LG doesn't like to waste any time, confirming the impending arrival of its next flagship smartphone mere hours after said device made its debut in the rumor mill. Just as expected, it seems that the LG V60 ThinQ 5G will be announced at IFA Berlin on September 6, although technically, the company is yet to even hint at the name of the upcoming high-end phone.
Of course, LG isn't quite as secretive when it comes to teasing the main feature that should help the V60 stand out from this fall's Android flagship crowd. A 20-second video invitation to the September 6 event makes it crystal clear the quirky Dual Screen attachment of the V50 ThinQ 5G will be returning with a vengeance and an interesting enhancement.
For those unfamiliar with the Dual Screen case (or even the V50 itself), the concept is pretty simple. You can easily slap that bad boy on for double the display action, which comes in handy in certain heavy gaming scenarios, not to mention general side-by-side multitasking use cases. Basically, this was LG's affordable (and somewhat rudimentary) answer to the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X, providing similar flexibility as an actual foldable device but in a far less seamless way.
On the bright side, the V50 ThinQ and its Dual Screen companion actually became available several months ago, although for some reason, LG never expanded the availability of the latter accessory to the US. Something tells us the whole world will be able to get in on the flexible dual display gaming action this time around, and what's even cooler is that it seems the V60 ThinQ will get a third screen as well.
We're talking about a tiny external panel you'll be able to check the time and date on without draining too much battery. This brings to mind the Second Screen implementation on 2015's V10 and 2016's V20, although it's currently unclear if the third display of the V60 ThinQ 5G will be capable of showing more information, like various notifications, alerts, calendar items, or previews of received messages. Either way, color us curious to check out exactly how LG intends to refine and improve the Dual Screen concept. Don't forget - September 6, 10 am Berlin time, which equates to 4 am ET (yeesh).
Less than three years after it launched Google Trips, Google is killing the service and rolling some of its features into other services.
“We’re saying goodbye to Google Trips on August 6,” a message greeting users of the mobile app version reads. “Many of your favorite features will live on in Google Search and Google Maps, so you can continue to plan and manage your trips with Google.”
Uh-huh.
“Many” doesn’t mean “all,“ nor does this change mean you have a single place to manage everything trip and travel-related: When Google Trips launched in September 2016, it was billed as a way to consolidate all vacation and trip planning into a single, offline-accessible place. In other words, a TripIt competitor.
“Google Trips is a personalized tour guide in your pocket,” Google explained at the time. “Each trip contains key categories of information, including day plans, reservations, things to do, food & drink, and more, so you have everything you need at your fingertips. The entire app is available offline — simply tap the Download button under each trip to save it to your phone.”
“Support for the Google Trips app will end on August 5, 2019,” a Google support document explains. “At this time, you’ll no longer be able to use the app. Until then, you’ll still be able to access and email all of your trip reservations and notes as normal.”
As for that bit about Google Trips functionality being available in other services, Google says that Google Search is now your go-to for learning about destinations, viewing past and upcoming reservations, and finding saved attractions, flights, and (soon) hotel rooms. You can also use Google Maps to find things to do at a destination and browse saved places, and Maps will soon organize your upcoming reservations by trip too.
We do use Google Maps extensively while traveling too, so some of that makes sense. A better option, perhaps, is the Google Travel website, which combines destination exploration with flights and hotel booking. Hey, I have an idea. Maybe Google could make a mobile app version and consolidate everything in the same place.
They could call it Google Trips. It’s a great idea.
Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Watch Active 2 smartwatch just six months after the Galaxy Watch Active was released at the Galaxy S10 event in February and two days before its expected Note 10 launch event. It's not common to get a sequel the same year as the original, but Samsung is bending the rules. Just like the company's Note phone and Galaxy S phones have two different launch cycles, so too do Samsung's watches. The Active 2 may cost $80 more that the first-gen Galaxy Watch Active ($279 for the cheapest 40mm non-LTE version vs $199 for the original), but it definitely seems like the better deal. Though they look similar, the Active 2 has more features. It has new ECG (which isn't medically cleared yet), improved heart rate and an accelerometer, there's an LTE option (price pending) and it brings back the spinning outer dial that we loved on older Galaxy watches. But in this watch it's a haptic-response touch bezel instead of a physical one.
The newest Active watch goes on sale Sept. 27, likely right up against the next expected Apple Watch, and Samsung will continue to sell the discounted Active until further notice.
Now playing:Watch this:
What it's like to wear Samsung's new Galaxy Watch Active...
6:33
A few design upgrades on the Active 2
The Watch Active 2 is a bit bigger and thicker than the Watch Active, but it now comes in two sizes: a 40mm ($280) and 44mm ($300). It still manages to be more compact than the 2018 Galaxy Watch, which Samsung is also going to keep selling alongside these models. It comes in black, silver, gold and "lily gold," which replaces the green option in the previous model. You'll also have the choice between an aluminum frame with rubber straps or a stainless steel frame with leather straps.
I wore the Watch Active 2 in both sizes and peeked at the LTE model. Aside from these small changes, it still has the same appeal as the original: It's compact, well-built, minimal and attractive.
I like the haptic touch bezel more than a physical bezel
Using the new touch-sensitive edge controls on the Active 2, I could swipe around easily with minimal finger motion. Of course, you can also just swipe the screen, making the edge control a bit redundant. But the edge control feels easier for certain tasks. The haptics are nice and strong, and the clicking feel gives some solid feedback to make it feel "real."
Touching the bezel to give the watch a spin. It has a definite "click" feel thanks to haptics.
Sarah Tew/CNET
ECG... when?
Samsung's built an electrocardiogram into Watch Active 2, which will allow timed one-lead readings of heart rate and heart rhythm to spot for possible arrhythmia, much like the Apple Watch Series 4. Note that doctors in the US usually call these EKGs, rather than ECGs, but it's the same thing.
The feature isn't active on the watch, or medically cleared yet, so it'll essentially be useless for most people for the time being. Samsung is inviting medical institutions to start doing research with it, but there's no concrete timeline for an official launch or for any kind of FDA clearance.
The redesigned health sensors on the back of the Watch Active 2.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Revamped heart rate and fitness
Samsung's moving from four to eight LEDs in its optical heart-rate monitor on the new Watch Active 2 models. There's also a new accelerometer that measures 32G of force, vs 16G on the older model. According to Samsung this will allow the watch to detect heart rate data faster and yield more accurate results. This upgrades seem similar to what Apple did on the Apple Watch Series 4 last year, which made the fall detection feature possible. But Samsung hasn't explained how these improvements will come into play in fitness and health tracking on the Active 2.
The added LEDs on the heart-rate sensor could be helpful for Samsung's research into blood-pressure tech, though. While Samsung hasn't revealed any results from its ongoing blood-pressure study with UCSF, My BP Lab, Samsung executives admitted adding additional LEDs could improve future blood-pressure measuring efforts, and the company remains confident that FDA clearance for blood-pressure tech could come sometime in the near future.
Samsung's also added new coaching features, including a real-time running coach that measures pace. I didn't get a chance to test that in my brief demo in a conference room, but I'll report back when I do.
LTE model has a stainless steel design
Samsung's LTE-enabled Watch Active 2, much like other cellular-equipped Samsung smartwatches, should work standalone for core features including calls and notifications. Apps such as Spotify will be able to stream music over LTE, and you could potentially even watch a movie trailer on Youtube on your wrist with no phone involved.
Google Translate comes aboard
Samsung's including Google Translate on the Watch Active 2, a tool that's new to Samsung smartwatches, but one that was already available on Google's Wear OS watches. Frankly, all things Google Assistant would be better than Bixby, and the more Samsung allows, the better off the Watch Active 2 will be.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The watch matches your shirt
Samsung's added a "My Style" feature that will take a photo of your clothing (a tie or a pair of socks, for example) and generate a set of unique watch face wallpapers to color-match. I was oddly charmed by it. As much as I like finding new watch faces to add, I get bored quickly and picking a new color scheme is fun. This feature should be on all smartwatches.
Apps will use a single sign-in
The Watch Active 2 still runs Tizen OS, Samsung's software and app ecosystem that stands alone from Google's Play Store and Android, but it's getting a bit better in this model. Samsung won't require you to sign in to apps on the watch that you've already signed in to on your phone, which is one of my biggest pet peeves about previous models.
We'll probably know more about the Watch Active 2 at Samsung's Unpacked event this week. And we'll be back with a review as soon as we can get one on our wrists for more than a half hour.
E-cigarette manufacturer Juul has come under fire for contributing to teen smoking rates. Recently, the company has been scrambling to demonstrate its products are aimed at adults, not teens. Its latest defense is an app-connected e-cigarette which requires users to be over 18.
The product, called the Juul C1, pairs with an Android-only app via Bluetooth and has been launched in the UK after a trial in Canada, as reported by The Financial Times. It records data on when and where it is used and keeps track of how many puffs a users takes, tracking their average smoking habits. It also has connectivity features like a locator to find your vape if you lose it and a device lock to prevent anyone other than you from using your device.
A big part of the push toward tracking is to keep the product out of the hands of teenagers. E-cigarettes carry heath risks like cancer and heart disease, and the FDA is concerned that teens who vape are more likely to start smoking cigarettes. San Francisco has even banned e-cigarettes all together.
The C1 app uses facial recognition and a two-step background check to verify a user's age, preventing teenagers from using the device. Recent reports suggest Juul is considering introducing geofencing which would prevent its product from being used in certain areas such as in and around schools. While the C1 doesn't currently do these things, moving vapes towards app connectivity will allow Juul to implement these sort of features down the line.
Of course, there's nothing to stop teens from avoiding the C1 or other smart vapes and picking up a traditional dumb e-cigarette instead. And that's not to mention the privacy issues around a product which collects so much data from its users.
According to a Bloomberg report, Juul is planning to release Bluetooth-controlled vapes internationally, so the product could come to the US soon.
E-cigarette manufacturer Juul has come under fire for contributing to teen smoking rates. Recently, the company has been scrambling to demonstrate its products are aimed at adults, not teens. Its latest defense is an app-connected e-cigarette which requires users to be over 18.
The product, called the Juul C1, pairs with an Android-only app via Bluetooth and has been launched in the UK after a trial in Canada, as reported by The Financial Times. It records data on when and where it is used and keeps track of how many puffs a users takes, tracking their average smoking habits. It also has connectivity features like a locator to find your vape if you lose it and a device lock to prevent anyone other than you from using your device.
A big part of the push toward tracking is to keep the product out of the hands of teenagers. E-cigarettes carry heath risks like cancer and heart disease, and the FDA is concerned that teens who vape are more likely to start smoking cigarettes. San Francisco has even banned e-cigarettes all together.
The C1 app uses facial recognition and a two-step background check to verify a user's age, preventing teenagers from using the device. Recent reports suggest Juul is considering introducing geofencing which would prevent its product from being used in certain areas such as in and around schools. While the C1 doesn't currently do these things, moving vapes towards app connectivity will allow Juul to implement these sort of features down the line.
Of course, there's nothing to stop teens from avoiding the C1 or other smart vapes and picking up a traditional dumb e-cigarette instead. And that's not to mention the privacy issues around a product which collects so much data from its users.
According to a Bloomberg report, Juul is planning to release Bluetooth-controlled vapes internationally, so the product could come to the US soon.
If you're looking to buy a brand new Samsung Galaxy S10 series smartphone, you have plenty of options to choose from, as the entire lineup of flagships is on sale at multiple US carriers and retailers. The only reason you would buy a Galaxy S10 phone at full price would be to support Samsung for its contribution to the smartphone industry, but few would do that.Amazon is one of the retailers that is making it hard to find a Galaxy S10 phone that's not yet discounted. The entire Galaxy S10 lineup is now on sale on Amazon and the orders will be fulfilled by Samsung itself.
There's a couple of things you need to know though before placing your order. First off, the Galaxy S10+ gets the largest discount - $300 (24%), while the Galaxy S10e comes with no warranty in the United States. If you plan to purchase the Samsung Galaxy S10+ from Amazon, you'll be getting the unlocked, US model, and save $300. It's compatible with all US carriers, CDMA and GSM, but comes with US limited warranty.
The same goes for the Samsung Galaxy S10, which is just $165 off (18%). The phone comes unlocked and includes US limited warranty. Last but not least, Amazon offers a $115 (18%) discount on the smaller Galaxy S10e, but only on the international model that comes with no warranty in the US and will not work with CDMA carriers like Sprint and Verizon.
