previous reports like this, Google isn’t always happy about hardware. In other words, they’re not just saying the Pixel 7 sold well because they want to fool investors. They were pretty clear when the Pixel 3 flopped. We’re also sure that the Pixel 4 was a colossal disaster that cost the company’s camera guru.

If you’re a big fan of your Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro or Pixel 6a, take today as a rare piece of tech news.

Apple has rolled out some of its executives to the media as part of its new HomePod release which will take place tomorrow, February 3.

In an interview with Men’s Journal And TechCrunchVP of hardware engineering Matthew Costello and product marketing staffer Alice Chan discuss the new HomePod and why Apple made some of the decisions it made.

One limitation of the new HomePod that has disappointed some is that it cannot be set up in a stereo pair with an older original HomePod. Costello explained that it was all about the sound signature.

“When creating a stereo pair, it’s important that the audio characteristics match for an optimal, balanced experience,” Costello says of the lack of compatibility. “The new HomePod delivers immersive, room-filling sound users love — with more detail, clarity and layering than the original HomePod — so we wanted the acoustic imaging to be as pure and consistent as possible from generation to generation. The principle of matching audio features in a stereo pair applies to the HomePod mini, the original HomePod, and the new HomePod.

Costello also explained that the HomePod only supports Wi-Fi 4 rather than the new Wi-Fi 6 standard because it’s not required. He said the new HomePod “is able to make sure Siri requests are responsive, and ensure a consistent experience for what you’re listening to, controlling your smart home accessories and more – all while being energy efficient” thanks to Wi-Fi. Fi 4.

The new HomePod goes on sale tomorrow for $299 and is the same as the old one. The only difference is a slightly more squat stance and a larger touchscreen on its top surface.

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Watching our Galaxy S23 Ultra hands-on video will give you a preview of what Samsung’s new phone line has to offer. Reading our write-ups, including the official specs list, should tell you most of the rest before our review is published. But look, pre-orders are now open and that means the best deals are available now. You may not want to wait for us to finish testing, so let’s talk about the best price you can get.

Samsung’s store, which should come as no surprise to longtime readers, has Best deals on Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23. The combination of high trade-in prices for many phones, and storage upgrades with your trade-in price used as instant credit/discount and instant credit to spend on other products, makes them hard to top. It happens every year.

Here are the best Galaxy S23 Ultra deals in our minds:

• Save up to $830 on the Galaxy S23 Ultra: Get a free storage upgrade and up to $500 in instant trade-in credit You can spend $100 in Samsung Credit with another bonus $50 on other accessories.
• The starting price of a Galaxy S23 Ultra drops to $699.99 with the right trade-in.
• This link is here You get the full $150 credit and the best deal.

Because we know not all of you want the Galaxy S23 Ultra and would prefer a Galaxy S23 or Galaxy S23+ instead, we’ve got the best deals on those phones too. And to be clear, I would take advantage of the Galaxy S23+ deal. Was a big fan of the S22+ and it looks like a solid improvement, plus the trade-in values ​​are the highest we’ve seen.

Here are the best Galaxy S23 deals we think:

• Save up to $620 with the Galaxy S23 or S23+: Get a free storage upgrade and up to $350 in instant trade-in credit Then you can get top stuff with $100 Samsung credit and another bonus $50 with our link.
• The starting price of a Galaxy S23/23+ drops to $549.99 with the right trade-in.
• This link is here You get the full $150 credit and the best deal.

We’ll see others with trade-in deals like Best Buy and Carrier, but almost none offer instant discounts like Samsung. This is why we love their deals at launch the most. An instant trade-in discount means you pay much less today. They just ask that you send your trade in after your new Galaxy S23 arrives so you’re not lying and then everything is fine. Everyone else tells you to send it to your phone and then wait a few weeks for a refund. Samsung’s trade-in program is simply the best.

To recap, the Galaxy S23 Ultra at checkout includes a free storage upgrade, $500 off in instant trade-in credit, and $150 in Samsung Credit to spend on accessories. For the Galaxy S23+ and S23, you’re looking at a free storage upgrade, $350 off with an instant trade-in credit, and $150 in Samsung credit toward other items.

Samsung deals link: Galaxy S23 Ultra | Galaxy S23/S23+

The Nothing Phone (1) never officially went on sale in the US, but that would all change when the sequel, The Phone, arrived.

The Nothing Phone (2) isn’t a thing yet, but Nothing CEO and co-founder Carl Pei has already confirmed opposite That it will ship to the US later this year.

Pei added that the US will be a priority market for the company, saying that the company will work with carriers to ensure the phone (2) can meet their needs.

“We’re building a smartphone that’s more premium than the Nothing Phone (1) and software will be a big focus area for us,” Pei said. “When you make a smartphone for the US you have to work with carriers to get certifications and adapt some of their features to your OS. Before we didn’t have the resources for that and now we do.”

Pei explained in an interview with Inverse why it decided to skip the US for the first time. He says this was partly down to the carriers and their certification requirements, while he added that nothing was simply ready for such an undertaking. However, that has all changed now and we can expect the phone (2) sometime after 2023.

The Nothing boss also said the company would continue to invest in its own retail outlets, something he also noted meant releasing new products to complement them.

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After vaguely suggesting that Nothing could someday, perhaps, launch a phone in the US whenever the time feels right, Nothing CEO Carl Pei has finally confirmed more details of the plan. Nothing is indeed launching the Nothing Phone (2) in the US later this year.

In an interview with Dr oppositePei talked more about his company’s US plans, calling the phone (2) a “premium” offering that will arrive in 2023. He reiterated the reasons for not bringing the original phone (1), reminding us again that they were too small for a company that didn’t want to spend to enter this market, that introducing earbuds helped them gauge interest, and that the US carrier system is wack. Well, he didn’t call it that, but you can tell he’d love to scream about how annoying US carriers and their certification systems are. I sure would if I were in his position.

Beyond the phone (2) being “premium”, Pei didn’t mention much else. He still feels that Nothing can offer an attractive alternative to Samsung and Apple because his company is young and mobile and can try things out, while those two old heads have to play it safe. He’s probably not wrong in that assumption, but I wonder if fancy lighting and a very-simple OS only have so much reach. There’s no need to bring anything special with a phone that doesn’t just include a decent price tag and years-old parts.

One area where I think Pei is saying all the right things is software and in-house development. He’s not shy about admitting that Nothing was so short-staffed with the phone (1) that they had to outsource a lot of software. The company has now hired enough (they jumped from 200 to 400 people in total, including 100 in mobile) that they developed Android 13 entirely in-house and will likely do the same for their next phone. These are big steps that will lead to a better overall hardware-to-software experience.

In another bit of news, Pei suggested that their first retail store in the UK is already so successful that they want to open more physical stores around the world. It seems like an odd time to expand into physical retail, but hey, give it a shot. I’m all for finding success where others have failed.

To recap, Phone (2) is coming to the US this year and will be a more premium device than Phone (1). Hoping for the best.

Apple has confirmed that it has increased the price of App Store purchases and in-app purchases in several countries, including the UK.

Apple said the move will begin on February 13, though auto-renewable subscriptions will not be affected. There will also be some other adjustments related to the change in value added tax, but some of them will reduce prices.

On February 13, 2023, the price of apps and in-app purchases (excluding auto-renewable subscriptions) on the App Store will increase in Colombia, Egypt, Hungary, Nigeria, Norway, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

A reduction in Uzbekistan’s value-added tax from 15% to 12% will lower prices. However, prices in Ireland, Luxembourg, Singapore and Zimbabwe will not change but the revenue paid to app developers will be adjusted based on changes in the amount of tax due in those countries.

• Ireland: VAT rate on electronic newspapers and periodicals reduced from 9% to 0%
• Luxembourg: Value Added Tax Rate Cut from 17% to 16%
• Singapore: Goods and Services Tax rate hiked from 7% to 8%
• Zimbabwe: Increase in value added tax rate from 14.5% to 15%

Apple also confirmed that local developers selling in Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand, and Uzbekistan will receive revenue increases by the end of January.

Apple often changes App Store prices based on a variety of factors, one of which is a change in value added tax.

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It just doesn’t make sense to me to update in months 1 and 2 without going back to another one in month 3, so hey, we’re back a quarter of a year later to talk briefly about life with the Pixel Watch. Yes, I’ve been wearing Google’s first smartwatch for the past 3 months if you can believe it.

For those who missed it, my review, 1 month check-in and 2 month check-in before going to this post might be worth it as it will be really short. I don’t have much to add after 3 months, since nothing has really changed. I do have a few notes though.

Much the same

After a full 3 months of life with the Google Pixel Watch, I can’t quite say that I expected major changes to it or that the experience would change much from those first few weeks, and well, there we are. The Pixel Watch today is the same as the Pixel Watch from month 1 and that’s fine.

That means the design is still great, performance is great, battery life is a full day+ (with AOD off), and I’m thoroughly invested in the Fitbit integration. This means that I have similar issues with software changes that I’d like to see, the band situation isn’t great unless you buy these cheap adapters, and I’d like to be able to leave the display on all the time. on Every day without a thought.

Overall, I still like the Pixel Watch, even if I can clearly admit that it’s not perfect. It’s currently my smartwatch of choice and likely will be for some time because there’s nothing on the horizon that I see replacing it. Samsung watches are just not for me.

A couple of updates

If there’s one area that has surprised me, it’s in updates. Google has been pushing updates to the Pixel Watch out of the box and in both December and January to address several bugs. Although I wouldn’t necessarily call them a major update, they were updated!

I think my surprise comes from the lack of updates from most Android smartwatch manufacturers. Samsung is pretty good at updating their watches, but the rest of the industry is terrible at it. My brain has clearly been poisoned by history and I probably should have expected Google to be better. I’m glad they did.

I’m waiting for the regularly scheduled update and hope it leads to feature drop goodies.

I bought this stupid new case-band and the like

The folks at Caseology have created a Pixel Watch case/band called the Nano Pop that costs $29.99 ( buy it here ). It’s a silicone case that wraps around the Pixel Watch and then doubles as a band that wraps around your wrist. It completely changes the overall feel of the Pixel Watch, making it more of a sport watch out of the box than the classic style I prefer (like a Garmin or Polar).

That being said, I totally bought it. Yes, I know how stupid it is and it hides the excellent design of the Pixel Watch, but I like to try new things. I also spend a lot of time at the gym and strap the Pixel Watch on enough that I’m worried it won’t be long before I seriously scratch its domed glass or crack it. So I’m giving this a spin! I can let you know how it goes.

Went on a trip, left the Pixel watch behind

If there’s one piece of news about the past month with the Pixel Watch that I absolutely have to share, it’s that I decided about a week ago before going on a trip. While assessing all the crap I would need to bring with me on a 4-night trip, I looked at my Pixel watch and then spoke softly to it before taking it off and putting it on my office desk. I swapped it for an Apple Watch Ultra instead.

Why? Battery life and charging. As easy as it is to turn off the Pixel Watch every morning and plug it into the charger while at home, I was worried that finding the time to let this happen while traveling wouldn’t be so easy. When we travel, we try to stuff Full time, so that means in and out of the rental, to the forest or a brewery or a kid adventure and back again.

I knew the Apple Watch Ultra would last 2-3 days on a single charge and wouldn’t be something I was concerned about. It charges pretty quickly and I realized that during the trip it would take a single charge instead of the 4 on the Pixel Watch.

So what it really boiled down to was that it was different thing I didn’t want to worry. I’m back to the Pixel Watch now with this stupid case, but thought I’d let you know about the decision in case you’re thinking about your upcoming trip for some reason. That’s the choice I made. I might do a different one next time.

To other Pixel Watch owners, thinking after 3 months?

TikTok has made a change to the way its direct messages work, allowing users to DM anyone for the first time.

Previously, TikTok only allowed direct messages to people whom they had marked as friends or recommended, but now all that has changed.

TikTok has begun emailing users to inform them of the change, with The Information reporting that the new direct message settings were actually rolled out in November. However, the rollout was a limited one and only applicable to some users.

Now, it is rolling out to all TikTok users.

On Tuesday, TikTok sent an email to some users to highlight changes it made in November to expand its private messaging settings, according to an email reviewed by The Information. Users who want to receive DMs can now choose to receive messages from everyone, as well as recommended friends (such as synced phone contacts or Facebook friends), or mutually followed friends (those who follow each other).

For now users have the option to enable this new, more open messaging feature. But it’s also possible that the option will go away as TikTok struggles to become more like Instagram and compete with it on every level.

The ability to send direct messages to everyone can be another vehicle for hate and abuse, one particular reason we hope TikTok continues to provide the ability to disable it.

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Razor’s Edge, Razer’s Android-powered gaming handheld that I wish I had for an upcoming flight, is now available for pre-order in the US for a starting price of $399. If you need 5G connectivity for the Razer Edge, the retail price is $599 and the model is sold exclusively through Verizon.

The device has all the buttons and processing power one might need for some serious mobile gaming. The device features a specially designed Snapdragon G3X Gen 1 gaming platform, console-class haptics, a 6.8 FHD+ AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of up to 144Hz, as well as 8GB of RAM. We have a full write-up featuring all the features of the device here.

Razer originally said the device would be available on January 26. While I suppose that’s technically true, Razer’s own website is still listing the device as a pre-order, with units expected to ship on February 8. It’s annoying, but hey, it’s not that far off.

Here’s what potential buyers need to ask themselves. Has Razer made any public promises for improved software updates for this device? If history is an indicator, Razer doesn’t offer much support for its Android devices. We expect more from Razer. Price also needs to be discussed. The WiFi model has plenty of specs and features to warrant $399, but adding 5G connectivity to add a $200 premium is a little ridiculous to me. It doesn’t seem worth it to me.

Again, I called Razer to send me a unit for review. Come on, Razor!

Buy: Razor’s Edge | Razer Edge 5G (Verizon)