The Morning After: Samsung's Galaxy S21 will be revealed on January 14th
An early start to the smartphone race.
The new year starts in earnest today, and while there’s that whole online tech show to report on soon, Samsung has decided to bookend it with the launch of its new Galaxy phones. Yep, it’s confirmed the unveiling for Thursday, January 14th — the last day of CES. (Good thing we’ve already collated everything we’re expecting to see at the event, right here.)
It's all but certain we’ll see a new Galaxy S21 family, including a basic model, the S21 Plus and S21 Ultra, possibly alongside a new set of wireless Galaxy Buds. As Chris Velazco wrote, while a launch event this early in the year is unusual for Samsung, the company's moves later in the year may prove to be even more surprising. Some rumors suggest Samsung will push "more accessible" (i.e. cheaper) foldable smartphones, reducing the focus on its Galaxy Note family.
— Mat Smith
Tesla's redesigned Model S design may have been spotted
Expect a wider, more aggressive-looking EV.
Tesla’s Model S design hasn’t really changed much since 2016, but it appears poised for an (arguably overdue) update. YouTube channel The Kilowatts spotted what appears to be a Model S design refresh roaming around Palo Alto. It seems to have a wider body with a more pronounced fender and wider hips, as well as changes to the wheels, lights and rear diffuser.
It’s not certain if there are any internal changes. Tesla hopes to deliver its more powerful, longer-ranged Model S Plaid in late 2021, but this redesign might not necessarily be the new Plaid model.
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Related: Watch Tesla's Full Self-Driving navigate from SF to LA with (almost) no help
Quibi's content library could make its way to Roku
The two companies are reportedly in advanced discussions.
After short-form streaming site Quibi died, what happened to its shows? Instead of dying a death, it’s possible they may be sold to streaming app and hardware manufacturer Roku, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Roku has never made its own original content, despite being deeply entrenched in the streaming world. The acquisition of Quibi would give it a slate of original programming as a potential benefit for its hardware buyers.
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WhatsApp set an all-time record for calls on New Year's Eve
The pandemic led many to go with virtual gatherings.
WhatsApp set a record as 2020 came to a close, with 1.4 billion video and voice calls placed on New Year’s Eve 2020 — the most ever in a single day on WhatsApp. It was also a 50 percent jump in calls over the same time from a year earlier and surpassed even the early days of the pandemic back in March.
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LG will demo a 'bendable' OLED gaming TV at CES 2021
You can switch between a flatscreen and a curved screen at the press of a button.
At its CES 2021 virtual showroom, LG Display will show off a gaming-related concept TV: a 48-inch 4K “Bendable CSO (Cinematic Sound OLED) display” that can switch between a flatscreen and a curved screen. The idea is you watch videos in flatscreen mode, and at the press of a button, the TV morphs into a curved screen for a more immersive gaming experience.
The TV supports variable refresh rates from 40Hz to 120Hz, which is the bare minimum for a gaming monitor these days, but it remains a concept for now.
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But wait, there’s more...
SpaceX will try to 'catch' its Super Heavy rocket using the launch tower
Hitting the Books: What do we want our AI-powered future to look like?
Apple reconsiders banning Mac app Amphetamine over its drug-inspired name
