Prepare for a busy Tuesday, where we're expecting an earnings report from Verizon, details on Blizzard's new Overwatch expansion and oh yeah, our new show 'The Future IRL' debuts at 9AM ET. But first up are the things you may have missed, like a massive update for Google Voice, the name of the new Star Wars movie and why cassette sales are way, way up.
I'm excited for Fitbit's mythical smartwatch
It hasn't been a great year for wearables, with sluggish sales and underwhelming products dominating the space. Several smartwatches have disappeared over the last twelve months, and for Dan Cooper, devices from Apple, Samsung and Google that try to recreate the smartphone experience on the wrist just aren't compelling. However, those companies are increasingly the only games in town after the demise of low-power wearable companies like Pebble, Vector and Basis. However, with Fitbit picking up multiple smartwatch minnows, perhaps it can swoop in and produce a smartwatch that people actually want to use.
Big Google Voice update brings a new look, MMS and group messaging
Google hasn't tweaked Voice in what feels like forever, but with the latest update it's added all the finest texting features 2005 had to offer. Group messaging and MMS are big additions, while a new look modernizes the app and website significantly. You may not see the updates just yet, but they'll roll out to users over the next few weeks.
Samsung's Galaxy S8 won't come to MWC
The investigation into the Galaxy Note 7 had one more side-effect: delaying development of the upcoming Galaxy S8. Samsung says its reveal could be pushed back to late April, but as usual, the new phone will appear eventually.
With "Seamless Traveler" your face is your passport
Australia has a plan to replace passport-scanning SmartGates with a suite of biometric scans, ready for facial, iris and fingerprint recognition. Sound a bit creepy? Perhaps, but it could mean travelers can enter the country without flipping open a passport or even speaking to an agent. A trial program will start in July, and it's expected to roll out at all international airports by March 2019.
Cassette sales actually went up in 2016
US cassette tape sales actually grew in 2016, with 129,000 copies sold. That might not be as many as the number of vinyl albums sold in the same year (somehow, 13.1 million), but it's an impressive 74-percent increase from the 74,000 sold in 2015.
This 14-inch Einstein robot is designed to be your favorite teacher
In a world full of digital assistants, Hanson Robotics is building a personal genius for kids. When it's online, natural language processing keeps the conversation going, and while offline, kids can connect via a Stein-o-Matic app and work through simple science concepts. The price for all those legendary smarts? $250, as a part of its just-launched Kickstarter.
But wait, there's more...
- What's on TV: Resident Evil 7, and Netflix's cellphone superhero flick iBoy
- LG G6 photo shows off some rounded corners
- Corsair's new K95 gaming keyboard is surprisingly classy
- Meet Funnie, the beer-and-pizza-fetching bot
- 'Star Wars: Episode VIII' is called 'The Last Jedi'