Saturday, 31 August 2019

Hey Gen Z, this is a pager, and in the '90s they were everywhere

Welcome to Dial Up, Mashable’s most excellent look at technology in the '90s, from the early days of the World Wide Web to the clunky gadgets that won our hearts.  In 2019, if you want to meet with someone, you shoot them a text. Easy. That wasn't the case in the 1990s. Back then, the scenario looked a little more like this: You carried around a little device called a pager in your pocket. It went off, showing little more than a phone number on the diminutive screen. If you were in public, you found a pay phone to call that number and arrange a meetup. At that point, you just had to hope...

Forget endless playlists, CD binders were real curation

Welcome to Dial Up, Mashable’s most excellent look at technology in the '90s, from the early days of the World Wide Web to the clunky gadgets that won our hearts.  Where to put the Modest Mouse CD?  I didn’t want to put it right up front — too obvious that I was proud of it. But didn’t want to bury it too deeply. How would I find it easily? More importantly, what if someone browsing my collection didn’t get how important that album was to me? These were the questions I asked myself while organizing my CD binders. For you Gen Z kids out there, CD carrying cases were physical binders...

9 great reads from CNET this week - CNET

Why Tumbler has remained a safe haven amid internet ugliness, how Girls Who Code's mission goes far beyond coding, and never mind 5G; it's Wi-Fi 6 that'll rock your world. https://ift.tt/eA8V8J from CNET News https://ift.tt/32h39jn via IFT...

9 great reads from CNET this week - CNET

Why Tumbler has remained a safe haven amid internet ugliness, how Girls Who Code's mission goes far beyond coding, and never mind 5G; it's Wi-Fi 6 that'll rock your world. https://ift.tt/eA8V8J from CNET https://ift.tt/2LeYpFA via IFT...

Carpool Karaoke The Mic is a road trip must-have: Review

Carpool Karaoke The Mic $59.99 View Product The Good Made for the car • Really fun • Cool to hear your voice on the radio • Entertaining • Long battery life and rechargeable The Bad You need a separate app for lyrics • Expensive gadget for limited use • Not the most intuitive set-up • Awkward canned message from Corden plays from the microphone The Bottom Line It seems cheesy, but once you've got it set up, this is the only way to have a road trip singalong. It's your voice actually singing along with the music from your phone's music app. But you better know all the words, because...

Meet the world's smallest portable washing machine — and yes, it's on sale

TL;DR: Snag the essential Sonic Soak Ultrasonic Cleaner from the Mashable Shop for $115.59. It's typically $250, so you'll save $134.41. Clean freaks, travelers, and jewelry lovers everywhere: get ready to have your mind blown. Over a century after the washing machine was invented, there’s finally a new way to remove grease, grime, dirt, and stains from your clothes: the Sonic Soak Ultrasonic Cleaner. The Sonic Soak is basically a miniature washing machine that fits in your pocket. Seriously, it's less than five inches long, so it's perfect for frequent travelers. It uses sound waves to blast...

This salon-quality straightener is just $85 for Labor Day weekend

TL;DR: Snag the NuMe Megastar hair straightener for $84.99 in the Mashable Shop. It's typically $169, so you'll save $84. Contrary to what shampoo commercials tell you, getting sleek, straight, salon-quality hair isn't as easy as jumping in the shower and slathering on whatever product they're peddling. It usually involves an elaborate process involving drying your locks a certain way, combing them a certain way, and using a hair straightener until your arms fall off. Otherwise, you just end up having a bad hair day. The NuMe Megastar hair straightener is a quality hair tool designed to help...

10 charging accessories on sale for Labor Day: You know you need these

In some parts of the country, smartphones cost more than a month's rent or mortgage. And for that ridiculous chunk of change, you'd think you'd get a sturdy charger that lasted the lifespan of your phone. But you'd be wrong.  Instead, we're left with heaps of broken cables with frayed edges cluttering up our junk drawers. What gives? Fortunately, there are tons of heavy-duty alternatives that'll juice up your device quicker and will actually last. And lucky for you, there are 10 excellent options on sale for Labor Day. These deals on charging accessories should help you keep your devices...

Friday, 30 August 2019

NordVPN on sale for just £2.29 a month

TL;DR: The secure NordVPN is on sale for just £2.29 a month, saving you 75% on list price. NordVPN has launched its summer sale, with heavy discounts available on both the two and three-year plans. Until Sept. 16, NordVPN is offering up to 75% off, with its three-year plan down to only £2.29 a month. That's an impressively low price for such a well respected VPN service, offering a geographical diverse collection of servers, advanced features, and strong privacy practices. SEE ALSO: The best VPN for Netflix in 2019: Deals and how to watch American Netflix in the UK NordVPN provides a robust...

Get a free Echo Plus when you buy a Samsung Galaxy Note 10

TL;DR: Amazon will give you a second-generation Echo Plus smart speaker for free (normally $149.99) when you order a brand new Samsung Galaxy Note or Note 10+.  The hype for the release of Apple's newest iPhone is very real — but if you don't feel compelled to wait in hours-long lines to buy a smartphone with few marked differences from its predecessor, we can't really blame you. Maybe it's time to explore your options and start seeing other operating systems. For what it's worth, Amazon would love to set you up with the new Samsung Galaxy Note 10 or Note 10+, which came out just last...

As Hurricane Dorian approaches, scooters are removed from the streets

Lime, Spin and other companies are pulling scooters off the streets in Florida over concerns they could become dangerous projectiles during Hurricane Dorian. Miami officials told scooter companies to retrieve their vehicles by Friday. Dorian is forecast to make landfall along the Atlantic coast of Florida as early as Labor Day weekend, or early next week, as a Category 4 storm with winds of up to 140 miles per hour.   Yes, ALL #scooters will be removed from @CityofMiami streets by Friday. Winds expected to increase on Saturday evening#HurricaneDorian #scooternado — Ken Russell Miami...

Ring video doorbell is on sale for $50 off at Amazon

TL;DR: Snag the essential Ring video doorbell for $119 at Amazon (refurbished). It's typically $169, so you'll save 30%. As much as you may wish you could stay at home 24/7, for most of us this fantasy is basically unattainable. Unfortunately this means going outside, commuting, and worst of all, missed packages. No really, nothing is worse than ordering something, constantly tracking it, and then missing the damn thing. Feel like you’re always at home and never miss a package again with the Ring video doorbell. The Ring is a video doorbell that acts as your eyes and ears at home while you...

AeroGarden Harvest is on sale for 34% off at Amazon

TL;DR: Get the innovative AeroGarden Harvest on sale for $98.99. Since it's usually priced at $149.95, you'll be saving $50.96.  It feels like just yesterday we were ringing in the Fourth of July with oversized pool floats, but here we are: Labor Day. And while this weekend may mark the last hurrah of cookouts, fireworks, and an excuse to day drink White Claws on a Monday, there are some summer highlights you don’t have to bid farewell to. Like growing fresh veggies and herbs to add to your favorite recipes, for example.  Instead, take your greenery indoors with an AeroGarden in...

11-inch iPad Pro (1TB) is $399 off — its lowest price on Amazon ever

TL;DR: The best-in-class 2018 iPad Pro is on sale for its lowest price ever at Amazon — get the 1 TB model for $1,149.99, a savings of $399.01. Mark Sept. 10 in your calendars, y'all: It's finally time for Apple's highly-anticipated iPhone event, where the year's new iPhones will be announced. A new Apple Watch is also expected to make an appearance. There's one Apple star who's staying home, though: the iPad. Apple reinvented the tablet (again) when it released the bezel-less iPad Pros in December 2018, and less than a year just isn't enough time to re-revolutionize the tablet again. So for...

8 of the best wireless charging mats and stands in the UK

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Bose SoundTouch 30 wireless speaker is $100 off at Amazon

TL;DR: Bose’s most powerful wireless speaker, the SoundTouch 30 is on sale for $399, saving you $100. Sometimes you just have to splurge on the expensive model when shopping around for electronics, especially when looking for a good Bluetooth speaker. Going cheap on a wireless speaker might seem like a good idea in the moment, but you will seriously regret it when you’re trying to entertain guests and the music can’t be heard over everyone’s chatter. We all know Bose makes great audio products, so the company’s SoundTouch 30 wireless speaker is no exception. Bose boasts that it’s “our most...

The best Virgin Media broadband deals in the UK

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IFA 2019: Get ready for one very unusual tech show

There's going to be an odd vibe at the IFA Berlin trade show next week.  IFA, which officially kicks off Sept. 6 but in reality starts two days earlier, is primarily an audio and video consumer electronics show, and nothing will change in that regard. We'll still see a bunch of huge, fancy TVs, wireless headphones, wearables, and VR/AR gadgets.  But the show is also a launchpad for new smartphones, often from giants such as Samsung, Huawei, and LG. That's happening this year, too, but there's never been so many unknowns only days before the show. This year's trend: The Latephone Take...

Samsung's Galaxy Fold could launch next week

Samsung's oft-delayed foldable phone may finally be ready for prime time.  According to South Korean outlet Yonhap News (via SamMobile), the company is getting ready to launch the Galaxy Fold in Korea on Sept. 6.  The date is interesting, as this is the same day the IFA trade show in Berlin officially starts — though there's still no word whether Samsung will officially launch the Fold there. A few months ago, Samsung said it has fixed the Fold's issues and promised a September launch, but the company did not reveal an exact date.  SEE ALSO: Lefties are going to love Samsung's...

Microsoft Will Publish exFAT Spec, but Linux Devs Aren’t Happy

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Tesla S key fob security flaw revealed once again by researchers

Found by Belgium university researchers, the flaw once again allows hackers access to steal the car. Read more... More about Tech, Mashable Video, Tesla, Elon Musk, and Tesla Model S https://ift.tt/2NMmQff from Tech https://ift.tt/30KJZSF via IFT...

Apple apologizes for Siri recordings, plans to make changes

The company faced much backlash after it was revealed that these recordings were occurring and being listened to. Read more... More about Tech, Apple, Iphone, Mashable Video, and Siri https://ift.tt/2MLryd8 from Tech https://ift.tt/2ZE4ROd via IFT...