The Morning After: Tuesday, May 2nd 2017
What's that Tingle?
Hey, good morning!
It was a day of leaks and, erm, green tights. We got glimpses at the next Surface laptop, and that (eventual) Fitbit smartwatch, which, looks like other smartwatches. The first lump of extra Zelda content has been teased in detail: hopefully, you like dressing up like Mr. Tingle.
Pictures of a 'Surface laptop' leak out ahead of today's Microsoft event
At around 9:30AM ET today, Microsoft will show off some of its plans to take on Chromebooks for students. That is expected to include a cloud-focused focused version of Windows 10 and some new hardware, like this laptop. Pictures and specs for a 13.5-inch laptop leaked out last night via Twitter, so all we really need to know now is what's inside and how much it will cost. Stay tuned.
First 'Zelda: Breath of the Wild' DLC adds more reasons to replay
For players who've already traversed every corner of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's open world, the company has added more details of its first DLC expansion. Due sometime this summer, the company will add a 'Hard Mode' where enemies are powered up by one level, have higher maximum levels and they slowly regain health -- oh, and enemies and chests can be found in the sky.
"Bombshell" is a comprehensive look at Hedy Lamarr's storied life
Hedy Lamarr's, regardless of what you know her for, achievements are many. This new documentary, Bombshell, makes that clear. She was a hardworking actress, a determined producer, a patriotic supporter of American troops, a wife (many times over), an unpredictable mother and an icon of Hollywood glamor. But one title Lamarr never got real recognition for during her lifetime was that of inventor. It was her wartime invention that earned her the title of "mother of WiFi." She came up with a method of sending radio signals by making them jump between channels called frequency-hopping out of a desire to help the Navy deploy radio-guided torpedoes without enemy interference during World War II. Unfortunately, Lamarr's beauty and scandals kept many from appreciating her technological achievements.
How to be a human being in the comments: A refresher
So it has been a long time since we last posted comments guidelines and standards. To put it in perspective, the last time we talked comments with y'all, the iPhone 5 hadn't been released, Android fans were using Jelly Bean and Facebook had just gone public. A lot can change in the course of nearly five years, but one thing that's remained constant is our dedication to our readers. To that end, we wanted to take a minute to answer some questions, explain some features and, frankly, lay down the law when it comes to the comments section and our social channels.
Avegant's light-field tech gives hope to a mixed-reality future
One thing we'll need for augmented reality to make the next big leap is the ability to display multiple focal points at once, mimicking the way we see real objects. Light field technology could fix that if only someone had a workable solution -- enter Avegant. Nicole Lee tried on the company's prototype headset, and says it felt like putting "a 100-inch TV in front of my face." So far, it's less vaporware than Magic Leap and has a wider field of view than Microsoft's HoloLens.
Fitbit's upcoming smartwatch and wireless headphones leak out
Fitbit's long-time-coming smartwatch has leaked and appears to swap out the clunky octagonal design of its Blaze fitness tracker for a more traditional square face. It also features a metal unibody case, which adds some colorful accents around the screen. Fitbit will also be taking on Apple's BeatsX wireless headphones with its own pair, codenamed "Parkside." It'll hang around your neck and feature a slight metallic accent. We don't know much about its features yet, but based on the leaked images it looks like a typical pair of wireless earbuds.
Apple's Siri speaker could be the 'one more thing' at WWDC
Analysts believe that Apple will introduce its Siri-equipped speaker (possibly Apple's "first home AI product") at its Worldwide Developer Conference in early June. And to no one's surprise, it would be pitched as a premium alternative to the Amazon Echo -- a subwoofer and seven tweeters would deliver "excellent" sound. Naturally, there will be tight integration with other Apple devices. The main problem? You might be waiting a while. Kuo understands that it'd arrive sometime in the second half of the year.
