Latest Google Pixel 3 XL leak comes from back of a Lyft

It's remarkable how crazy this year's been for major smartphone launch leaks. No major smartphone manufacturer has been spared by early and embarrassing looks at their upcoming products and now Google has had another major Pixel 3 XL leak from the most unlikely source.

We get to see a real-live Pixel 3 XL, this isn't from a stolen pallet of devices or from a publicly accessible video stream but from the back of a Lyft. Someone with early access to the device left it in a Lyft car they were riding. Coincidentally, the Lyft driver mistook the lost phone for his own Pixel 2 XL (what are the chances). The driver noticed the large notch on the face of the the phone and realized he was looking at a still unannounced Google Pixel XL.

The story has a happy ending as the owner and the Pixel 3 XL were reunited, but not before the Lyft driver took a bunch of photos of the device and shared it with the world at larger. So here we are,another look at what Google has in store come October.

Source: Android Police via Engadget

Samsung launches first commercially available 8K TVs

While 4K might be all the rage now, we have also for a while heard of 8K TVs. And now Samsung is bringing its first line of 8K TVs to the market. The Q900R QLED 8K TV was unveiled at IFA in Berlin and comes in 65 inches, 75 inches, 82 inches, and 85 inches. Why would you even want to consider one? It’s definitely brighter and can produce even better image quality. It has as many as 16 times more pixels than the standard HD TV and is capable of 4,000 nit peak brightness. At the moment, Samsung’s Q9 series 4K QLED TVs can reach 1,700 nit peak brightness. It also offers high-dynamic range to provide deeper blacks and more vivid colors. 

Content will always be the main issue here and there aren’t a lot of 8K content available yet. But just like what’s been done with 4K TVs, Samsung also includes its unique upscaling technology. This makes use of artificial intelligence to improve picture quality of what you’re watching—whether this comes from a streaming set-top box, game console, or even mirrored content from your smartphone or other mobile devices. Samsung hasn’t released pricing for this just yet but if you compare it with the top-of-the-line Q9 series QLED 4K TVs start at US$3,300 for the 65 inches (approx. CA$4,300) so expect the 8K model to be quite expensive. 

Source: Business Insider 

Valve releases free version of ‘Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’

If you’re still on the fence about whether you’re willing to spend US$14.99 (approx. CA$20) on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you can get the game for free. This version of the game will let you compete offline against bots and or watch matches through GOTV, the games spectating client. It is available on Steam for Linux, Mac, and Windows. 

If you do decide to buy the game, this will get you “access to online content and features, including multiplayer gameplay, official matchmaking, in-game inventories, skill groups, XP, ranks, and other online features.” This new CS:GO update also brings with it Panorama user interface as the game’s default view and a tweaked user interface to improve support for low-end machines. 

Source: Polygon

The UE Boom app removes support for Amazon Alexa

Bad news for UE Boom users who use Amazon Alexa, the company just removed support for the digital assistant on its Android app. According to a statement released to The Verge, the company wants to focus on the core functionality of the speakers. The update notes on Google Play also state that the app loses support for alarms. Some users also commented that the app also lost the ability to remotely power up UE devices. Many have left one-star reviews over the update claiming it slowed down the app. Amazon Alexa compatibility isn’t completely lost, though. The company notes it’s still available for the Blast and Megablast speakers.