Google consolidates Home and Nest smart home initiatives

Fresh from Google IO 2019 is the news that Google Home and Nest devices are now consolidated into a unified smart home hardware and software initiative. The first product under this brand is the Google Nest Hub. A 10-inch smart display with Google Home functionality as well as a camera for video calls (or for security when you're away), this device can be anyting from a smart-speaker, kitchen TV, or digital photo frame.

Coming to Canada for the first time, the Google Nest Hub comes in a variety of colours including, chalk, charcoal, aqua and sand. Google says You can buy Hub for $169, and starting today, you can pre-order from the Google Store.  Google also has some deals for pre-orders of the Nest Hub between May 7 and May 27, Customers will get a Google Home Mini for free. Starting today, pricing for Google Home speakers will be $129 and Google Home Max will be $399.

Pre-orders are now up for the Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL

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Google is making some changes in its smartphone hardware business. Unlike the past few devices it launched where the focus was on the premium market, Google is bringing back its mid-range line with the launch of the Pixel 3a and 3a XL.

Unlike its past devices, too, these are available for pre-order now through the Google Store in 12 other countries outside of the US—Canada included. So, if you want to get Google’s newest smartphones, you can do so now. The Pixel 3a is priced at $549 CAD, while the Pixel 3a XL goes for $649. In the coming weeks, these will be available for pre-order through carriers like Rogers, Bell, Telus, Fido, Virgin Mobile, and Koodo. They will also be available through Best Buy, Costco, T-Booth Wireless, Wireless Wave, Walmart, and WoW Mobile.

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Instagram will enlist Facebook fact checkers to limit misinformation on its platform

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Facebook-owned Instagram wants to limit the spread of misinformation on its platform and one way to remedy that would be to run potentially false posts through Facebook’s fact-checking partners. While Instagram won’t take down these posts, they won’t show up in the Explore tab as well as in the hashtag results page. A spokesperson for the company told Poynter, "Our approach to misinformation is the same as Facebook's—when we find misinfo, rather than remove it, we'll reduce its distribution." On top of this, Instagram is considering adding pop-ups for when people look up misinformation.

Source: Engadget

‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ deals with post-‘Endgame’ world in new trailer

If you haven’t seen Avengers: Endgame yet, here’s your warning to stay away—even Tom Holland (ironically) is reminding you at the start of this trailer to not watch if you haven’t seen Endgame yet. But if you’ve seen it, you can read the rest of the story under the cut.

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