BetaNews: Google launches USB-C Titan security key. “Does your laptop have USB-A ports? Gross! Don’t you know no one uses them anymore? Everyone uses USB-C now. I am, of course, being facetious — USB-C, while great, still has a long way to go before dethroning the ubiquitous Type A. With that said, there are computers that are USB-C only, such as Apple’s MacBook Pro. Owners of those computers have to get dongles to use their USB-A devices. Tomorrow, however, Google is making it possible to ditch the dongle when using a Titan security key.”
hardware
Popular Science: Your smartphone is gross. Learn how to clean it properly
Popular Science: Your smartphone is gross. Learn how to clean it properly . “With most phones now at least water resistant—if not waterproof—and designed to take a few knocks, cleaning your phone won’t be difficult, so you won’t accidentally end up with an overpriced paperweight. But it is a good idea to keep most of your normal cleaning products and any abrasive materials in the cupboards.” I find having a case really helps a lot, too…
BetaNews: How to watch the Made By Google stream and Pixel 4 launch
BetaNews: How to watch the Made By Google stream and Pixel 4 launch. “Tomorrow in New York, the company is holding its Made By Google ’19 event, and at it we can expect to see not only the launch of the Pixel 4 and Pixel XL, but also — in all likelihood — the Pixelbook Go. There may be a few other surprises, and you can tune into the live stream to get the news as soon as it happens — and find out how many of the rumors are true.”
TechCrunch: Russia’s Yandex introduces an Echo Dot-style smart speaker
TechCrunch: Russia’s Yandex introduces an Echo Dot-style smart speaker. “In May of last year, Yandex launched the Yandex.Station. The $160 smart speaker was a clear logical step for the so-called ‘Google of Russia.’ This week, the company is back with the next-next logical step. The Yandex.Station Mini is essentially its take on the Echo Dot/Google Home Mini.”
Washington Post: Everyone’s AirPods will die. We’ve got the trick to replacing them.
Washington Post: Everyone’s AirPods will die. We’ve got the trick to replacing them.. “Cupertino, we have a problem: AirPods are comfortable and convenient headphones that have attracted tens of millions of customers. But each one of those white sticks contains a rechargeable battery marching toward an untimely death in as little as two years. Apple’s plan to deal with that reality is just to sell us new ear buds. When your AirPods’ day comes, the only option is to ask Apple for discounted replacements — but you’ll need to know its code word to even get that.”
Ars Technica: Senator proposes mandatory labeling for products with mics, cameras
Ars Technica: Senator proposes mandatory labeling for products with mics, cameras. “Much in the same way that food labels are now required to disclose the potential presence of allergens such as peanuts, one Senator is proposing a law that would require tech companies to include a label on products disclosing the presence of recording devices.”
BetaNews: Another Windows 10 update is causing problems, this time with printing
BetaNews: Another Windows 10 update is causing problems, this time with printing. “There have been a series of problematic updates for Windows recently, and now yet another one has popped up, this time affecting not only Windows 10, but also Windows 8.1, Windows 7 and Windows Server. The KB4522016 cumulative update is interfering with printing.”
