Google confirms October 4 launch of Pixel 2 with a billboard ad

It's the time of year where all the major companies launch their flagship phones and Google is expected to respond on October 4 with the successor to its Pixel phone. A billboard in Boston was shot by a reader of Droid Life. The billboard states 'Ask more of your phone' followed by the Google 'G' Logo and the date Oct. 4. 

This is certainly exciting news since the original Pixel and Pixel XL were the sleeper hits of 2016 with their excellent camera performance as well as the introduction of Google Assistant (as well as Google Home, Google WiFi, Daydream VR and the new 4K Chromecasts). All of these products are doing well in the market and we should expect various features to be unlocked by software updates. 

As for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, it seems we're getting hardware from HTC and LG respectively, with LG making the larger Pixel 2 XL and rehashing some of the design cues from its LG V30 flagship phablet. Stay tuned for more news.

Source: Phandroid

Update on Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 11:19AM by Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Google has confirmed the event with a press invitation. We'll be covering the event, which is also going to be streamed live on October 4 at noon EST.

Ford and Virginia Tech develop solutions for self driving cars to communicate with pedestrians

Study simulates a self-driving vehicle using a seat suit to conceal the human driver; this enables researchers to explore pedestrian reactions to the vehicle’s external lighting signals used to indicate whether it is self-driving, yielding or about to accelerate from a stop.

Ford and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute are testing a Ford-designed lighting method for self-driving vehicles to signal their intent to pedestrians, human drivers and bicyclists in an effort to create a standard visual language everyone can easily process and understand
 
Developing a way for self-driving vehicles to communicate their intent is essential since cues like hand waves or head nods between human drivers and pedestrians will not necessarily factor in to autonomous driving scenarios.

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Samsung pushes camera update ahead of Galaxy Note8 release

The Galaxy Note8 is almost here but just ahead of its release Samsung just pushed a firmware update for the phone (version N950FXXU1AQI1). Some of the things the update brings to the Note8 include camera software improvement as well as wireless charging optimization. The August security patch is also included in the update, which as Samsung Mobile Security blog enumerates include 32 critical or high-level fixes. There is also a preview of the September security patch on said blog that fixes 46 vulnerabilities in Android and 12 in Samsung Experience.

Source: Android Authority

Tesla sets October 26th as tentative date for Semi truck launch event

Tesla originally set a September launch for its all-electric Semi truck but that got pushed back and now we get a new tentative date for the launch. Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that the Semi truck will be unveiled on October 26^th at Hawthorne, California, which is where SpaceX HQ is located. But he adds the caveat that it’s “tentatively scheduled.” Not only will those in attendance get to see the truck but Musk says there will also be a test ride, meaning the Semi will be operational when it gets unveiled.

As expected details about the truck are sparse. But the event should shed light on questions like whether it’ll feature autonomous driving technology, have a 200- to 300-mile range (as reported by Reuters), and have a sizable battery pack to power through this (and whether it needs more charging time to fill its battery). Musk has previously said there would be more surprises at the event.

Source: TechCrunch