Kaytranada - Lite Spots
TGIF.
Before you fall back this weekend, it's time to take a look at Google's Assistant-powered Home device, take a spin with GoPro's drone and find out how Singapore is pushing to be the first "Smart Nation." Also, undecided (or, more likely, firmly decided) voters can peruse Engadget's election guide to see where presidential candidates stand on tech issues.
Inside the Smart Nation initiative pushing Singapore into the digital age
Across this 30-mile-wide island, a network of fiber connections and sensors underpin scientists' efforts to address the problems of urban living. The "Smart Nation" plan is trying to address pain points, like energy usage, health and transportation, while also accumulating data to fill out a detailed model of Virtual Singapore, where planners can test new projects to see their potential impact. The only problem? Figuring out the potential privacy impact of pulling together all of that information.
Review: Google Home brings its Assistant to your living room
Nathan Ingraham says Google Home is a great way to show off just how smart Google is, but it doesn't feel like an essential experience yet. That's mainly because it lags behind Amazon's Echo in terms of support for third-party services. For now, the Echo might be a smarter buy, but Home is a perfectly viable option for those who use lots of Google services.
Review: GoPro's debut drone, the Karma
As a standalone drone, GoPro's Karma lacks a lot of the features found on rival fliers. Worse still, the battery life is borderline acceptable. However, the charm with GoPro's first foray into drones is its ease of use and overall versatility. If you're invested in the GoPro ecosystem, Karma makes a lot of sense. More serious drone enthusiasts, however, might want to look elsewhere.
Here are the first games optimized and ready for the PlayStation 4 Pro
It's a mix of recent titles ("Battlefield 1," "Bound," "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare," "FIFA 17," "Hitman," "Mafia III," "Rise of the Tomb Raider") and flagship older hits like "inFamous Second Son," "Knack," "Ratchet" and "Clank," as well as a bunch of PSVR titles.
NFL Films is producing a nine-episode VR series for Google's Daydream platform
A still-untitled project will offer a 360-degree view of NFL action from the perspectives of players, coaches and fans. It's coming to the Google Daydream platform, with the first episode debuting Thanksgiving Day, so expect some additional demo content to show the family on your new Pixel.
The "New York Times" is free to read during the presidential election
Yes, the Gray Lady is opening up those paywall curtains to let readers in for 72 hours of election coverage. Alongside live coverage, the paper will also be Facebook livestreaming on Election Night as well as hosting a call-in show run by the crew of the "Run-Up" podcast.
But wait, there's more...
- Engadget's guide to the 2016 presidential election
- The first sex toy on Kickstarter is the Fin
- PlayStation's official coloring book is here
- Huawei's Mate 9 is a solid, smart device that optimizes itself to fit your needs