Month: November 2020

Report: Microsoft is again planning Android app support for Windows 10

Patrick November 30, 2020
Enlarge / Microsoft’s “Your Phone” app can display Android apps via remote desktop, but soon we might have native Android apps.

If the release of the Surface Duo wasn’t enough of a sign that Microsoft is cozying up to Android more, how about this? A report from Windows Central claims that Microsoft is working on building Android app support into Windows 10.

The effort is codenamed “Project Latte,” and according to the report, it would ” allow app developers to bring their Android apps to Windows 10 with little to no code changes.” The Android-on-Windows apps would be packaged as

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Samsung’s Note 20 5G and Z Flip 5G now available in festive red and white colors

Patrick November 30, 2020

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 5G and Z Flip 5G are available in a pair of new colors in the US starting today, the company has announced. The Note 20 5G is now available in red, while the Z Flip 5G is available in white. Both colors are being produced in “limited quantities,” Samsung says, and there’s no difference in specs or pricing between these and the original models.

For those keeping track, these are the fourth and third colors for the Note 20 5G and the Z Flip 5G, respectively. The Note 20 5G is currently available in copper, green,

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Yootech F500 Wireless Charger review: An inexpensive travel option

Patrick November 30, 2020

Once you get used to charging your devices wirelessly, reverting to cables feels antiquated. I charge nearly everything wirelessly at every opportunity. That also extends to travel. While some wireless chargers, such as the Samsung Wireless Charging Stand and the Native Union Dock Charger are meant to stay home, there are tons of travel-friendly wireless chargers out there. One such option is the Yootech F500 Wireless Charger.

Yootech F500 Wireless Charger Yootech F500 Wireless Charger

The Yootech F500 Wireless Charger is a great little charging pad. It’s small, affordable, and supports up to 10W wireless charging for your smartphone.

About

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WarGames for real: How one 1983 exercise nearly triggered WWIII

Patrick November 29, 2020

Update, 11/29/20: It’s a very different Thanksgiving weekend here in 2020, but even if tables were smaller and travel non-existent, Ars staff is off for the holiday in order to recharge, take a mental afk break, and maybe stream a movie or five. But five years ago around this time, we were following a newly declassified government report from 1990 that outlined a KGB computer model… one that almost pulled a WarGames, just IRL. With the film now streaming on Netflix (thus setting our off day schedule), we thought we’d resurface this story for an accompanying Sunday read.

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Cyber Monday laptop deals: Apple, Dell, HP, and more

Patrick November 29, 2020

Whether you’re shopping for a student, an older relative, or anyone in between, a laptop can make a great gift. And the internet’s largest retailers are offering all kinds of laptops at discounted prices for Cyber Monday, whether you’re looking for a convertible, a Chromebook, a gaming rig, or anything else.

Note that for some models, only certain configurations may be on sale. Make sure to double-check the specs of the item you’re buying to make sure they’ll suit your workload (and that you’re actually getting the discount) before you check out.

To learn more about some of these laptops,

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Dyson Pure Hot and Cool Cryptomic HP06 Air Purifier review: So fresh

Patrick November 29, 2020

Air pollution is no joke. Anyone living in a major metropolitan city, especially in Asia, knows about the perils of high AQI levels. Come November, New Delhi, where I reside, turns to pollution central. These hazardous air pollution levels are accompanied by potential health problems like coughing, colds, pain in the chest, asthma, and more. In fact, long-term exposure to air pollution leads to the death of over 1.67 million people in India every year.

In light of that, air purifiers have become the norm. They are no longer considered an optional luxury. Personally, I have one installed in every

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That time Roger Ebert said games will never be as worthy as movies

Patrick November 28, 2020
Enlarge / Film critics Roger Ebert (center) and Gene Siskel appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson on December 12, 1986.

Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Update: Fifteen years ago around Thanksgiving, legendary film critic Roger Ebert set off a mini-storm in video game journalism circles by taking to his column and poo-pooing the medium. And with Ars staff off for the holiday weekend, we thought it’d be interesting to resurface this analysis of Ebert’s critiques from Ars contributor Jeremy Reimer. While there have definitely been a few game-to-film duds in the intervening years (ahem, Assassin’s Creed
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Samsung may have just spilled the beans on how its next earbuds won’t be beans

Patrick November 28, 2020

We kind of loved the beans. The Galaxy Buds Live’s bean-like shape made sense! But though it originally seemed like Samsung was in on the joke — the company called them beans internally, and even printed the word on the circuitry — Samsung’s next earbuds may take a take a different tack.

Today, Indonesia’s telecommunications certification authority has revealed the company has a new “Galaxy Buds Pro” set of earbuds waiting in the wings (via MySmartPrice), and SamMobile may have already revealed what to expect: a source says they’ll be a set of sealed in-ear buds

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